Top 10 'Caps matches to look forward to in 2026

VANCOUVER, BC – A new year means yet another new season is upon us.

Whitecaps FC is set to begin preparations for 2026 this month, with players set to report in Vancouver on January 13 before departing on January 16 to Marbella, Spain for preseason camp. Preseason games in Spain will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

After that, it's back to the weekly grind of game-after-game, training-after-training, all building towards filling up the trophy cabinet once again.

To help pass the time, we're diving into the top 10 matches to look forward to in 2026.

• The only way to secure a seat to every MLS regular season home match at BC Place is by becoming a Whitecaps FC season member. For more information visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets

The first match of any season always brings plenty of excitement. Perhaps more than years past, the 'Caps will be itching to get back on the field doing their best under head coach Jesper Sørensen after reaching both the Concacaf Champions Cup final and MLS Cup in 2025, while winning a fourth consecutive TELUS Canadian Championship.

The Blue and White will look to avenge their way back to the Champions Cup final starting with their first match of the year, taking on Costa Rican side C.S. Cartaginés at Estadio José Rafeal Fello Meza in the first leg of Round One. It'll mark the second straight year the 'Caps begin the season in Costa Rica, having faced Deportivo Saprissa in last year's edition of the tournament. Cartaginés feature a pair of former MLS talents in forwards Jesús Batiz and Johan Venegas.

The 'Caps will be looking to take an advantage out of Costa Rica to carry into the second leg at BC Place, which is set for Wednesday, February 25. The winner will move on to the Round of 16 to face Seattle Sounders FC.

Before the second leg against Cartaginés, the 'Caps will want to take care of business and begin the MLS regular season on the right foot, as they host Real Salt Lake in their season opener at BC Place.

It's the first time Vancouver opens the season at home since 2024, when they drew 1-1 with Charlotte FC, and the second time facing Salt Lake in a home opener in the last three years.

The 'Caps won the season series over the Claret and Cobalt in 2025, claiming a come-from-behind 3-2 win in Salt Lake and then recording a 2-1 victory at BC Place.

After facing Real Salt Lake, the 'Caps next home match sees them face off against Canadian rivals Toronto FC, marking the first time the two teams meet at BC Place since Vancouver defeated Toronto in the 2024 TELUS Canadian Championship Final via a penalty shootout.

The two sides did meet during the 2025 regular season in Toronto, playing to a scoreless draw on a rainy and windy day at BMO Field.

Another early-season clash on the list is the Blue and White's visit down the I-5 to Cascadia rivals Portland Timbers in March, which marks the first away trip of the regular season for the 'Caps.

Considered one of the best atmospheres in the league, Providence Park is must-vist for any football fan. However, for the 'Caps, it's become one of their favourite grounds in recent memory. In their last two visits to the Rose City, Vancouver has outscored the Timbers 9-1, claiming a 4-1 win in their 2025 regular season opener behind a memorable performance from Jayden Nelson and previously earning a 5-0 victory in the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs thanks to a hat-trick from Ryan Gauld.

The match will also see the 'Caps begin their defence of the Cascadia Cup, having won their record-eighth title in 2025.

During the current format of the regular season, match-ups against Eastern Conference sides are always ones to circle on the calendar.

This year, the 'Caps welcome 2025 Eastern Conference finalists New York City FC to town in what will be the first meeting between the sides since 2023. The 'Caps claimed a 1-1 draw at Yankee Stadium that day and also played to a 0-0 draw in 2022 in the Pigeons last visit to Vancouver.

In the 'Caps first match following the league's break for the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup™, the Berhalter family is in for a treat, as Sebastian takes on his father and Chicago Fire FC head coach Gregg on a warm, summer's day in Illinois.

It's the second edition of the Berhalter Bowl, with the two sides meeting last year at BC Place and Gregg taking the first round with a 3-1 victory, so expect Sebastian to be out for a little bit of revenge come July this year.

This will be the 'Caps first visit to Chicago since 2023, when they edged the Fire thanks to a 1-0 win.

August 1st will mark the rematch of THAT Western Conference Semifinal from last year - a game that many are calling one of the best in MLS playoff history.

The stars will shine, the crowd will be pumped, it's sure to be another thrilling installment in what's turned out to be a heated rivalry over the last few years.

The sides will also meet on October 10 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.

A clash that has seen plenty of goals since Austin joined the league in 2021, the 'Caps welcome the Verde and Black to BC Place on September 13, which will mark exactly a year to the day when Vancouver earned their largest-margin of victory in an MLS match thus far by claiming a 7-0 win over Philadelphia Union. Thomas Müller led the way with a birthday hat-trick, Emmanuel Sabbi grabbed a brace, while Mathías Laborda and Rayan Elloumi also chipped in with goals.

This fixture against Austin, which ended in a 5-1 victory for the 'Caps in 2025 thanks to Brian White's record-breaking four-goal performance, will also mark the return of forward Jayden Nelson to BC Place.

During their inaugural season in the league, San Diego FC impressed by finishing atop the Western Conference, just narrowly ahead of the 'Caps though by way of the goals scored tiebreaker. All three contests between the two sides in 2025 were highly-contested affairs with some pretty football being played across the park.

The 'Caps will look to repeat their performance from the 2025 Western Conference Final, this time at BC Place, in what could be a match with plenty of playoff implications in the West.

Lastly, the 'Caps will wrap up their regular season home schedule against Cascadia rivals Seattle in a match that could also have playoff as well as Cascadia Cup implications on the line. 

In 2025, Vancouver dismantled Seattle 3-0 at BC Place in June, thanks to a memorable first 'Caps goal from Homegrown and Surrey, BC native Jeevan Badwal.

Following the match, the 'Caps will look towards a Decision Day clash at Canadian rivals CF Montréal on November 7.