The Pitch: Teenagers and Player Pathway Products Ready for the International Stage

The brightest teenage prospects and other Player Pathway stars look to make a name for themselves on the international stage while the final stretch of the MLS season heats up.

MLS Teenagers Taking Over National Teams

Across various national team rosters, double-digit breakout MLS teenagers earned senior call-ups after a season that has seen young players receive more opportunities, and deliver more production, than ever before.

These call-ups reflect a broader trend that has reshaped the league in 2026. A record 84 teenagers have appeared in MLS matches, while teenage players have already set new single-season league records for goals, assists and total goal contributions with weeks still remaining. Combined with a growing pipeline of MLS academy graduates continuing to progress through the Player Pathway, this year's international window offers the clearest evidence yet that MLS has become the primary development pathway for the next generation of soccer in North America and beyond.

Current and Former MLS NEXT Pro Stars to International Call-Ups

Another storyline this international window is the number of former MLS NEXT Pro players earning national team call-ups to national teams from all across the globe, especially in Africa.

There are more than 40 players with MLS NEXT Pro experience who received call-ups to national teams in the September and October window. In Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, countries are turning to bright young talent like Ronald Donkor (Red Bull New York; Ghana), Rodolfo Aloko (Charlotte FC; Benin), and Bernard Kamungo (FC Dallas; Tanzania) to punch their tickets to next summer’s tournament. For Kamungo, this will punctuate a remarkable journey from a refugee camp in Tanzania to the United States, and now to the Tanzanian national team.

Outside of Africa, some of the other notable call-ups include Red Bull New York’s Mijahir Jiménez earning his first call-up for Panama and Minnesota United FC goalkeeper Alec Smir for Jordan. Additionally, Nashville SC’s Zidane Yáñez has been scoring for Huntsville City FC and has parlayed that into training with Chile in their senior national team camp. Within every continent, MLS NEXT Pro alumni and current stars will be wearing their country’s colors and also repping the league with pride.

Columbus’ Revamped Roster to Be Tested on Sunday Night

​No club had a more active Secondary Transfer Window than the Columbus Crew, which will have its revamped roster tested on Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire against Inter Miami CF (7 p.m. ET, MLS on Apple TV).

Crew General Manager Issa Tall was busy over the summer, earning significant transfer fees for Diego Rossi and Max Arfsten, while bringing in new Designated Players Brais Méndez and Santiago Rodríguez, in addition to several loan signings like Moroccan international Anass Zaroury. The early results have been strong as Columbus progressed to the Leagues Cup Quarterfinals and then punched their ticket to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final last week.

To make the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, Columbus will need a late-season push, but have an opportunity to climb up the standings with six of their last seven games coming against Eastern Conference foes. That all starts this weekend when they host Inter Miami CF on Sunday Night Soccer.

One of the Closest MLS Coach of the Year Races Ever

Whether it is a first-time Supporters’ Shield leader, resurgent teams from down 2025 seasons, or consistent winners, the 2026 Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year race is one of the closest in league history.

The main contenders currently appear to be Nashville SC’s B.J. Callaghan, St. Louis CITY SC’s Yoann Damet, New England Revolution’s Marko Mitrović, and Houston Dynamo FC’s Ben Olsen. When it comes to points per game improvement since 2025, Damet has led the biggest leap (+0.75 points per game) for a St. Louis CITY SC side that is closing in on the longest unbeaten streak in MLS history.

For Callaghan, if Nashville goes on to win the Supporters’ Shield, it has historically meant that coach takes home the award, as five of the last seven have done so. Additionally, Mitrović has turned New England around, made them one of the most dangerous teams in the Eastern Conference, and elevated several young players in the process.

Although unlikely, Philadelphia Union interim head coach Ryan Richter has taken 29 of the team’s 36 points this season and could help Philadelphia become the first team in the post-shootout era to record single-digit points through the first 15 games and still make the postseason. No interim manager has ever won the award, but Richter is making a strong push in one of the league's most difficult award races to determine.