Minutes from the Committee Meeting
April 10, 2026 — Committee Meeting # 35
Agenda Items 📋:
- Concacaf Champions Cup returned this week, with four MLS vs. Liga MX matches taking place this week in the first legs of the Quarterfinal round. MLS only one won.
- The winner? LAFC made a statement with a 3-0 win over Liga MX reigning champions, Cruz Azul, while Seattle and LA Galaxy fell by multiple goals in Mexico.
- Elsewhere,the USWNT faces Japan three times over the next seven days, with both sides unbeaten since October. NWSL is off this weekend as a result.
- Back in MLS, the club touching the hot stove is FC Cincinnati, as they’ve engaged in preliminary talks with Brazilian superstar Neymar, per Tom Bogert.
- Neymar is under contract with Brazilian club Santos through the end of 2026.
Story of the Week:
This week’s Story of the Week is inspired by friend of Soccerwise Tutul Rahman, who surmised on Bluesky that we’re witnessing the strongest crop of U22 players in MLS history. We tend to agree, and have a few more thoughts to add to that:
- The modern crop of MLS young stars looks quite a bit different than it did years ago. Namely, it’s much less from Latin America. The MLS U22 initiative was designed around a golden era of MLS clubs identifying and signing top young talent from Latin America. However, as the global market turned its focus younger, MLS was priced out from the top talents.
- Because of that, MLS clubs have started to shift to more ancillary markets. The above list includes players from secondary Latin American nations (Venezuela), as well as Australia and Africa. South Africa, namely, has become a high quality source of talent.
- The biggest driver, however, is the increasing quality of output from MLS academies. A big change in 2026 from previous years is the level of importance of Homegrown stars like Zavier Gozo, Niko Tsakiris, Julian Hall, Snyder Brunell and Luca Bombino, at some of MLS’s best clubs. The Homegrown talent is leading winning teams now, not just creating resale value.
Roster building strategies have a tendency to shift based on global trends, as seen by the shift toward more emerging markets for acquiring young talent. The increased quality of locally developed talent, however, indicates a more mature foundation that could produce increasingly qualified players for years to come.
Matches to Watch:
Portland Timbers vs. LAFC, MLS (April 11th, 4:45 PM ET, FOX and Apple TV): A big early-afternoon clash out in the Western Conference. Portland is winless since the opening night of the season, while LAFC leads the entire MLS with 16 points from a possible 18, having kept six consecutive clean sheets to begin the season. Phil Neville likely needs a result to keep his job, while Marc Dos Santos and LAFC look to extend a historic start to the campaign.
Vancouver Whitecaps vs New York City FC, MLS (April 11th, 7:30 PM ET, Apple TV): NYCFC makes the long trip to British Columbia for a showdown between the two second-place teams in their respective conferences. Both clubs started the season red-hot, but have slightly stumbled in recent weeks. A big test awaits the two contenders looking to take the top spots in their respective conferences.
Hartford Athletic vs. El Paso Locomotive FC, USL Championship (April 11th, 7:00 PM ET, ESPN Select): It’s a battle of the unbeaten in Connecticut, as El Paso comes to town for an intraconference showdown. With an experienced striker leading both, teams and a minimum of three goals scored in each of El Paso’s first four matches, this one is set up to be a must-watch fixture.
Portland Hearts of Pine vs. One Knoxville SC, USL League One (April 11th, 6:00 PM ET, ESPN Select): A trip up to Maine awaits second-place One Knoxville, which has lost just once in all competitions since October. The Tennessee club heads into this one looking to continue its streak of never losing to Portland, with the top spot in the table up for grabs, as well.
Susannah "Cup Should Always Be" Fuller's Cocktail Recipe of the Week:
We’re only a few days away from the return of Tom Bogert to Soccerwise following his paternity leave, so we asked Tom what his cocktail should be to celebrate. His response is this week’s Recipe of the Week!
- Miller Lite (can)
Make sure you join us for more nuanced mixology takes from Tom as he rejoins the David Gass, Matt Doyle, and Jordan Angeli on Soccerwise next week!
Action Items, Kickback:
Soccerwise: We’ve got your weekly MLS and NWSL reviews and previews, and a special deep dive discussing LAFC’s historic start to 2026.
Make sure you listen to Soccerwise with David Gass, Tom Bogert, Matt Doyle, and Jordan Angeli now on SiriusXM, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9 p.m. on SiriusXM FC 157, and on the SiriusXM App!
Kickback Committee: Susannah Fuller and Jordan Angeli talk Denver Summit’s home opener, One Knoxville’s U.S. Open Cup journey, USWNT, and so much more!
First Touch: Episode seven is now out! Make sure to subscribe and listen to the first-ever World Cup 2026 dedicated show, First Touch! Inspired by podcasts with premium, rich storytelling like The Daily and Planet Money, this is Kickback Soccer Media’s most unique offering yet.