The Columbus Crew begins its 2026 season this Saturday in Portland against the Timbers, with the home opener against Chicago set for March 7.
Last season, the Crew was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by rival FC Cincinnati. This year, the team has a new coach and a new team captain.
WOSU's Allie Vugrincic asked Brianna Mac Kay, sportswriter for the Columbus Dispatch, what fans can expect from the Crew this season.
Vugrincic: So the crew has a new coach this season, Henrik Rydström of Sweden, replacing Wilfried Nancy. What do you know about Rydström and what are you expecting from him?
Mac Kay: The first time we got to talk to him, he was really knowledgeable about the Crew and he seemed really excited about this opportunity. Coming from Sweden, you don't know how much these coaches and these players know about MLS, but he seemed really knowledgeable and really excited to play with the Crew. I know he has a kind of similar approach as Wilfried when it comes to possession. He likes to have possession, but he wants to focus in on being a little more direct near the goal. I know last season was kind of a struggle to score for the Crew. So he's spoken a lot about keeping a focus on being direct in the box and attacking. And he also has different formations. I don't think you'll see the exact same three, four, three as Wilfried Nancy had. So I think it's going to be interesting to see what they put out on the field on Saturday night.
Vugrincic: The Crew has had another change: former captain Darlington Nagby retired. Tell us about the new team captain.
Mac Kay: I mean, Sean Zawadzki is an Ohio kid through and through. I mean, he was with the Academy since 2015. He left for a little while to go to Georgetown. But beyond that, he has been with this team for over half his life. And I think he's really respected by the team and loved by the fans. I think it's a really good choice. And I think it's interesting to see the Crew continue on with having an Ohio-based captain. Darlington (was from) Akron and you have Sean who grew up close to Cleveland. I think that's interesting to keep that legacy rolling.
Vugrincic: Will the Crew's scoring improve with a full season of striker Wessam Abou Ali?
Mac Kay: I think that's what they're hoping for. You got maybe 45 minutes of Diego Rossi, Abou Ali and Dániel Gazdag playing together a lot once. You only got that once last season for half a game against Atlanta. Beyond that, you don't know what those three can do together. And during that half in Atlanta, they ended up contributing to four out of five goals. So I think there's a lot of potential there. But I don't know how long you can wait for it to grow fully. I think Abou Ali needs to kind of just get back to what he was doing. He was on a three-game scoring spree when he suffered his ankle injury last September. And I think if he can get back into the groove, they can have a dangerous attack.
Vugrincic: So what are we expecting from the Crew overall this season? Do you think they'll make the playoffs?
Mac Kay: It's hard to say because it's a new coach and you really don't know how they'll play. They seem to really understand Henrik's vision and really respect him, but you don't know until you see it on the field if his system he's trying to build is going to work. And also, you think back to 2023 under Wilfried Nancy, it didn't work right away. It took a little bit. They lost 4-0 in their season opener, and it took a while for them to learn that system and become ingrained and then go on to win the MLS Cup. So I think it's a long season, a lot can happen. I don't think they lose the season, but I think there's a bit to prove in the first half.
Vugrincic: And this is the last season on the current Major League Soccer calendar, which runs from March to October. Do you think the fan base is going to adjust to a fall to spring calendar in the 27-28 season?
Mac Kay: I think this Columbus fan base would adjust to playing, like, on Christmas day. They love this team. And it's just — they fought so hard to keep it in Columbus. They're a passionate fan base. If the Crew is playing, they're going to show up. Crew fans aren't afraid to let their opinion be known. It's something I really appreciate about them. I think they'll adjust just fine.
