Game Notes: Sporting KC at LA Galaxy | March 14, 2026
SPORTING KANSAS CITY NEWS AND NOTES
NAVIGATING CHALLENGING EARLY SCHEDULE
Sporting Kansas City continues to search for the club’s first victory of the 2026 season when the team heads out to California to face off against the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday night. Sporting has endured a challenging schedule to open the nascent season, with two of the team’s three opening opponents - San Jose and San Diego - posting perfect 3-0-0 records to date.
Sporting will have their work cut out when taking on an intriguing LA Galaxy side this weekend that will be without one of their top performers in Gabriel Pec after he was shown a red card during the team’s loss to the Colorado Rapids last Saturday. LA leads MLS with 24 shots on goal but only ranks 14th with 37 total shots - leading to an eyepopping 64.9% shots on target rate when the league average is 42%. At the other end of the field, goalkeeper Novak Micovic has been forced into a league-low three saves all season.
Eight players have now made their debuts for a new-look Sporting during the opening three weeks of the season and Lasse Berg Johnsen is now available after receiving his P1 visa, paving the way for his debut in the coming weeks.
HEADING BACK TO CALI
Sporting Kansas City returns to California this weekend for the third time in the space of a month when the team takes on the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday night. Sporting spent the second leg of the club’s preseason in Palm Springs, California from Feb. 3-14 before opening the 2026 season in San Jose on Feb. 21.
Sporting last traveled to take on the Galaxy in the antepenultimate week of the 2025 season, falling to a 4-1 defeat at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sept. 27, 2025. Dejan Joveljic scored on his return to LA to tie the game at 1-1 midway through the first half but the Galaxy would run away with the game behind Joseph Paintsil’s hat trick.
The two sides played out one of the most remarkable matches in MLS history during their initial meeting last season, with Sporting earning a 1-0 victory at Sporting Park on May 4, 2025. The hosts took an early lead when Daniel Salloi’s cross was diverted into his own net by Maya Yoshida and Sporting proceeded to hold on to the three points despite taking exactly zero shots in the match and being outshot by LA 11-0. It marked the first time in MLS history that a team had won a match without taking a single shot.
Sporting narrowly trails the all-time regular-season series 27-29-18, including a 8-19-9 record on the road in LA.
JOVELJIC SET TO FACE OFF AGAINST FORMER CLUB
Sporting Kansas City captain Dejan Joveljic is set to take on the club where he made his name in MLS when the squad heads to Los Angeles this weekend to take on the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday night.
Joveljic spent four seasons with the Galaxy from 2021-2024, scoring 41 goals and adding 17 assists. In his final season with LA in 2024, Joveljic recorded 21 goals in MLS play - including six goals in just five games during the postseason as the Galaxy won MLS Cup with the Serbian tallying the game-winner in the final against Red Bull New York.
Sporting brought Joveljic to Kansas City in February 2025 in the first-ever cash-forplayer trade in MLS history, sending $4 million to the Galaxy to acquire his services. Joveljic has proven to be worth every penny for Sporting, scoring 20 goals and adding two assists in his first 35 MLS matches for the club, tying Preki for the fastest player in club history to reach 20 regular-season goals.
Joveljic scored in his only return to DHSP to date, tallying Sporting’s lone goal in the club’s 4-1 defeat on Sept. 27, 2025 and will be looking to repeat that feat with a better result this weekend in LA.
PULSKAMP CONTINUES FINE FORM vs. SAN DIEGO
Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper John Pulskamp continued his fine early-season form this past weekend with a four-save performance in the 1-0 defeat against Supporters’ Shield leaders San Diego FC at Sporting Park.
One week after becoming the only goalkeeper this season to save a penalty kick when he denied Columbus Crew’s Wessam Abou Ali from the spot on Feb. 28, Pulskamp showed his shot-stopping quality from open play by recording stunning saves to prevent Onni Valakari from doubling San Diego’s lead just before halftime before producing three excellent stops on Anders Dreyer in the second half - with the four saves preventing a total of 1.05 expected goals.
Pulskamp is entering his second season as Sporting’s starting goalkeeper and has made 81 appearances in all competitions since signing with the first team in 2020, tallying 23 wins and 15 shutouts.
REUNIONS ON AND OFF THE FIELD
When Sporting Kansas City and the LA Galaxy face off against one another at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday night, a whole host of players and coaches will be facing off against their former teams.
A total of seven players and coaches in the MLS Walmart Saturday Showcase will be taking on their former organization - three from Sporting and four from the Galaxy.
Sporting KC Player/Coach LA Galaxy
Player (2007-2009) Kevin Hartman Player (1997-2006), Coach (2020-present)
Player (2025-present) Dejan Joveljic Player (2021-2024)
Player (2018-2020) Tucker Lepley Player (2024-present) Player (2019-present) John Pulskamp Player (2017-2019)
Player (2023-2024) Chris Rindov Player (2025-present) Player (2022-2025) Erik Thommy Player (2026-present)
Kevin Hartman was Sporting’s goalkeeper from 2007-2009, making 100 appearances for the club in all competitions and has both played for the Galaxy (1997-2006) and has served as the club’s goalkeeper coach since 2020. Dejan Joveljic joined Sporting in 2025 following a four-year spell with the Galaxy where he won an MLS Cup in 2024.
Dominic Kinnear worked as an assistant and interim head coach with the Galaxy from 2017-2020 before joining Sporting as an assistant in 2026. Tucker Lepley was a member of the SKC Academy and earned minutes with SKC II in 2019 before joining LA following his collegiate career in 2024.
John Pulskamp spent 2017-2019 in the Galaxy Academy before joining the Sporting organization in 2019, while Chris Rindov was drafted by Sporting and spent 2023-2024 with the team before joining LA in 2025. Finally, former Sporting DP Erik Thommy joined LA this offseason after departing Sporting following a four-year run from 2022-2025.
DAVID LEE & RAPHAEL WICKY HEADLINE NEW ERA
Sporting Kansas City entered a new era this offseason following the hiring of David Lee as the club’s President of Soccer Operations & General Manager and Raphael Wicky as the team’s new head coach.
Lee, who arrived after a successful tenure at NYCFC from 2016-2025, serves as the club’s chief soccer officer and plays an executive leadership role in all areas of Sporting’s soccer enterprise, including first-team roster management, player recruitment, scouting, analytics, technical staff oversight and the continued development of Sporting KC II and the Sporting KC Academy.
In early January 2026, Sporting announced that Wicky has been named head coach. Wicky, the fifth permanent head coach in club history, oversees the Sporting KC first team and reports directly to Lee.
Wicky, 48, was most recently at the helm of Swiss giants BSC Young Boys from 2022-2024, guiding the Bern-based club to the 2022-23 Super League and Cup double in his native Switzerland. Under Wicky, Young Boys posted a 51-17-20 record in all competitions, scoring 193 goals – an average of 2.19 goals per game.
Wicky’s revamped coaching staff sees Edu Rubio and Dominic Kinnear arrive as assistant coaches, while Roger Espinoza and Ash Wallace return as assistants and Darrin MacLeod receives a promotion from SKC II as goalkeeper coach.
