2026

St. Louis CITY

Season

Season Summary

February (0-0-1)

Feb 21 v. Charlotte – Tie 1-1

Yoann Damet’s managerial debut ended in a draw — CITY’s second-ever meeting with Charlotte, both held in St. Louis. Marcel Hartel gave CITY the lead in the 60th minute, but Charlotte equalized in the 73rd. A late flurry of chances couldn’t separate the sides.

TRANSACTIONS: On February 24th, CITY picked up Sergio Córdova on loan from Swiss side BSC Young Boys. The loan is good through June 30, 2026 with an option to purchase. He will occupy an international spot on the roster and be registered as a DP during the loan period. On February 25th, the team announced a contract extension for Chris Durkin which runs through June 2028 and has an option for the 2028/29 season. On February 26th, CITY announced a contract extension for Simon Becher. It will run through June 2028 with a club option for the 2028/29 season.

March (1-3-0)

Mar 1 @ San Diego – Loss 0-2

San Diego struck early through Anders Dreyer in the 3rd minute and added a second in the 54th. CITY were missing both center backs — Mbacké and Fallou Fall — along with midfielders Eduard Löwen and Marcel Hartel, the latter on paternity leave. INJURIES: Tomas Totland, abdomen (72′).

Mar 7 v. Seattle – Loss 0-1

CITY remain winless against Brian Schmetzer, now 0-6-0 all-time. A Kossa-Rienzi goal in the 47th minute was all Seattle needed to leave town with three points yet again.

Mar 14 @ LAFC – Loss 0-2

Closing out their toughest stretch of the season, CITY held their own at LAFC for over 70 minutes — but Mathieu Choinière broke the deadlock in the 73rd and added a second in the 81st. CITY had their chances, but without a true finisher they remain winless against LAFC all-time.

On March 20th CITY announced the hiring of Romain Marée as Lead Team Analyst. He joins from French Ligue 2 side AS Saint-Étienne where he had been since 2020.

Mar 21 v. New England – Win 3-1

New England made their first visit to town but found themselves trailing by halftime. Ilay Feingold gave the Revs an early lead in the 14th, before Simon Becher (29′) and Chris Durkin (45’+3) put CITY ahead for good. Marcel Hartel added a golazo from 42 yards, catching goalkeeper Matt Turner off his line to make it 3-1. NOTABLES: First win for Head Coach Yoann Damet and Sporting Director Corey Wray.

NEW GRASS: With time before the next home game, April 25th against San Jose, CITY will be replacing the entire playing surface with new sod. The last time they swapped out the entire field was nearly two years ago (Apr 25-26, 2024).

INJURY: The club announced March 30 that Célio Pompeu had suffered a non-contact ACL injury in training the week prior. No timeline was given for his return.

April (2-2-2)

Apr 4 @ NYCFC – Tie 1-1

An escape from New York — Brendan McSorley came off the bench in the 80th minute and equalized at 90+6′, securing a road point in CITY’s first (and only) visit to Citi Field. Roman Bürki stood tall with 6 saves to keep CITY in it.

Apr 11 @ Dallas – Tie 1-1

Having never scored or gotten a result in Dallas, CITY faced a tall task after going down 1-0 in the 48th minute. An Edelman cross found Timo Baumgartl at the back post in the 61st minute, giving CITY its first-ever point in Dallas. NOTABLES: First CITY goal for Timo Baumgartl. INJURY: Orozco, concussion (76′).

Apr 15 v. Tulsa (USOC Rd. of 32) – Win 4-0

CITY’s first U.S. Open Cup game of the season came in the Round of 32 against FC Tulsa at CityPark — the first-ever matchup between the two clubs. Goals from Hartel (20′), Sang-Bin (36′), Joyner (61′), and Ostrák (78′) sent Tulsa home and advanced CITY to the Round of 16 against Chicago Fire.

Apr 18 @ Seattle – Loss 1-4

Riding a four-game unbeaten run, CITY were looking for their first-ever result in Seattle against a rotated Sounders side. It was not meant to be. Cristian Roldan struck twice early (22′, 37′) on carbon copy corner kicks before Albert Rusnák (49′, PK) and Osaze De Rosario (86′) put the result beyond doubt. Eduard Löwen, returning after missing the first seven games of the season, pulled one back at 90’+2 to spoil the Sounders’ clean sheet.

