Columbus and Sporting KC lost their 2026 season openers, citing poor play and roster issues.

The Columbus Crew and Sporting Kansas City opened the 2026 season with losses, calling the results wake-up calls. Columbus fell 3-2 to Portland, with coach Henrik Rydstrom criticizing poor build-up play, lack of offensive creativity, and counterattack vulnerabilities despite goals from Abou Ali and Rossi. Sporting KC lost 3-0 at San Jose after a defensive error sparked a quick collapse, managing just one shot on target. First-year coach Raphael Wicky cited a depleted roster of 22 players—eight below the league limit—as a major challenge. Both teams aim to regroup ahead of their Week 2 matchup in Kansas City.