WICKY QUOTES: #SKCvSD
On the team’s pursuit of a first win…
“The results are not always what we hope, that is for sure, but I think I’m also trying to look at performance. With a young team, we’re in these games. We had a very good game against Columbus. I think today, for a big part, we had a good game, then we were a bit too open, but we were in the game until the end. We were there to steal a point, to take a point. I think we just have to keep going. We have to keep working hard, keep believing, keep giving these young players opportunities to grow, and as well, learn and do the things better, which we have to do better. We were not in our best in certain moments with the ball, and we have to keep working. And then I’m 100% convinced that we will win games.”
On the growth of the team…
“I expect the same as I saw in the last two months. Since the few weeks I’ve been with the team, and what I heard from the staff and everyone. I expect the same that they commit to what we do, which they absolutely do, that they hold each other accountable for things which don’t go well, and that they want to improve. That’s what they want. This group has been amazing with the commitment and the energy they have, and the willingness to get better. I think if you see that from a group, then I believe that a group and players individually will get better.”
SPORTING KANSAS CITY 2026 TRANSACTION TRACKER
Players In Players Out
GK - Ryan Schewe (New Contract - Oct. 28, 2025)
MID - Cielo Tschantret (Signed as Homegrown Player - Nov. 14, 2025)
GK - Stefan Cleveland (Acquired via Trade from Austin FC - Dec. 10, 2025)
MID - Erik Thommy (Out of Contract - Oct. 23, 2025)
DEF - Robert Voloder (Out of Contract - Oct. 23, 2025)
FWD - Daniel Salloi (Traded to Toronto FC - Feb. 19, 2026) DATE IN/OUT
Oct. 23: OUT Sporting KC declines options on goalkeeper Ryan Schewe, defenders
Mason Toye. In addition, defender Alan Montes and forward Santi Munoz saw their loans come to an end, while defenders Andrew Brody, Joaquin Fernandez, Logan Ndenbe, Robert Voloder and midfielders Memo Rodriguez and Erik Thommy are out of contract.
Oct. 28: IN Sporting KC signs goalkeeper Ryan Schewe to a new MLS contract.
Nov. 14: IN Sporting KC signs midfielder Cielo Tschantret from Sporting KC II (MLS NEXT Pro).
Dec. 10: IN Sporting KC acquires goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland in trade from Austin FC (MLS).
Dec. 18: IN Sporting KC selects midfielder Kwaku Agyabeng in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft (4th overall) as a Generation adidas player out of Clemson University.
Dec. 30: IN Sporting KC acquires defender Justin Reynolds in trade with Chicago Fire (MLS).
Jan. 15: IN Sporting KC signs forward Calvin Harris via free agency, most recently with Colorado Rapids (MLS).
Feb. 3: IN Sporting KC signs defenders Wyatt Meyer and Jayden Reid via free agency, most recently with Nashville SC (MLS) and St. Louis City SC (MLS), respectively.
Feb. 18: IN Sporting KC acquires midfielder Lasse Berg Johnsen in transfer from Malmo FF (Sweden).
Feb. 19: IN Sporting KC acquires forward Taylor Calheira in transfer from FC Tulsa (USL Championship).
Feb. 19: OUT Sporting KC trades forward Daniel Salloi to Toronto FC (MLS) in exchange for up to $1 million in GAM.
Feb. 20: IN Sporting KC signs defender Ethan Bartlow via free agency, most recently with the Houston Dynamo (MLS).
Feb. 27: IN Sporting KC signs defender Or Blorian to pre-contract starting on June 2, 2026 following expiration of contract with Hapoel Be’er Sheva (Israel).
March 13: IN Sporting KC acquires forward Capita Capemba in transfer from Radomiak Radom (Poland)
CONSTRUCTING SPORTING KANSAS CITY
2023 Stephen Afrifa (1st Round - #8)
2024 Ryan Schewe (1st Round - #22) Zorhan Bassong (12/12/23)
2025 Jansen Miller (1st Round - #8) Manu Garcia (2/3/25)
Tim Leibold and Khiry Shelton with midfielder Nemanja Radoja and forward
SPORTING KANSAS CITY TRANSACTION TIMELINE
2026 REFEREE LOG (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
Feb. 28, 2026 vs. CLB
Sporting KC defender Ian James challenges for the ball on the edge of the penalty area and brings down Columbus forward Jamal Thiare, but referee Sergii Demianchuk allows play to continue. After reviewing the play, Demianchuk overturns his original decision and awards Columbus a penalty kick.
7, 2026 vs. SD Malik Badawi
San Diego forward Amahl Pellegrino fires home a cross from the right wing, and referee Malik Badawi allows the goal. After reviewing the play, Badawi overturns his
and disallows the goal since the ball struck Pellegrino’s arm on the way toward goal.
2026 VIDEO ASSISTANT REFEREE LOG (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
SPORTING KC MISCELLANEOUS STATS
2026 Regular-Season Record When...
Scoring first goal
Conceding first goal
Leading at halftime
Tied at halftime
Scoring 0 goals
Scoring 1 goal
Scoring 2 goals
Scoring 3 goals
Scoring 4+ goals
Allowing 0 goals
Allowing 1 goal
Allowing 2 goals
Allowing 3 goals
Allowing 4+ goals
Wearing Sporting Blue
Wearing 18th & Vine
Leading at 75’
Tied at 75’
Outshooting opponent
Shutouts
One-goal games 0-1-0 Day games (before 5 p.m.)
Regular Season Record By Month
SPORTING KC IN 2026 (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
Aug. 2026 0-0-0
Aug. all-time 58-58-22
Sept. 2026 0-0-0
Sept. all-time 44-60-24
Oct. 2026 0-0-0
Oct. all-time 34-24-20
Nov. 2026 0-0-0
Nov. all-time 1-2-0
Regular Season Team-By-Team (in 2026)
vs. Atlanta United 1-2-1 (0-0-0) vs. Austin FC 3-7-1 (0-0-0) vs. Charlotte FC 1-0-0 (0-0-0) vs. Chicago Fire 19-28-12 (0-0-0) vs. Colorado Rapids 32-27-19 (0-0-0)
vs. Columbus Crew 26-23-10 (0-0-1)
vs. D.C. United 22-23-13 (0-0-0) vs. FC Cincinnati 1-1-1 (0-0-0) vs. FC Dallas 29-33-14 (0-0-0)
vs. Houston Dynamo 15-14-17 (0-0-0)
vs. Inter Miami CF 0-2-0 (0-0-0) vs. LAFC 4-9-2 (0-0-0)
vs. LA Galaxy 27-29-18 (0-0-0)
vs. Minnesota United 11-8-5 (0-0-0)
vs. CF Montreal 8-5-3 (0-0-0)
vs. Nashville SC 2-2-0 (0-0-0) vs. NE Revolution 25-20-13 (0-0-0)
vs. New York City FC 2-3-2 (0-0-0)
vs. New York Red Bulls 22-22-15 (0-0-0)
vs. Orlando City 3-4-2 (0-0-0) vs. Philadelphia Union 6-6-7 (0-0-0) vs. Portland Timbers 9-10-7 (0-0-0) vs. Real Salt Lake 13-19-10 (0-0-0) vs. San Diego FC 0-2-1 (0-1-0) vs. SJ Earthquakes 33-28-10 (0-1-0) vs. St. Louis 2-3-3 (0-0-0) vs. Seattle Sounders 12-15-4 (0-0-0) vs. Toronto FC 15-4-8 (0-0-0)
vs. Vancouver Whitecaps 12-10-5 (0-0-0)
Regular Season Home, Away & Neutral
Overall All-time 377-373-209
2026 at
SPORTING KC 2026 MLS REGULAR SEASON BOX SCORES
Feb. 21, 2026: San Jose Earthquakes 3-0 Sporting KC MLS Game 1 | PayPal Park | San Jose, CA Attendance: 16,367 Weather: 50 degrees and mostly
Sporting KC (0-1-0, 0 points)
San Jose Earthquakes (1-0-0, 3 points)
Sporting KC San Jose Earthquakes GK Pulskamp GK Daniel
D Reynolds (Agyabeng 38’) D Kikanovic
D James D Roberts
D Meyer D Munie
D Reid D Jones (Costa 71’)
M Bartlett M Leroux (Gonzalez 83’)
M Garcia M Vieira (C) (Harkes 66’)
M Davis M Bouda
F Suleymanov (Miller 68’) M Tsakiris
F Joveljic (C) M Ricketts (Marie 83’)
F Harris (Calheira 91+) F Judd (Skahan 71’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: Cleveland (GK) Montali (GK)
KEY Position-Minutes - Starting Position-Minutes Played
SUB-Minutes - Substitute-Minutes played UNAV - Unavailable For Selection
- Sporting
City
ASSISTANT COACH | EDU RUBIO
Raphael Wicky was appointed as Sporting KC’s head coach in January 2026 on a two-and-a-half-year contract through the 2027-28 season with a club option for the 2028-29 season. Wicky oversees the Sporting KC first team and reports directly to President of Soccer Operations & General Manager David Lee.