Apr 25 v. San Jose – Loss 2-3

CITY’s perfect record against San Jose came to an end despite leading through the 60th minute on goals by Córdova (52′) and Hartel (53′). A conceded penalty — for the second consecutive game — and a go-ahead goal from Timo Werner (83′) did CITY in.

Apr 29 @ Chicago (USOC Rd. of 16) – Win 2-1

Back to the dregs of SeatGeek Stadium, where CITY had lost both previous visits — including the 2023 U.S. Open Cup. A listless first half ended 0-0, and Chicago struck just after the hour mark. But second-half substitutes made the difference. Tomas Totland knocked home a rebound (71′) off a slick Eduard Löwen heel pass, and Löwen himself finished a Mykhi Joyner cross to put CITY ahead for good (78′). NOTABLES: First U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal appearance. First road win of the season. First win in Chicago.

May (4-1-1)

May 3 @ Austin – Loss 0-2

Having never lost in Austin, CITY looked to steal a result with a rotated squad. Bürki kept it level through the first half, but Becher spurned a wide-open chance in the 56th minute on a heavily-weighted Hartel ball. Austin made them pay, grabbing goals in the 69th and 81st minutes to secure their first home win over CITY.

May 9 @ Colorado – Win 1-0

A rare start for Jeong Sang-Bin paid off in the 26th minute — a Bürki goal kick deflected on by Becher put Sang-Bin in behind the last defender, and he rounded the keeper to finish. CITY missed chances to put the game away, even after Colorado’s Rob Holding was sent off in the 51st minute. If anything, CITY played worse with the man advantage — and nearly surrendered it entirely when Chris Durkin picked up two yellows in a minute (86′, 87′). They held on through seven minutes of stoppage time for their first clean sheet and first road win of the season.

May 13 v. LAFC – Win 2-1

A midweek matchup against LAFC? No way. LAFC came to town having never lost in St. Louis — or even conceded a goal. That changed in the 4th minute: Timo dumped a ball in behind for Sang-Bin, who triggered a slick passing sequence (Sang-Bin → Hartel → Löwen → Totland) that sliced open the defense for Totland to finish. Rafael Santos doubled the lead in the 64th minute, pouncing on a loose ball after a Córdova cross. David Martínez pulled one back (73′), but CITY held on — their first home win over LAFC, and first in eight attempts. NOTABLES: First CITY goal for Rafael Santos; Totland’s 4th minute goal is fastest of season to date. INJURIES: Orozco, hamstring (7′).

May 16 @ DC – Tie 1-1

CITY’s first trip to DC—and second-ever meeting with United—saw a rotated squad looking to continue their positive run. Chris Durkin, returning to his former home, tucked in a Sang-Bin pull-back to put CITY ahead in the 50th minute. They held that lead until falling asleep at the death: a weakly cleared corner led to an unchallenged shot from 24 yards that blew past Bürki to level it (90′). It got worse. Conrad Wallem was sent off for a second yellow two minutes later, and DC appeared to snatch a winner in stoppage time before it was ruled out for offside. CITY escaped with a point, stretching their run to 7 points from 3 games.

May 19 v. Houston (USOC Quarterfinal) – Win 2-2 (4-2 PK)

Making their first-ever U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinal appearance, CITY faced recent champions Houston Dynamo (2023). CITY drew first blood in the 10th minute when a Durkin ball over Houston’s back line caused confusion between defender and goalkeeper. Marcel Hartel pounced on the spilled ball to finish into an open net. Houston responded immediately (11′) with a gift of their own: Bürki slipped on an overwatered part of the box while building out of the back, leaving the ball for Mateusz Bogusz to tap in. Then Bürki went down injured, bringing on Ben Lundt, who conceded a soft goal from outside the box (42′) to put CITY 2-1 down at half. Hartel’s penalty (51′) leveled it, and the two sides played out regulation at 2-2. In extra time, Lawrence Ennali’s second yellow (109′) left Houston down a man, but CITY couldn’t capitalize and it went to a shootout. There, CITY converted their first four, while Lundt stopped Houston’s first and fourth attempts sealing a 4-2 shootout win and a place in the Semifinal. INJURIES: Bürki, quad (26′); Córdova, hamstring (63′).

