Minutes from the Committee Meeting

January 23, 2026 — Committee Meeting # 24

2026 is here, as are the American soccer preseasons! Follow us here for commentary of all the big news, and check out Soccerwise on your preferred podcast or social media platform for our unparalleled coverage with hosts David Gass, Tom Bogert, and Jordan Angeli.

Agenda Items 📋:

• NWSL retains its most marketable star as, finally, USWNT Trinity Rodman re-signs with the Washington Spirit!
• Rodman signaled months ago that she preferred to stay with Washington, but cap restrictions ensured the offers from Europe were significantly more lucrative. A series of events included the NWSL blocking Washington’s creative offer within the cap, and then NWSL’s introduction of a spending mechanism for “High Impact Players.”
• All that drama led to two grievances filed by the PA against the NWSL, and a lot more questions than answers. But Trinity is back, the Spirit look to be good-as-hell, and the NWSL fights off Europe for its most prominent star.
• A major move on the MLS ownership front puts an amazing mark-to-market on club valuations. Minority investor and local businessman Peter Mallouk has purchased a majority stake in Sporting KC at a valuation of $700m.
• For pundits and investors alike, the big news here is an MLS club considered middle-of-the-pack in enterprise value garnering such a big value. Could this lead to other owners cashing in?
• More importantly, for local fans, the big news will be Mallouk’s promise to spend big. Sporting were a model franchise in MLS a little over a decade ago, and still feature one of the League’s most dedicated fanbases.
• More importantly, for local fans, the big news will be Mallouk’s promise to spend big. Sporting were a model franchise in MLS a little over a decade ago, and still feature one of the League’s most dedicated fanbases.
• While fans await the bigger news about MLS “loosening the purse strings” in their roster rules, the League did announce some regulation reductions and rule changes. Namely, MLS extended their summer transfer window into September, made it possible to loan players of any age to another MLS club, and removed the limits on intraleague players transfers per year.

Mama, We Made It!

There was a full MLS category on Jeopardy this week, and the participants aced it. Check it out below, and see if you can run the table:

This Week's Biggest Signings:

German Berterame, Inter Miami (Previously: Monterrey): A $15m move for an in-his-prime Mexican-Argentine striker, and arguably the best player in his position on the continent? It’s just getting silly for Inter Miami, who have, on paper, the indisputable best roster in MLS history now. It’s superclub szn in Miami, and expectations will be insane.

Claudia Martinez, Washington Spirit (Previously: Olimpia): The Spirit’s ambitions were once again on display this week as they acquired one of the best young talents in the game. The 18-year-old Paraguayan wonderkid was a Golden Boot co-winner at Copa America, and scored 10 goals for her home club. The transfer fee is reported to be one of the ten biggest of all time, but her addition to the Spirit again signal their ambition to be an NWSL superpower.

Facundo Torres, Austin FC (Previously: Palmeiras) : “Facu” is back in MLS! A former MLS All-Star with Orlando City, Torres was moderately successful in Brazil, but finds himself back in the league with Austin FC. With a $9.5m transfer fee attached, expectations will be high in Austin, where big investments over the past two years will lead to even bigger expectations for the 2025 sixth place finishers in the West.

Moves to Watch:

Ricardo Pepi (PSV -> Fulham)

We’ll skip over to Europe, but it’s barely Europe because USMNT striker Ricardo Pepi may be on the move from one international bastion of American talent, to another. “Fulhamerica” is the old saying, with everyone from Clint Dempsey, Brian McBride, Carlos Bocanegra, Tim Ream, and now Antonee Robinson starring for the club. While he has to recover from an arm injury, we’d be excited to see Fulham remain a home-away-from-home for Yanks Abroad.

Portland Thorns Head Coach ( ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )

We’re approaching the end of January, and the Portland Thorns don’t have a coach. We don’t have a rumor for you, just calling attention to one of the premier clubs in women’s soccer, and ostensibly one of its more desirable jobs, remaining unfilled a week after players reported.

Joao Klauss (St. Louis CITY -> LA Galaxy)

A surprise potential intraleague transfer, reported on by Soccerwise co-host Tom Bogert. A designated play, Klauss has had a modicum of success in St. Louis, scoring 25 goals in 79 matches. As Tom reported, the move would include a $2m fee, and require the Galaxy to use the DP spot opened by the season-ending injury to their star Riqui Puig.

A Random Preseason Top 5 Prediction:

2026 MLS Coach of the Year:

5.Brian Schmetzer, Seattle Sounders

4.Mikey Varas, San Diego FC

3.Marko Mitrovic, New England Revolution

2.Yoann Damet, St. Louis CITY

1.B.J. Callaghan, Nashville SC

Susannah “Cup Should Always Be” Fuller’s Cocktail Recipe of the Week:

Sooz’s Parisian era is in its denouement, so our resident mixologist will rejoin us next week. 

Our last guest bartender is a good friend of the Committee, the MLS Analyst himself, Matt Doyle!! Doyle’s submission for a “Cocktail” this week? Get in cowards, cause we’re doing a beer and a shot combo that we’re coining the “Doyle Double.”

1. Genny Cream Ale (or High Life).
2. A shot of a shitty New York rye whiskey.
3. Line ‘em back up. 

Make sure to tag the committee and @mattdoyle with your Doyle Double, and subscribe to his newsletter here!

Action Items, Kickback:

Soccerwise: Soccerwise is your home for all the offseason drama, as Tommy “Scoops” Bogert and Jordan Angeli join David Gass to talk about the biggest moves in MLS and NWSL.

Kickback Committee: Kickback Committee will kick back off in February with some exciting announcements and additional formats!

First Touch: We’ve released nearly 40 special episodes of our World Cup country capsules, 10-20 minute podcasts each detailing the unique soccer story of this World Cup’s participating nations. Follow our feed for the final capsules and brand new shows being launched over the next month.