Prior to joining Sporting, Wicky was at the helm of Swiss giants BSC Young Boys from 2022-2024, guiding the club to the 2022-23 Super League and Cup double in his native Switzerland. Appointed in June 2022, Wicky enjoyed a brilliant maiden season with Young Boys – winning the Swiss Super League with a 21-4-11 record and finishing 16 points clear at the summit. Wicky and Young Boys completed the domestic double by winning the Swiss Cup following a 3-2 victory over FC Lugano in the final on June 4, 2023.
The Leuggern, Switzerland native previously coached in the United States, leading the U.S. Under-17 National Team at the 2019 Concacaf U-17 Championship and the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Wicky shifted to MLS for the following two years, serving as head coach of the Chicago Fire in 2020 and 2021.
Wicky began his coaching career in Switzerland as a youth coach with FC Thun and Servette FC before joining Swiss giants FC Basel in 2013. After coaching the club’s U-18 and U-21 teams, Wicky was named first team head coach ahead of the 2017-18 season. In his lone full season in charge, Basel posted a 29-11-9 record across all competitions and finished second in the Super League.
Wicky enjoyed a decorated 16-year playing career, highlighted by 75 caps with the Switzerland National Team. Wicky started every match for his country at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and also represented Switzerland at the 1996 and 2004 UEFA European Championships.
Wicky started his career with FC Sion in Switzerland where he won a Swiss Super League title and three Swiss Cups from 1993-1997. Wicky continued his career at German side Werder Bremen from 1997-2000, helping the team win the DFB-Pokal German Cup in 1999. Following a brief stint in Spain with Atletico Madrid in 2001, Wicky headed back to Germany and joined Hamburger SV where he spent the bulk of his career from 2001-2007, winning the DFL-Ligapokal German League Cup in 2003. Wicky returned to boyhood club Sion in 2007 before ending his playing career following a season in MLS with Chivas USA in 2008.
PRESIDENT OF SOCCER OPERATIONS & GM | DAVID LEE
David Lee was appointed as the club’s President of Soccer Operations and General Manager in September 2025 and serves an executive leadership role overseeing all areas of Sporting’s soccer enterprise, including first-team roster management, player recruitment, scouting, analytics, technical staff oversight, and the continued development of Sporting KC II and the Sporting KC Academy.
Lee arrived at Sporting from NYCFC, who he joined in 2014 as part of the club’s inaugural technical staff, specializing in player recruitment and scouting operations before his promotions to Technical Director in 2017 and Sporting Director in 2019.
NYCFC enjoyed sustained success during Lee’s tenure, winning the 2021 MLS Cup and 2022 Campeones Cup in addition to making seven straight playoff appearances from 2016-2022 before returning to the postseason in 2024 and 2025. In the final 10 seasons of Lee’s tenure, NYCFC led MLS in points (523) and playoff appearances (nine).
As NYCFC’s Sporting Director from 2019-2025, Lee managed the club’s entire soccer infrastructure, including coaching, sports performance, operations, player personnel and scouting at the MLS, MLS NEXT Pro and academy levels. His decade-long tenure at the club has seen NYCFC post eight winning seasons while developing numerous players who have succeeded in MLS, European leagues and international competition.
Lee began his professional career in his native England before joining Major League Soccer in 2011, working as Performance Analyst at the New York Red Bulls - during which time the club won the 2013 Supporters’ Shield - prior to joining NYCFC ahead of its inaugural campaign in 2015.
Edu Rubio joined Sporting KC as an assistant coach ahead of the 2026 season. The Spaniard most recently coached in the English Premier League, serving as an assistant manager at West Ham United (2024-2025) and Wolverhampton Wanderers (2022-2023) under manager Julen Lopetegui and as a coach at Crystal Palace (20202022) under the leadership of Patrick Vieira and Roy Hodgson. Rubio cut his teeth at the English FA, Crawley Town and the Nike Academy while also gaining extensive experience at the youth level, coaching various academy teams in England and his native Spain at Chelsea FC, Valencia CF, Crystal Palace and MK Dons.
ASSISTANT COACH | DOMINIC KINNEAR
Dominic Kinnear joined Sporting KC as an assistant coach ahead of the 2026 season. Kinnear has coached in MLS for 25 years, including stops at the San Jose Earthquakes, the Houston Dynamo, the LA Galaxy and Cincinnati. Kinnear enjoyed a 15-year playing career, ranging from his native Scotland to the United States and Mexico. Kinnear earned 54 caps for the U.S. Men’s National Team before ending his playing career in 2000 following a five-year stint in MLS with the Colorado Rapids, San Jose Clash and Tampa Bay Mutiny. After starting his coaching career as an assistant with San Jose in 2001 and winning a pair of MLS Cups in 2001 and 2003, Kinnear was named San Jose head coach in 2004 and won an MLS Supporters’ Shield in 2005, culminating in MLS Coach of the Year honors. Kinnear famously led Houston to the most successful period in the club’s history – serving as head coach from 2005-2014 and winning back-to-back MLS Cup titles in 2006 and 2007. Kinnear held various roles at the LA Galaxy from 2017-2020 before serving as an assistant with Cincinnati from 2022-2025, helping the team win their first Supporters’ Shield in 2023.
ASSISTANT COACH | ROGER ESPINOZA
Roger Espinoza joined the Sporting KC technical staff as an assistant coach ahead of the 2025 season. Espinoza stepped into professional coaching after retiring as a player in the summer of 2024. He enjoyed a 16-year playing career highlighted by 14 seasons in Kansas City from 2008-2012 and 2015-2023. He helped Sporting to three U.S. Open Cup titles as one of the most accomplished players in club history and one of the longest-serving midfielders in MLS. From 2013-2014, Espinoza had a two-year stint at English side Wigan Athletic, scoring three goals in 57 appearances while gaining experience in the English Premier League and UEFA Europa League. On the international stage, Espinoza played 52 times for Honduras from 2009-2017, representing Honduras at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups. Espinoza also starred at the 2012 Summer Olympics in England – leading Honduras to the quarterfinals of the competition and scoring against Brazil at Wembley Stadium.