May 23 v. Austin – Win 3-0

Bookending May with a second game against Austin FC, CITY had a chance to leapfrog them in the standings before the World Cup break. Tomas Totland got things started in the 40th minute, his cross forcing an own goal from Austin’s Guilherme Biro. Fallou Fall added a second from a corner kick (56′), and Daniel Edelman finished it off with a tidy finish from a Cedric Teuchert pass in the box (90′). Chris Durkin was inexplicably booked in the 84th minute on a play where he was the one fouled, and will miss the next game as a result. NOTABLES: First CITY goal for Fallou Fall; first CITY goal for Daniel Edelman. INJURY: Polvara (23′).

DEPARTURES: Over a 10 day span at the start of the World Cup break, CITY parted ways with 3 players.

• May 26 — The club announced that Cedric Teuchert will depart when his contract expires at the end of June. In two years with the club, he made 49 appearances and contributed 10 goals and 7 assists.
• May 27 — The club confirmed that Sergio Córdova will return to his parent club when his loan expires at the end of June. Córdova made 13 appearances across all competitions, contributing 1 goal.
• June 5 — Longtime club member Josh Yaro was loaned to USL League One side AC Boise for the remainder of the 2026 season. Yaro has been with CITY since 2022, including as a member of the historic 2023 side that became the first expansion team in North America to win its conference. He scored 2 goals across 56 appearances in all competitions.

July (3-0-0)

ARRIVALS:

• July 10 — CITY acquired Zach Zengue, a midfielder from Columbus Crew, on loan for the remainder of the season. In exchange, CITY sent Columbus $50,000 in 2026 GAM and has the option to buy at the end of the loan.
• July 15 — CITY promoted Palmer Ault from CITY 2 to a first team contract through the 2027 Sprint Season. The deal comes with options for the 2027/28 and 2028/29 seasons.

DEPARTURE:

• July 15 — Jake Girdwood-Reich, who had returned from loan with Auckland FC in June, was transferred out permanently to Scottish club Motherwell FC for a reported $688,000. JGR joined CITY in June of 2024 and was loaned out to Auckland FC in September 2025. Overall, he made 23 appearances for CITY across all competitions.

Jul 16 v. kansas – Win 3-2

The first game back after the World Cup break brought a rivalry matchup with kansas at CityPark for the first time since May 2025. CITY drew first blood when Sang-Bin cleaned up a goalkeeper spill in the 28th minute, and Marcel Hartel doubled the lead off a Simon Becher pass in the 36th. kansas pulled one back before halftime and equalized in the 76th, but a handball in the box gave Eduard Löwen the chance to convert from the spot in the 86th minute and seal a 3-2 win. Prior to the game, GK Christian Olivares was recalled from his loan with SC Jacksonville while Roman Bürki was withheld from the lineup, still unable to go a full 90 minutes due to his quad injury suffered back in May. NOTABLES: The win stretched CITY’s unbeaten streak to 6, the longest in their history; Palmer Ault made his CITY and MLS debut (90’+6). INJURY: Wallem, concussion protocol (45′).

TRANSACTION: On July 20th, CITY announced the signing of Jaziel Orozco to a new contract through the 2028/29 season with a club option for 2029/30.

ARRIVAL:

• July 21 — CITY announced the arrival of attacking midfielder Alex Mățan from Panetolikos FC of the Greek First Division. The deal runs through the 2028/29 season, with a club option for 29/30. Mățan brings MLS pedigree, having made more than 100 appearances across four seasons with Columbus Crew (2021-24), winning MLS Cup, Leagues Cup, and Campeones Cup along the way. He joins on a free transfer, though CITY sent Columbus $100,000 in GAM to acquire his rights. PRONUNCIATION: MAH-tan

Jul 22 @ LA Galaxy – Win 3-1

Still finding their footing after the World Cup break, CITY traveled to LA to face a depleted Galaxy side. Lukas MacNaughton broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute, deftly flicking a Marcel Hartel corner to the back post. Three minutes later (45′), Hartel grabbed one himself, catching Marcinkowski flat-footed with a shot from the top of the box after LA’s defense failed to close him down. LA were reduced to ten men when Emiro Garcés picked up his second yellow in the 49th minute, and CITY made it count — Simon Becher added a third in the 68th, sprung in behind by Hartel after a quick LA turnover. Troy Elgersma’s late goal off a deflection denied CITY the clean sheet, and the 3-1 win belied the play on the field — CITY still searching for a complete performance coming out of the break. NOTABLES: The win stretched CITY’s unbeaten streak to 7; First CITY goal for Lukas MacNaughton.

