Let’s begin: FC Dallas roster building for 2026

After wading through a few technicalities, FC Dallas announced their end-of-season roster moves, and thus began the roster build for 2026 under Coach Eric Quill.

FCD ended up being more ruthless with the kids than we expected, with – we assume – Quill deciding a chunk of them couldn’t help his first team.

So now let’s move to the next phase and start to build.

Step One – Sign a Center Back

(Dead Horse Alert)

We’ve literally been saying this since Reto Ziegler left: FC Dallas needs to sign a starting TAM center back. (And no, Sebastien Ibeagha wasn’t the answer, which we said at the time and every season since.)

The Burn has waited so long to get one that when they signed Osaze Urhoghide last season, they needed two starting CBs and not one. (And no, Lalas Abubakar wasn’t the answer either.)

You see, FCD has put up two of the worst away goals against totals in club history over the last two seasons (56 and 55). Quill went to 3-at-the-back in the final stage of 2025 to “stop the bleeding,” as he put it.

Preferably, they can sign a lefty center back who is a bit of a stay-at-home game reader with good feet and passing (Oz is aggressive). A player near the prime of their career, 26-28 years of age or so. This player probably needs to he an international, but there are domestic versions in MLS and abroad.

Throwing out a name for big vibes: Mika Mármol. Lefty, CB. Spanish, 24 years old, with UD Las Palmas in LaLiga 2. (Don’t get too excited about the name, I tried to draw a parallel with Urhoghide coming from Ligue 2. FCD probably can’t afford Marmol.)

If they sign the center back to pair with Urhoghide, then FCD can…

Step Two – Change to a 4-2-3-1

All evidence from his previous head coaching stops is that Quill prefers some version of a 4-3-3. In this case, we suggest a double pivot 4-2-3-1.

Complicating things is Logan Farrington, who, for the 2nd season in a row, proved he needs to be starting. But he works best in a front 2, so he can play off the 9. As a wing, he will need some freedom to come inside and underneath. This is how Farrington played in 2024 when his quality allowed the club to move on from Jesus Ferreira.

To use Farrington as a wing in a 4-2-3-1 requires a little hybridization, outside backs who can occasionally run the line, and a smart 6/8.

This team has some money and contracts invested in wings and a fair amount of 6/8s and outside backs. All the pieces needed for a 4-2-3-1. The club is missing just one piece for it.

And that missing piece is…

Step Three – Sign a DP Playmaker

That’s right, another Lucho Acosta-type player, hopefully one that is bought into what Quill is selling. Spending on Acosta last year and bidding on Evander shows that the club wants a 10.

Credit to Andre Zanotta, once Quill wanted Acosta out, Zanotta was able to recoup most of the buy money. So FCD should have the reported $4.5 million sale money lying around, as well as vacated $4 mil in guaranteed compensation in their player budget.

Patrickson Delgado played really well in the turnaround in the last third of 2025. But he’s just 21 and isn’t a pure string puller. He would make a good backup 10 and an offensive-minded deep 8.

So, in terms of making this team compete at the top end, FCD needs a baller in the hole.

Zanotta big-boy pants baller move name: Pry Diego Luna out of RSL, make him a DP. He should cost less than Evander did.

Step Four – Get Enes Sali Off the Roster

One way or another, FCD needs to move Enes Sali off the roster for multiple reasons.

1. He’s not good enough.
2. Clear an international spot, cause Sali makes 9 of 10, and FCD may need 2 more spots (see above).
3. Open a U22 spot to either get another U22 or a 3rd DP.

I don’t care how it’s done. Loan him out (to North Texas if you have to), sale, trade, buyout… just get it done.

Step Five – Sign Homegrowns from College

This year, there are a few college players worth signing as Homegrowns, maybe even three. I will go over who they are after their teams are eliminated from the NCAA postseason.

Step Six – Some Small Stuff

While it’s not a season-breaking problem, you will see from my roster model down below that FCD needs a reserve striker and, since it doesn’t look like Jacob Jackson will return, a third goalkeeper.

The NTSC/Academy options in those two positions are for the future and are not ready to help FCD at this time.

FCD has two 1st round draft picks (Arriola trade); perhaps they could fill those roles? The club’s 2nd round pick will probably end up at NTSC. They traded away their 3rd round pick for Jackson (San Diego).