Ash Wallace has served on Sporting Kansas City’s technical staff since 2012, aiding the first team coaching staff in a variety of roles. Wallace, originally from England, had his first involvement with the club in August 2012 when he was contracted to produce a detailed scouting report on Seattle Sounders ahead of the U.S. Open Cup Final, helping Sporting claim their first of four major titles during a trophy-laden decade. Prior to joining Sporting KC, Wallace was a member of the Preston North End coaching staff and served as an opposition scout for Fleetwood Town in his native England, while earning a Degree in Sports Coaching from the University of Central Lancashire.
Darrin MacLeod joined the Sporting KC first team as the club’s goalkeeper coach in 2026 after serving as the goalkeeper coach for SKC II (2021-2025) and the SKC Academy (2020) over the previous six years. MacLeod has also worked with the U.S. Soccer Federation in the past, aiding with the development of the goalkeeping curriculum. During his playing days, MacLeod made 10 appearances for SKC II in the USL Championship from 2017-2018. After departing Kansas City, MacLeod linked up with North Carolina FC for the 2019 season before returning to Kansas City in a coaching role in 2020. Originally from Waterloo, Ontario in Canada, MacLeod trained with the academies of English Premier League club Newcastle United and Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon as a youth player before playing collegiate soccer at Drake University in Iowa.
ASSISTANT COACH | ASH WALLACE
HEAD COACH | RAPHAEL WICKY
GOALKEEPER COACH | DARRIN MACLEOD
#17 | F | STEPHEN AFRIFA
Height: 5-10
Weight: 155 Birthday: 2/19/2001
Hometown: Toronto, Canada
College: Florida International University
Acquired: 2023 MLS SuperDraft 1st Round (#8)
Forward Stephen Afrifa was selected by Sporting Kansas City as the eighth overall pick of the 2023 MLS SuperDraft. He enjoyed a standout career at FIU, where he amassed 23 goals and 11 assists in 63 appearances from 2019-2022. He made his debut for Sporting on May 17, 2023 at LAFC before earning his first start at Austin on July 15, 2023. Afrifa scored his first goal for the club in a 4-0 Open Cup win over FC Tulsa on May 21, 2024 and has six goals and three assists in 46 matches across all competitions.
Capable of playing as a striker or a winger, Afrifa began his professional journey on the heels of a phenomenal campaign in 2022 that yielded a team-high 10 goals, four assists and USC Second Team All-American honors. He guided the Panthers to the 2022
Fouls Suffered 2, 5 times, last: March 7, 2026, KC vs. SD
Last Regular Season... Appearance March 7, 2026, KC vs. SD
Goal Sept. 28, 2024, KC at STL
Assist Aug. 24, 2024, KC vs. ORL
2026 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0
American Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles and was named the AAC Championship Most Outstanding Offensive Player. Afrifa ended his senior season as a MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalist and a member of the USC All-East Region Team. As a freshman, Afrifa tallied three goals and three assists, and added two goals and an assist during his sophomore year. As a junior, Afrifa helped FIU make its first of two consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances with eight goals and three assists.
On the international stage, Afrifa has earned two caps for the Canadian Men’s National Team. Afrifa made his international debut in a 2-1 win over the USMNT at Sporting Park on Sept. 7, 2024 before appearing against Mexico three days later.
Height: 5-9 Weight: 150 Birthday: 6/27/2006
Hometown: Kumasi, Ghana College: Clemson University
Acquired: 2026 MLS SuperDraft 1st Round (#4) as Generation adidas player
Sporting Kansas City selected midfielder Kwaku Agyabeng with the fourth overall pick in the first round of the 2026 MLS SuperDraft out of Clemson University as a Generation adidas player.
Agyabeng made 16 appearances for Clemson in lone season at the school during his freshman season in 2025 as the Tigers reached the NCAA tournament. The Ghana native earned ACC All-Freshman Team and Third Team All-ACC honors in addition to being named the No. 6 player on TopDrawerSoccer.com’s Top 100 Freshmen list.
Prior to college, Agyabeng led Cedar Stars Academy Bergen to two national titles and a spot in the MLS NEXT Cup U-19’s final in 2025. In addition, Agyabeng won two state titles and garnered first team all-state recognition while attending high school powerhouse St. Benedict’s Prep in New Jersey.
Height: 6-1
Weight: 165
Hometown: Overland Park, Kansas
College: University of Notre Dame
#16 | M | JACOB BARTLETT
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0
Assists 1, Aug. 30, 2025, KC vs. COL Shots on Goal 1, Aug. 9, 2025, KC vs. SD Shots 1, 4 times, last: Aug. 9, 2025, KC vs. SD
Fouls Committed 3, 3 times, last: July 4, 2025, KC at COL Fouls Suffered 4, June 25, 2025, KC vs. CLT
Last Regular Season...
Appearance March 7, 2026, KC vs. SD Goal N/A
Assist Aug. 30, 2025, KC vs. COL 2026 Record when: he starts 0-2-1 he scores 0-0-0
Birthday: 10/7/2005
Acquired: Signed as Homegrown Player on 1/9/2025
Sporting Kansas City signed midfielder Jacob Bartlett as a Homegrown Player ahead of the 2025 campaign. Bartlett is the 22nd Homegrown Player to emerge from the Sporting KC Academy. Bartlett climbed the ranks in the SKC Academy, competing at the U-12 through U-19 levels, and represented SKC II as an amateur player in 2023 and 2024. Bartlett has made 35 appearances for Sporting’s first team, tallying two assists.
Bartlett joined the SKC Academy as an 11-year-old in 2017 and was part of the U-14 team that won the 2019 LA Galaxy Cup and placed second at the 2020 US Youth Futsal National Championships. Bartlett ascended to the U-15, U-17 and U-19 squads as a standout performer over the next three years, helping the U-19s to a 2023 UPSL regular
season division title. He signed his first amateur contract with SKC II in early 2023 and earned his MLS NEXT Pro debut that April with a start in central defense against FC Cincinnati 2.
TopDrawerSoccer tabbed Bartlett a top-50 prospect nationally and the No. 2 player in the Heartland Region ahead of his debut season with Notre Dame in 2024, where Bartlett played in 16 of the team’s 17 games. Bartlett’s oldest brother, Alec, played for the USL’s Charlotte Independence in 2016 while his other brother, Lucas, is entering his fourth MLS season and his second year with D.C. United. His sister, Grace, plays collegiately at Grand Canyon University.
#23 | D | ETHAN BARTLOW
Height: 6-1 Weight: 185 Birthday: 2/2/2000
Hometown: Woodinville, Washington
Last Club: Houston Dynamo (MLS)
Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 2/20/2026
Sporting Kansas City added defender Ethan Bartlow to the roster as a free agent ahead of the 2026 season after the center back had impressed on trial during preseason. Bartlow spent the first five seasons of his professional career with the Houston Dynamo, logging 96 appearances in all competitions.
