2024 Schedule
- First game/Home opener: Feb. 24 - 8:30 pm ET vs. Sporting Kansas City
- Full schedule
- Watch on MLS Season Pass
- Buy the 2024 jersey
Armchair Analyst's Breakdown
- Strength: Houston played absolutely gorgeous ball last year, dominating most games via possession generated out of central midfield, which allowed the fullbacks to get involved on the overlap and overloads to pull apart opponents. And all those key pieces in midfield and on the backline are back.
- Weakness: The key-ist (ok that’s not a word, sue me) of those key pieces is Héctor Herrera, who’s starting the season injured. Nelson Quiñónes, who was the starting left winger, is done for the year with a knee injury. Corey Baird left in free agency. It’s uncertain how long Coco Carrasquilla – who’s said he wants a return to Europe – will stay happy. It’s tough to look at the Dynamo, who were one of the league’s best stories last year, and say they got better in 2024.
Key Departures
- Corey Baird: Baird was Houston's starting No. 9 last year, but has departed in free agency for FC Cincinnati. Now they're banking on Sebastián Ferreira to seize that role; the Paraguayan international and Designated Player is back after a loan to Brazilian side Vasco da Gama.
- Iván Franco: Franco's season-long loan from Libertad ended with 3g/3a in 26 games, often appearing off the bench in attack.
- Teenage Hadebe: After falling down the depth chart, Hadebe exited and signed for Turkish Süper Lig club Konyaspor. The Zimbabwe international center back's move opened a DP spot.
Key Signings
- Griffin Dorsey: It's been a slow offseason for the Dynamo. Case in point: We're including Dorsey after the right back stuck around in free agency.
- Ján Greguš: Houston needed central-midfield depth, and they've hit that checklist item by signing Greguš in free agency. The former Slovakian international arrives with 3g/24a in 102 matches across spells at Minnesota, Nashville and San Jose.
- Full roster
Projected Starting XI
NOTE: Herrera is starting the year injured, likely creating room for Greguš to slot into midfield.
Predictions
- Marcelo Balboa: 7th in Western Conference
- Kyndra de St. Aubin: 7th in Western Conference
- Matt Doyle: 11th in Western Conference
- Brian Dunseth: 7th in Western Conference
- Miguel Gallardo: 10th in Western Conference
- Antonella Gonzalez: 1st in Western Conference
- J. Sam Jones: 7th in Western Conference
- Sacha Kljestan: 6th in Western Conference
- Kaylyn Kyle: 3rd in Western Conference
- Lori Lindsey: 5th in Western Conference
- Frédéric Lord: 4th in Western Conference
- Joseph Lowery: 11th in Western Conference
- Sammy Sadovnik: 5th in Western Conference
- Andrew Wiebe: 9th in Western Conference
- Bradley Wright-Phillips: 3rd in Western Conference
- Diego Valeri: 7th in Western Conference
- Jake Zivin: 6th in Western Conference
Odds & Ends
- Head coach: Ben Olsen
- Stadium: Shell Energy Stadium
- Last year: 14W-11L-9T, 51 points, 4th in Western Conference
- Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs: Western Conference Final