Buzz’s MLS Roster Build Model

If you’ve been around here a bit, you will know my roster model I’ve used for over a decade. In a 30-man MLS roster, it has 25 defined positions and 5 floaters. Here’s how it looks for FC Dallas as of today.

	Player	Pos.	Notes
1	Petar Musa	F 1	Int, DP
2	Logan Farrington	F 2
3	Reserve Striker	F 3
4	Anderson Julio	W 1	TAM? Green card
5	Louicius Deedson	W 2	Int
6	Bernard Kamungo	W 3
7	Sam Sarver	W 4
8	New DP?	AM 1	Int? DP?
9	Patrickson Delgado	AM 2	Int, U22
10	Paxton Pomykal	LM 1	TAM
11	Diego Garcia	LM 2	HG
12	Christian Cappis	DM 1
13	Kaick	DM 2	Int, U22
14	Nolan Norris	LB 1	HG
15	Josh Torquato	LB 2	HG
16	Osaze Urhoghide	CB 1	TAM, Int
17	New TAM CB?	CB 2	Int TAM?
18	Sebastien Ibeagha	CB 3
19	Lalas Abubakar	CB 4
20	Alvaro Augusto	CB 5	Int
21	Shaq Moore	RB 1	TAM
22	Geovane Jesus	RB 2	Int, U22
23	Maarten Paes	G 1	Green card
24	Michael Collodi	G 2	HG
25	Third Keeper	G 3
26	Ramiro	Utility	Int
27	Enes Sali	LW	Int, U22
28	Enzo Newman	RB
29	Open
30	Open

Which gives us a…

FC Dallas 4-2-3-1 Depth Chart Today

Don’t place any bets on this… and yes, compared to my model, I’m playing Farrington “out of position.”

		Musa Reserve Striker?
Deedson/Julio Kamungo Sali		DP 10? Delgado		Farrington Sarver
	Cappis Ramiro Kaick		Pomykal (Ramiro) Garcia
Norris Torquato	TAM CB? Abubakar		Urhoghide Ibeagha Augusto	Moore Geovane Newman
		Paes Collodi 3rd GK?

The big question is…

More Departures?

So far, the club has only jettisoned players whose contracts ran out. Could they move out additional players as well? For sure, absolutely.

We’ve seen heavy use of loans in the last couple of seasons, and selling is what Zanotta does best. There could be trades, and there are two buyouts for the club to use if they wish.

While some of us are concerned that Pomykal will never be a top-tier player again, many at the club hope he’s a 30-game starter in 2026. So we don’t expect a buyout for him. But are there other players who could be?

Perhaps, but there’s no other cap-eating contract on the roster; it would be more about important slots and stagnant depth pieces. (We already talked about Sali.)

Geovane Jesus is a U22 and hasn’t played in two years. Buyout candidate to open that slot?

Abubakar is on an easily handled salary, but if FCD adds a CB, Abubakar would be well down the chart, and perhaps they would like to play Alvaro Augusto more? Does LA have trade value or would the club use a buyout on a cheap’ish contract?

Those are just two examples.

There’s one other portion of the Dallas roster that needs comment…

Off-Roster Homegrowns

You may have missed the new-ish rule that MLS teams can carry homegrowns and have them not be in the 30-man roster. These are called “Off-Roster Homegrowns.” Last season, FCD had three, but one of them was contract option declined this week.

This winter, the club has three more players – currently unannounced – moving from the Next Pro phase of their hybrid contracts to the MLS Homegrown phase. That gives the club five Off-Roster Homegrowns for 2026.

Perhaps a few could fill in the 30? Frankly, we think they will all be with North Texas SC most of the year. But they can rotate in and out of the 30 if needed. Swann is probably the closest to being ready in pure development terms.

Here are the five.

Name	Pos	Notes
Daniel Baran	LW	2006, Poland YNT. 19 yo (20 in Sept ’26)
Malachi Molina	RB	2006, Jamaica U17 & U20. 19 yo (20 in Oct ’26).
Kaka Scabin	CB	2007, 18 yo (19 in Jan ’26). Homegrown in ’26.
Jaidyn Contreras	LW	2007, 18 yo (19 in Sept ’26). Homegrown in ’26.
Caleb Swann	8/10	2007, 18 yo (19 in Feb ’26). Homegrown in ’26.

What Would You Do?

So what do you think of the way we see the club moving forward? Are you on board or should they do something different?