Bartlow joined Houston as the sixth overall selection in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft on a Generation adidas contract out of the University of Washington. Bartlow debuted for Houston on April 2, 2022 in a 3-1 victory over Inter Miami and logged 17 total appearances in 2022, before becoming a regular starter in 2023 – making 32 appearances across all competitions. Bartlow played in five of Houston’s six matches as
the club won their second U.S. Open Cup title in 2023, only missing the final due to injury, and helped his side reach the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2017. The Woodinville, Washington native appeared in another 47 matches for Houston in 2024 and 2025, helping the team reach the postseason once again in 2024.
Collegiately, Bartlow made 38 appearances for the Washington Huskies from 2018-2019 and became the first-ever Washington defender to win Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore while also being named an All-American Second Team selection. The Huskies posted 22 shutouts in Bartlow’s 38 games, recording a stout 0.68 goals against average.
Height: 5-11
Weight: 180
Hometown: Montreal, Canada
Last Club: Farul Constanta (Romania)
#22 | D | ZORHAN BASSONG
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 1, April 26, 2025, KC at CIN
Assists 1, 5 times, last: Aug. 24, 2025, KC at SEA
Shots on Goal 2, April 26, 2025, KC at CIN
Shots 3, Sept. 27, 2025, KC at LA
Fouls Committed 5, 2 times, last: May 17, 2025, KC at SD Fouls Suffered 3, 2 times, last: Oct. 4, 2025, KC at MIN
Last Regular Season... Appearance Oct. 18, 2025, KC vs. HOU
Goal April 26, 2025, KC at CIN
Assist Aug. 24, 2025, KC at SEA
2026 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0
Birthday: 5/7/1999
Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 12/12/2023
Sporting Kansas City added defender Zorhan Bassong ahead of the 2024 campaign. The Canadian has previously spent time in France, Belgium, Romania and Major League Soccer, including 43 matches in all competitions with CF Montreal. He played two MLS seasons in Montreal from 2021-2022 before spending 2023 in Romania with Arges Pitesti and Farul Constanta. Bassong - who can play in midfield or at left back - has made 51 appearances for Sporting in all competitions, tallying one goal and four assists.
Born in Toronto and raised in Montreal, Bassong moved to Belgium in 2013 to join the Mouscron academy. Bassong furthered his development in the heralded academy systems at Belgian side Anderlecht and French club Lille, beginning his professional
career at the latter in 2016. He joined Belgian outfit Cercle Brugge in January 2019 and left the club in July 2020. Bassong enjoyed a two-year MLS stint with CF Montreal that began in early 2021. Following his time with Montreal, Bassong spent 2023 with two Romanian clubs, Arges Pitesti and Farul Constanta.
On the international stage, Bassong represented the Belgium U-19s in 2017 before switching his allegiance to Canada. He has earned eight caps for Canada’s national team: two in January 2020 before returning to the squad for the Gold Cup and beyond in 2025.
In March 2021, Bassong played three matches for Canada U-23s at the 2020 Concacaf Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship in Mexico, reaching the semifinals.
#4 | M | LASSE BERG
JOHNSEN
Height: 5-10
Weight: 175 Birthday: 8/18/1999
Hometown: Stavanger, Norway
Last Club: Malmo FF (Sweden)
Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 2/18/2026
Sporting Kansas City acquired Norwegian midfielder Lasse Berg Johnsen in a transfer from Swedish club Malmo FF ahead of the 2026 season. Berg Johnsen arrives in KC having made 258 career appearances – tallying 18 goals and 21 assists – representing clubs across Scandinavia in his native Norway, Denmark and most recently in Sweden with Malmo.
After starting his career with Viking FK in Norway’s top division, Berg Johnsen was loaned to second-tier side Tromsdalen in 2019 and later moved to Raufoss in 2020, racking up 56 professional appearances during his time in Norway by the age of 21. Berg Johnsen moved to Randers FC in 2021 in Denmark’s top division, recording four goals and three assists in 98 appearances for Randers from 2021-2023, helping the team win the 2021
Danish Cup. In the summer of 2023, Berg Johnsen was transferred to Swedish giants Malmo FF where he made an instant impact, playing a key role in the second half of the campaign as Malmo won the Allsvenskan title. Berg Johnsen enjoyed stellar 2024 season for Malmo, helping guide the club to the Swedish league and cup double. Berg Johnsen served as captain on several occasions in 2025 while tallying a career-high seven goals and four assists in 43 competitive matches – including appearances in UEFA Champions League qualifying and the UEFA Europa League.
Internationally, Berg Johnsen has earned three caps for the Norway National Team. He made his debut in 2024 during a UEFA Nations League victory over Slovenia before appearing in FIFA World Cup Qualifying wins over Israel and Estonia in 2025.
#19 | F | TAYLOR CALHEIRA
Height: 6-1
Weight: 185 Birthday: 4/26/2002
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
Last Club: FC Tulsa (USL Championship)
Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 2/19/2026
Sporting Kansas City acquired forward Taylor Calheira in a transfer from FC Tulsa in the USL Championship ahead of the 2026 season. Calheira enjoyed a prolific start to his professional career, tallying 38 goals and 10 assists in 69 matches while representing FC Tulsa in the USL Championship in 2025 and NYCFC II in MLS NEXT Pro in 2024.
Calheira joined Sporting after an impressive debut campaign with FC Tulsa in 2025, recording 21 goals and four assists in all competitions as Tulsa finished atop the Western Conference with a 16-5-9 record and reached the USL Championship Final. Calheira finished 2025 as the second top scorer in the USL Championship with 17 goals while being named to the 2025 USL Championship All-League First Team. Calheira also posted a league-high +11.11 Goals Added mark.
The Baltimore, Maryland native began his professional career with NYCFC II after being selected in the third round of the 2024 MLS SuperDraft. In his lone season with NYCFC II, Calheira tallied 17 goals and six assists on his way to earning MLS NEXT Pro Best XI honors while playing a pivotal role in the club’s remarkable run to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16.
Calheira played collegiate soccer close to home at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County where he recorded 32 goals and 16 assists in 61 career matches. Calheira was named America East Striker of the Year in both 2022 and 2023 after earning America East All-Rookie Team honors in 2020.
Height: 5-8
Weight: 150
Hometown: Luanda, Angola
Last Club: Radomiak Radom (Poland)
Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 3/13/2026
1/10/2002
Sporting Kansas City has acquired forward Capita Capemba in a transfer from Polish side Radomiak Radom in March 2026. Capita arrived at Sporting having developed into one of the premier attacking players in Poland over the previous two seasons, tallying 12 goals and two assists in 38 appearances for Radomiak from 2024-2026.
Born and raised in Angola, Capita spent the early years of his development in his hometown of Luanda before moving to Portuguese side C.D. Trofense in January 2020. After six months in Portugal, Capita joined Lille B in France where he tallied two goals and two assists in 10 games while also enjoying loan spells at Belgian side Mouscron and back at Trofense in Portugal. He joined fellow Portuguese team Estrela da Amadora on a permanent move in the summer of 2022 before spening the 2023-2024 season on loan
with Hapoel Jerusalem in the Israeli Premier League. Capita moved to Radomiak Radom in the Polish top division in a permanent transfer ahead of the 2024-2025 season and enjoyed a strong first season in the Ekstraklasa, recording six goals and one assist in 17 appearances. He continued his fine form in the 2025-2026 season, tallying another six goals and one assist in 21 matches.