Jul 25 v. Colorado – Win 1-0

Despite a 12th-minute Colorado red card, CITY spent 70+ minutes struggling to break down a stubborn low block. Tomáš Ostrák came off the bench to end the stalemate with a golazo in the 83rd minute, and CITY held on for the win and clean sheet. NOTABLES: The win stretched CITY’s unbeaten streak to 8.

ARRIVAL:

• July 28 — Corey Wray’s first major DP signing is Carlo Holse, a 27-year-old left-footed attacking midfielder from Denmark. Holse joins from Samsunspor in Türkiye for a reported €5.2M ($5.9M) transfer fee, the most expensive signing in club history, on a deal through the 2028/29 season with a club option for 2029/30. CITY also paid the Philadelphia Union $150,000 in 2026 GAM and $50,000 in 2027 GAM for discovery rights, with an additional $100,000 in GAM available if certain conditions are met. In three seasons with Samsunspor, Holse recorded 22 goals and 14 assists in 114 appearances across all-competitions. PRONUNCIATION: KAR-lo HOL-suh

August (2-0-3)

Aug 1 v. Salt Lake – Tie 1-1

On an unseasonably cool and rainy night, CITY faced Real Salt Lake for the first time in 2026. Despite dominating possession and showing much-improved form, they found themselves down a goal at the 60th minute. Marcel Hartel, coming off the bench for the first time in his CITY career, leveled it in the 72nd by intercepting a goalkeeper pass and slotting it home. NOTABLES: Debut for Alex Mățan (65′).

DEPARTURE:

• August 11 — In a significant blow to the club, Marcel Hartel requested a transfer back to Germany, where he will join 2. Bundesliga side Hannover 96. The reasons and terms were not disclosed, though Transfermarkt lists the fee at €800k ($923,410) with add-ons unknown. Hartel joined CITY in July 2024 and quickly became the team’s primary attacking engine, tallying 24 goals and 14 assists — 38 goal contributions across all competitions, all three marks ranking second all-time at the time of his departure. He leaves leading the 2026 season in both goals (9) and contributions (13) across all competitions.

ARRIVAL:

• August 13 — CITY acquired 20-year-old defender Tahir Reid-Brown from Orlando City for $150,000 in 2027 GAM, with an additional $300,000 in GAM conditional on certain performance thresholds. Having played primarily with Orlando’s B team, Reid-Brown is expected to develop across both CITY2 and the first team.

Aug 15 @ San Jose – Win 3-1

In their first game without Marcel Hartel, CITY traveled west to take on third-place San Jose. Daniel Edelman got things started in the 8th minute, and Simon Becher doubled the lead with a header off a Löwen corner in the 27th. Beau Leroux pulled one back for San Jose just after halftime (47′), but Becher added his second in the 55th to seal the win. NOTABLES: Unbeaten streak reaches 10; Four wins from four games at San Jose; Debut for Carlo Holse (69′)

Aug 19 @ kansas – Tie 1-1

A second midweek rivalry matchup with kansas. Coming off an impressive win against San Jose four days earlier, Yoann Damet rolled out the same lineup — but this was one of the team’s worst performances all season, looking flat-footed and a step behind all game. The lone bright spot in the first half came when Simon Becher was fouled at the top of the box, and Eduard Löwen’s free kick deflected off the wall and into the goal (45’+2). The second half was no better, and kansas leveled in the 55th minute. From there, neither side wanted to lose, and it ended 1-1. NOTABLES: Unbeaten streak reaches 11; Chris Durkin suspended for next game against Houston (yellow card accumulation).

Aug 22 v. Houston – Win 2-1

Houston came to town on a hot stretch — five straight shutouts, five straight wins, first place in the West. Furthermore, prior to the game, reports of Eduard Löwen’s impending sale to San Jose meant he was absent from the matchday squad, threatening to cast a pall over the evening. Simon Becher ended Houston’s shutout streak in the 23rd minute with a back-to-goal finish from the top of the box. Houston equalized in the 75th, but Dante Polvara had the last word, putting CITY ahead for good in the 85th for a 2-1 win. NOTABLES: Unbeaten streak reaches 12; First CITY goal for Dante Polvara.

