Minutes from the Committee Meeting

May 8, 2026 — Committee Meeting # 39

Agenda Items 📋:

• The Concacaf Champions Cup Final is set! Both Tigres and Toluca advanced to the final with home shutout victories against Nashville and LAFC.
• This marks the first season since 2021 in which the final will consist entirely of Liga MX clubs, and assures that the 2022 Seattle Sounders remain the only MLS champions, ever.
• MLS legend Kei Kamara announced his retirement after two decades. The Sierra Leone International played for a record 12 MLS clubs, tallying 147 regular-season goals, good for second all-time. 
• Inter Miami remains winless at the brand new Nu Stadium, falling impeccably to in-state rivals Orlando last weekend. Orlando overcame a 3-0 deficit, making it one of the greatest comebacks in MLS history.
• The Herons are winless in all four matches at the historic venue thus far and have just two more chances to win at home before the World Cup break.
• USWNT and Chicago Stars star Mal Swanson has returned to training following her 2025 maternal leave.
• Up next in the USMNT pipeline might be Jordynn Dudley. The Gotham forward won rookie of the month in NWSL, tallying three goal contributions.

Story of the Week:

Can an MLS Superclub even work?

In midweek Concacaf Champions Cup action, both Nashville and LAFC were dispatched by their Liga MX competition, assuring that there’s no MLS champions yet again in 2026 action. Our resident MLS Analyst Matt Doyle has a lot to say worth reading as always regarding the lack of investment in MLS rosters to get them over the hump, while another train of thought arising this week is the difference in elevation and crowd ferocity for midweek matches is insurmountable.

Interestingly, we do have a test case of the closest thing we’ve ever seen to an MLS “Superclub” being assembled in Miami. Following the offseason additions of the reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, the leading striker in Liga MX, and a few other core pieces, many expected Inter Miami to achieve heights never ascended in MLS history. Instead, Inter Miami are winless in four at their home stadium, area already on a second coach for the year, and are looking up the table at clubs like the Revolution and Real Salt Lake.

The question pondered here is, can anything resembling the current MLS allow for a continental “Superclub,” much like the one Toluca has formed? Is it purely an exercise in spending that Miami also couldn’t achieve, or will the DP system that incentivizes major names and personalities like Messi ensure that the top heaviness of any elite MLS club will prevent them from rolling out a fully elite squad?

A new MLS CBA is on the horizon, as is the forthcoming schedule shift. MLS has made strides in improving the domestic pipeline to bolster balance, but will it ever be worth it to allow a few clubs go all-out for continental dominance, or will they inevitably fall flat? We think it doesn’t hurt to try…

Matches to Watch:

San Jose Earthquakes vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, MLS (May 9th, 10:30 PM ET, Apple TV): It’s no surprise that the top of the Western Conference is extremely strong, but how many people had San Jose leading the pack through nearly three full months? Bruce Arena’s side faces what is likely its toughest test yet with the second-place Vancouver Whitecaps in town. With the top spot in the West up for grabs, this one is unmissable!

Seattle Reign FC vs. Washington Spirit, NWSL (May 10th, 7:00 PM ET, Victory+): The Spirit heads west, looking to extend its unbeaten run against a Seattle Reign side in desperate need of a result. Washington is scoring goals for fun so far this season, while Seattle is nearly impossible to get a read on. Plenty to learn about these two teams on Sunday night!

Louisville City FC vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, USL Championship (May 9th, 7:00 PM ET, Paramount Plus): Two elites of the USL Eastern Conference face off in Kentucky! Lou City can claim the top spot in the East with a win, while the Riverhounds need a result on the road to keep pace with the contenders in the East!

Spokane Velocity vs. Naples FC, USL League One (May 10th, 6:00 PM ET, ESPN Select): One Knoxville has the weekend off, so we turn our attention to the lone Sunday match in USL’s second tier. Spokane and Naples both sit three points off the aforementioned league leaders and can take the top spot with a win! The away side won both meetings last season; can Naples continue that streak?

Susannah "Cup Should Always Be" Fuller's Cocktail Recipe of the Week:

This week, our glass is raised to our friends to the south for yet again dispatching their MLS competition with the Vampiro:

1. 2 oz Silver Tequila.
2. 3-4 oz Sangrita.
3. Juice of ½ a lime
4. 2 oz Grapefruit Soda.
5. Pinch of Tajin.
6. Rim a highball glass with Tajin.
7. Fill the highball glass with ice.
8. Stir the ingredients.
9. Serve with a lime garnish.

Action Items, Kickback:

Soccerwise: We’ve still got your weekly MLS and NWSL reviews and previews, plus Joe Lowrey of Backheeled and Total Soccer Show joins the show to talk CCC, USMNT, and more!

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 is joined by Kickback Soccer Media’s own Matt Doyle to talk Star Wars, World Cup 2026, Kei Kamara, and so much more!

First Touch: Episode 12 is now out of First Touch Weekly, as is the first First Touch weekly news show, First Touch Dispatch! 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.