Capita has earned three caps for the Angola National Team, breaking into the squad as a 19-year-old in 2021. He previously represented Angola at the Under-17 level, scoring four goals in nine appearances across the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2019.
#30 | GK | STEFAN CLEVELAND
Height: 6-2 Weight: 175 Birthday: 5/25/1994
Hometown: Dayton, Ohio
Last Club: Austin FC (MLS)
Acquired: Acquired via trade on 12/10/2025
Sporting Kansas City acquired goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland in a trade from Austin FC ahead of the 2026 MLS season. Cleveland arrived in Kansas City having made 65 appearances in his professional career with the Chicago Fire (2017-2019), the Seattle Sounders (2020-2023) and Austin FC (2024-2025).
Cleveland has spent the majority of his career in Seattle, making 29 appearances for the club across all competitions. Cleveland made his debut for the Sounders on May 16, 2021, posting a shutout in a 2-0 victory over LAFC – kicking off a run of 15 starts between May 16 and Aug. 29, helping Seattle go 6-4-5 with three shutouts in that time. Cleveland made 13 further appearances for Seattle in 2022 and 2023. The 26th overall pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, Cleveland spent the first three years of his professional career with
CAREER STATS
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals Allowed 3, July 25, 2021, SEA vs. SKC (w/ SEA) Saves 8, Aug. 4, 2018, CHI at RSL (w/ CHI)
Last Regular Season... Appearance July 12, 2023, SEA at SJ (w/ SEA) Shutout July 2, 2022, SEA at TOR (w/ SEA) 2026 Record when: he starts 0-0-0
the Chicago Fire. After gaining experience on loan with FC Tulsa in the USL Championship in 2017 and 2018, Cleveland made his MLS debut for Chicago on Aug. 4, 2018, recording a career-high eight saves in a 2-1 road loss at Real Salt Lake.
Collegiately, Cleveland played three seasons at Dartmouth College from 2013-2015, earning First Team All-Ivy League selections in 2014 and 2015 and was named the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year in 2015. After earning his engineering degree from Dartmouth in 2016, Cleveland spent the final year of his NCAA eligibility at the University of Louisville as a graduate student where he tallied 10 shutouts in 22 matches along with a 0.71 goals against average in 2016.
Shots on Goal 1, 7 times, last: July 12, 2025, KC vs. SEA
Shots 3, 3 times, last: July 12, 2025, KC vs. SEA
Fouls Committed 5, Sept. 7, 2024, KC at NY
Fouls Suffered 3, Sept. 13, 2025, KC at RSL
Last Regular Season...
Appearance March 7, 2026, KC vs. SD
Goal Aug. 24, 2024, KC vs. ORL
Assist Feb. 28, 2026, KC vs. CLB
2026 Record when: he starts 0-2-1 he scores 0-0-0
Birthday: 1/3/2002
Last Club: Sporting Kansas City II (USL Championship)
Acquired: Signed as Homegrown Player on 8/19/2021
Sporting Kansas City signed midfielder Jake Davis as a Homegrown Player in August 2021 as the 19th Homegrown Player to emerge from the SKC Academy.
Since debuting for the club on Sept. 15, 2021, Davis has tallied three goals and 12 assists in 107 matches across all competitions and was named team Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 and team MVP in 2024. Davis broke into the team at right back in 2023 before splitting time at right back and in central midfield in 2024. Davis scored his first goal for the club with the game-winner in a 3-1 win at Toronto on March 30, 2024 and scored a goal nominated for MLS Goal of the Year against Austin on May 18, 2024.
Davis spent significant time developing with SKC II under former Sporting greats Paulo Nagamura and Benny Feilhaber from 2019-2022 before breaking out with the first team in 2023, helping the team post a 12-7-5 record in the 24 regular-season matches he started.
A native of Rochester, Michigan, Davis moved to Kansas City in 2017 at age 15 to join the SKC Academy. He represented Sporting at the U-17 and U-19 levels, amassing eight goals across 54 appearances. In July 2024, Davis was named as an alternate for the U.S. Olympic team for the 2024 Paris Olympics, his first international recognition since November 2019 when he was selected to the U.S. U-17 National Team.
Height: 5-7 Weight: 150 Birthday: 1/2/1998
Hometown: Oviedo, Spain
Last Club: Aris Thessaloniki (Greece)
Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 2/3/2025
#6 | M | MANU GARCIA
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 1, 2 times, last: May 24, 2025, KC vs. NE
Assists
Shots 3, March 1, 2025, KC vs. SJ
Fouls Committed 4, May 17, 2025, KC
Sporting Kansas City acquired Spanish midfielder Manu Garcia as a Designated Player from Greek side Aris Thessaloniki ahead of the 2025 season. Garcia arrived at Sporting having amassed 21 goals and 40 assists in nearly 300 professional matches, playing in the top divisions of England, France, Netherlands, Spain and Greece. Garcia has tallied two goals and nine assists in 32 appearances for Sporting KC.
Garcia developed as a youth at Astur CF and Sporting Gijon prior to joining the academy of Manchester City in early 2014. He made his first-team debut for Man City on Sept. 22, 2015, replacing Sergio Aguero in a League Cup victory at Sunderland. Garcia scored his first Man City goal the following month to seal another League Cup win over Crystal Palace and later made his Premier League debut on March 5, 2016. Garcia was loaned to
two clubs for the 2016-17 season - Spanish La Liga side Alaves and Dutch outfit NAC Breda. He played an instrumental role in NAC’s promotion to the top-flight Eredivisietallying two goals and nine assists in half a season - and continued his loan spell at the Dutch club for 2017-18. The 2018-19 campaign saw Garcia go on loan to Toulouse in the French Ligue 1. In July 2019, Garcia moved to Sporting Gijon on a club-record transfer fee. He made 76 appearances for Gijon over the next two seasons before going on loan to La Liga’s Alaves in 2021-22. Garcia signed for Aris in Super League Greece in July 2022 and bagged his first hat-trick in a 3-0 home win over Volos on Jan. 21, 2023.
On the international stage, Garcia represented Spain at the U-16, U-17, U-19 and U-21 levels before debuting for Spain’s senior national team in June 2021.
#11 | F | CALVIN HARRIS
Height: 6-0
Weight: 165
Hometown: Middlesborough, England
Last Club: Colorado Rapids (MLS)
Birthday: 3/20/2000
Acquired: Signed as a Free Agent on 1/15/2026
Sporting Kansas City signed forward Calvin Harris as a free agent ahead of the 2026 MLS season. Harris joins Sporting after tallying 22 goals and 11 assists in his professional career, including 11 goals and 10 assists in 101 MLS regular-season appearances with FC Cincinnati (2021-2022) and the Colorado Rapids (2023-2025).
Harris arrived in Kansas City following a career-best season with the Colorado Rapids in 2025, scoring five goals and adding four assists in all competitions while predominantly playing on the right wing. Harris began his professional career when he signed a Generation adidas contract with MLS and was selected by FC Cincinnati as the second overall pick in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft. Harris made 26 appearances for Cincinnati across all competitions from 2021-2022, recording two goals and one assist, before being
traded to Colorado ahead of the 2023 season. After scoring four goals in five games for Colorado Rapids 2 in the early stages of 2023, Harris earned a larger role with the Rapids first team and ended the season with a goal and three assists in 21 competitive appearances. Harris more than doubled his output in his second season with the Rapids, scoring six goals and adding three assists throughout the 2024 season.