DEPARTURE:

• August 26 — In another significant blow to the club’s standing with its fanbase, longtime fan favorite Eduard Löwen was dealt to the San Jose Earthquakes for $425,000 in GAM, along with the potential for an additional $500,000 in GAM if certain conditions are met. Löwen was one of the few remaining players left from the 2023 expansion squad. In his four years with St. Louis, he amassed 23 goals and 21 assists in 99 appearances across all competitions.

Aug 30 v. Dallas – Tie 3-3

Dallas came to town on their ninth straight road game while their stadium undergoes renovations. Simon Becher welcomed them with another back-to-goal strike from the top of the box in the 4th minute — his fourth goal in four games. Dallas equalized in the 18th, but Daniel Edelman cleaned up a Sirois spill in the 43rd to restore the lead heading into halftime. Carlo Holse doubled it in the 64th with a tap-in after slick combination play from Sang-bin and Wallem. Dallas pulled one back from a corner in the 81st and found an equalizer at the death to share the points. NOTABLES: Unbeaten streak reaches 13; First CITY goal for Carlo Holse; First stoppage time goal allowed by CITY all season; Debut for Zach Zengue (72′).

September (1-0-1)

ARRIVALS:
With two players expected in before the Summer Window closed on September 2nd (1 am ET), Corey Wray hinted at a possible third addition during a halftime interview in the August 30th game against Dallas.

• September 2 — Deadline day opened with news of an unexpected loan deal, as CITY brought in Charles-Emile Brunet from Nashville SC through the end of the 2026 season in exchange for $50,000 GAM. A Canadian midfielder, Brunet is seen as a depth piece for the final stretch, with CITY holding a purchase option at loan’s end.
• September 2 — A few hours later, one of the expected deals followed with an announcement that CITY acquired Damion Downs via loan from Southampton FC (currently in the English Championship) through the end of the 2027 Sprint Season, including a purchase option. CITY also sent Charlotte FC $350,000 in GAM for discovery rights. The 22-year-old forward brings USMNT senior experience but has been quiet on the club front over the past year — Wray and Damet are hopeful he can rediscover his form in CITY’s system.
• September 2 — The final deal of the day was the most anticipated — CITY acquired 26-year-old Brazilian striker Rafa Navarro from Colorado Rapids in a Cashfer trade for a club-record $12 million, plus $250,000 in conditional compensation. Navarro comes in as a Designated Player on a four-year deal through 2029/30 with an option for 2030/31. At the time of the trade, he had tallied 10 goals and 4 assists across 22 regular season appearances in 2026. PRONUNCIATION: ha-fah-EL nah-VAH-hoo

Sep 5 @ Vancouver – Win 3-1

Vancouver has been a house of horrors for CITY, losing all three previous visits. The fourth started no differently — Daniel Edelman turned the ball over deep in his own end to Emmanuel Sabbi, who converted in the 2nd minute. But the team settled quickly, creating real chances over the next 20 minutes and drawing level through a Simon Becher finish off a slick Alex Mățan pass in the 23rd. From there CITY took control, adding goals from Tomas Totland (41′) and Conrad Wallem (45′) to head into halftime up 3-1. They held firm in the second half and saw it out by the same score — one of their best performances of the season. NOTABLES: Unbeaten streak reaches 14; First points at Vancouver; Debut for Rafa Narravo (61’); Debut for Damion Downs (90’+1).

Sep 9 @ Portland – Tie 2-2

The second leg of a West Coast trip brought a midweek matchup in Portland. Rafa Navarro wasted no time, giving CITY the lead in the 1st minute. From there it was a chippy affair with reffing that favored Portland, who converted a free kick from outside the box in the 32nd to equalize. Navarro struck again after halftime with a header off an Alex Mățan run along the end line (51′), and CITY controlled much of the second half — until their second-half woes resurfaced. A foul at the top of the box in the 87th minute, compounded by the ref marking off well more than 10 yards, handed Portland a free kick they converted in the 89th to steal a point. NOTABLES: Unbeaten streak reaches 15; First CITY goals for Rafa Navarro; Fastest CITY goal in history (Navarro, 00:34).