Born in England, Harris immigrated to Hong Kong at the age of 10 and played youth soccer with Hong Kong FC before moving to New Zealand to join Wellington Phoenix. Harris moved to the United States in 2019 to play collegiate soccer at Wake Forest University, tallying 10 goals and five assists in 32 matches across two seasons for the Demon Deacons, resulting in ACC All-Freshman Team honors in 2019.
#2 | D | IAN JAMES
Height: 6-1
Weight: 205
Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota
Last Club: Sporting KC Academy
Birthday: 6/6/2008
Acquired: Signed as Homegrown Player on 12/6/2024
Sporting Kansas City signed defender Ian James as a Homegrown Player ahead of the 2025 campaign, becoming the fourth youngest signing in Sporting KC history at the age of 16 years and 183 days. James made his first MLS start on June 28, 2025, becoming the second-youngest player to start a match in Sporting history at the age of 17 years and 22 days. James represented Sporting at the U-14 through U-19 youth levels and broke into the U.S. U-16 and U-17 Men’s National Teams in 2024. James also played 10 matches for Sporting KC II during the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season.
A native of Minnesota, James captained the Sporting KC U-15s during the 2022-23 MLS NEXT season before spending most of the 2023-24 campaign with the U-17s. James
Regular
Feb. 28, 2026, KC vs. CLB Goal N/A Assist N/A
participated in the 2024 MLS NEXT All-Star Game on July 23 in Columbus, Ohio, as one of the top 44 academy players from across the country. James signed an amateur academy contract for Sporting KC II in 2024 and earned his SKC II debut on March 17, 2024. James logged 10 appearances in his first MLS NEXT Pro campaign.
James earned his first selection to the U.S. U-16 Men’s National Team in April 2024 for a training camp in Florida before returning to the U-16 squad the following month for a training camp in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In November 2024, James was called up for a U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team training camp in West Palm Beach, Florida - his first inclusion at that age level.
#9 | F | DEJAN JOVELJIC
Height: 6-0 Weight: 170 Birthday: 8/7/1999
Hometown: Belgrade, Serbia
Last Club: LA Galaxy (MLS)
Acquired: Acquired in cash-for-player trade on 2/1/2025
Sporting Kansas City acquired striker Dejan Joveljic from the LA Galaxy in exchange for $4 million on Feb. 1, 2025, marking the first cash-for-player trade in MLS history. Joveljic signed a new Designated Player contract upon arrival in Kansas City and has tallied 20 goals and two assist in 37 appearances for the club.
Joveljic joined Sporting following a 2024 campaign where he recorded 21 goals and eight assists, including six goals in the MLS Cup Playoffs as LA won MLS Cup. Joveljic amassed 85 goals and 26 assists during an accomplished professional career that has spanned Serbia, Germany and MLS in addition to loan spells in Belgium and Austria. The center forward was a Serbian SuperLiga champion at Red Star Belgrade and in 2021 joined the Galaxy, where he totaled 45 goals and 18 assists in four seasons as an integral
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 2, 9 times, last: Feb. 28, 2026, KC vs. CLB
Assists 2, May 29, 2022, LA vs. ATX (w/ LA)
Shots on Goal 4, 5 times, last: Aug. 30, 2025, KC vs. COL
Shots 7, June 25, 2025, KC vs. CLT
Fouls Committed 4, Sept. 7, 2025, KC vs. ATX
Fouls Suffered 4, Oct. 23, 2021, LA vs. DAL (w/ LA)
Last Regular Season...
Appearance March 7, 2026, KC vs. SD
Goal Feb. 28, 2026, KC vs. CLB
Assist June 14, 2025, KC vs. DAL
2026 Record when: he starts 0-2-1 he scores 0-0-1
part of LA’s attack. Joveljic developed in the academy of Serbian powerhouse Red Star Belgrade, turning pro as a 16-year-old in 2016 and helped Red Star to the 2017-18 SuperLiga title. Joveljic enjoyed a breakout 2018-19 campaign that yielded 11 goals and his debut in the UEFA Champions League. Joveljic was transferred to German Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt in 2019 and spent the latter half of the 2019-20 season on loan at Belgian heavyweight Anderlecht. Joveljic then enjoyed a loan stint at Austrian Bundesliga club Wolfsberger, tallying 20 goals and five assists during the 2020-2021 campaign.
On the international stage, Joveljic has scored two goals in seven appearances for the Serbia Men’s National Team, having previously represented his country at the U-16 through U-21 youth levels.
#12 | GK | JACK KORTKAMP
Height: 6-3
Weight: 190 Birthday: 1/28/2008
Hometown: Maple Grove, Minnesota
Last Club: Sporting KC Academy
Acquired: Signed as Homegrown Player on 12/6/2024
Sporting Kansas City signed goalkeeper Jack Kortkamp as a Homegrown Player ahead of the 2025 MLS season, becoming the fifth youngest signing in Sporting KC history at the age of 16 years and 13 days and the youngest goalkeeper in club history.
Kortkamp represented Sporting at the U-14 through U-19 levels, helping the U-19s win their second consecutive UPSL regular season division title in 2024 and leading the U-17s to the quarterfinals of the 2024 Generation adidas Cup. Kortkamp trained with Sporting’s first team during the 2024 preseason in Miami before signing an amateur contract with Sporting KC II in May 2024. He earned his SKC II debut on June 12 at Real Monarchs. Kortkamp is an experienced U.S. youth international who has competed in the U-15, U-16 and U-17 age groups. He participated in his first U.S. U-15 training camp in
October 2022 at Compass Minerals National Performance Center in Kansas City, before making his U.S. U-15 debut in April 2023. Kortkamp earned his first selection to the U.S. U-16s with a Florida training camp in April 2024 and returned to the squad the following month for a training camp in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
In September 2024, Kortkamp featured twice for the U-17s at the Vaclav Jezek Tournament in Europe. In November 2024, he was called up for a U-17s training camp in Florida before joining the U-17s once again for the 2025 Concacaf U-17 Men’s Qualifiers in February 2025 and later for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in November 2025.
#28 | D | WYATT MEYER
Height: 6-2
Weight: 200 Birthday: 11/12/2001
Hometown: Berkeley, California
Last Club: Nashville SC (MLS)
Acquired: Signed as a Free Agent on Feb. 3, 2026
Sporting Kansas City signed defender Wyatt Meyer as a free agent ahead of the 2026 MLS season. Meyer spent the first year of his professional career with Eastern Conference side Nashville SC in 2025. After being selected as the 11th overall pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft out of the University of California, Berkeley, Meyer joined Nashville for preseason in 2025 and signed with the team ahead of the season.
The Berkeley, California native made eight appearances for Nashville in his rookie year, including starts in the team’s opening two matches of the 2025 MLS season – making his
debut with a 90-minute outing in a 0-0 draw against New England on Feb. 22, 2025. Meyer scored his first professional goal with a long-range winner late in Nashville’s 3-2 win over Orlando City in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 in May 2025.
Collegiately, Meyer tallied four goals and six assists in 66 appearances for the Cal Golden Bears and was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and earned All-Pac-12 First Team honors while serving as team captain in 2023.
#15 | D | JANSEN MILLER
Height: 6-3
Weight: 175 Birthday: 2/10/2002
Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
College: Indiana University
Acquired: 2025 MLS SuperDraft 1st Round (#8)
Sporting Kansas City signed Jansen Miller ahead of the 2025 season after selecting the defender with the eighth overall pick in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft out of Indiana University. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Miller became SKC’s highest draft pick for a defender since longtime captain and U.S. international Matt Besler was also taken eighth overall in the 2009 draft. Miller has made 32 appearances for Sporting KC, tallying one assist.
Miller played 77 total matches in four college seasons, logging 27 appearances at Xavier in 2021 before transferring to Indiana and featuring in 50 games or the Hoosiers from 2022-2024. He was a Second-Team All-Big Ten selection in 2024, concluding his collegiate career with a third straight NCAA tournament berth and scoring a golden goal
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 0
Assists 1, Aug. 30, 2025, KC vs. COL
Shots on Goal 1, 5 times, last: Aug. 9, 2025, KC vs. SD
Shots 2, 2 times, last: Aug. 9, 2025, KC vs. SD
Fouls Committed 3, Aug. 9, 2025, KC vs. SD
Fouls Suffered 6, July 26, 2025, KC at VAN
Last Regular Season...
Appearance March 7, 2026, KC vs. SD
Goal N/A
Assist Aug. 30, 2025, KC vs. COL
2026 Record when: he starts 0-1-0 he scores 0-0-0
against Akron in the second round of the postseason. During his time at IU, the Hoosiers were College Cup finalists in 2022, Big Ten tournament champions in 2023 and finished atop the conference regular season standings in each of his final two years. In addition to his time on campus, Miller also played for USL League Two teams St. Louis Scott Gallagher (2021), Long Island Rough Riders (2023) and Ocean City Nor’easters (2024).
Miller played for Saint Louis FC in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, where he was named to the USC Youth Boys All-Central Region Team in 2019. He signed amateur academy contracts with Saint Louis FC in 2019 and 2020, training regularly at the USL Championship level.
#1 | GK | JOHN PULSKAMP
Height: 6-4 Weight: 210 Birthday: 4/19/2001
Hometown: Bakersfield, California
Last Club: Sporting Kansas City II (USL Championship) Acquired: Signed as a Homegrown Player on 2/24/2020
John Pulskamp joined Sporting KC as a Homegrown Player ahead of the 2020 season after acquiring his Homegrown rights from the LA Galaxy where he spent two seasons in the club’s Academy. He earned his MLS debut in the 2021 season opener, helping the side to a 2-1 victory at the New York Red Bulls and has made 66 regular-season appearances for the club in MLS play, tallying 10 shutouts.
Pulskamp became the youngest goalkeeper in Sporting KC history to record a shutout following a 2-0 win over the LA Galaxy on Oct. 27, 2021 at the age of 20 years and 191 days. He enjoyed a breakout year in 2022 when he deputized for an injured Tim Melia to make 15 starts in all competitions, posting an 8-3-4 record.
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals Allowed 5, Aug. 24, 2025, KC at SEA Saves 8, 2 times, last: July 4, 2025, KC at COL
Last Regular Season... Appearance March 7, 2026, KC vs. SD Shutout Oct. 18, 2025, KC vs. HOU 2026 Record when: he starts 0-2-1
Pulskamp joined the MLS ranks on the heels of a breakout 2019 USL Championship season with SKC II. Pulskamp arrived in Kansas City in April 2019 after a two-year stint in the LA Galaxy Academy. He also spent time on trial with English Premier League outfit AFC Bournemouth in the summer of 2018. Prior to joining the Galaxy, he represented youth sides Real So Cal and Central California Aztecs.
Pulskamp was called in to a U.S. Men’s National Team training camp in December 2021 and was named as an alternate for the U.S. Olympic Team at the 2024 Paris Olympics. At the youth international level, Pulskamp has represented the U.S. at the U-18 and U-20 levels.
#99 | D | JAYDEN REID
Height: 6-0
Weight: 180 Birthday: 8/29/2001
Hometown: Elmont, New York
Last Club: St. Louis City SC (MLS)
Acquired: Signed as a Free Agent on 2/3/2026
Sporting Kansas City signed defender Jayden Reid as a free agent ahead of the 2026 MLS season. Reid arrives in Kansas City after spending the first three seasons of his professional career with Red Bull New York (2023) and St. Louis City SC (2024-2025).
Reid made 24 appearances in all competitions for St. Louis throughout 2024 and 2025, tallying three assists in MLS regular-season action – including one on his debut for St. Louis in a 1-1 draw with Atlanta United on June 22, 2024.
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0
Assists 1, 3 times, last:
Last Regular Season... Appearance March 7, 2026, KC vs. SD Goal N/A
Assist Sept. 1, 2024, STL vs. LA (w/ STL) 2026 Record when: he starts 0-2-1 he scores 0-0-0
A product of the Red Bull New York Academy, Reid played collegiately at the University of Connecticut from 2019-2022, tallying three goals and seven assists in 51 appearances before signing a Homegrown contract with RBNY ahead of the 2023 season.
The Elmont, New York native logged 21 appearances in MLS NEXT Pro with RBNY II in 2023 while also making his MLS debut on May 17, 2023 in a 0-0 draw at Toronto FC before heading to St. Louis ahead of the 2024 campaign.
#13 | D | JUSTIN REYNOLDS
Height: 5-10
Weight: 170 Birthday: 8/4/2004
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Last Club: Chicago Fire (MLS)
Acquired: Acquired via trade on 12/30/2025
Sporting Kansas City acquired defender Justin Reynolds via trade from the Chicago Fire ahead of the 2026 MLS season. Reynolds – a versatile defender that primarily plays right back – has made 76 professional appearances while representing the Chicago Fire at both the MLS and MLS NEXT Pro level, while he also had a stint on loan with Chicago’s partner club, FC Lugano, in the Swiss Super League.
The Chicago native appeared 14 times for the Fire’s first team from 2023-2025 while also playing in 62 matches for Chicago Fire II in MLS NEXT Pro, tallying three goals and six assists. Reynolds joined FC Lugano in Switzerland for a two-month loan in March of 2024, making his lone appearance for the club on the final day of the Swiss Super League
season. Upon returning to Chicago, he made his MLS debut as a late substitute against Inter Miami on July 20, 2024 before earning his first start two months later against Toronto FC on Sept. 28, 2024. Reynolds scored his first senior goal for Chicago in 2025, tallying the game-winning goal in a wild 5-3 victory over eventual MLS Cup champions Inter Miami at Chase Stadium on Sept. 30, 2025.
Reynolds, whose older brother Andre Reynolds II was also a Homegrown Player for Chicago, developed in the Fire Academy and was a key part of the team that won the inaugural MLS NEXT U-19 Championship in 2021. He has previously represented the United States at the Under-15 and Under-19 levels.
#36 | GK | RYAN SCHEWE
Height: 6-4
Weight: 195 Birthday: 3/8/2002
Hometown: Marietta, Georgia
College: Georgetown University
Acquired: 2024 MLS SuperDraft 1st Round (#22)
Sporting Kansas City selected goalkeeper Ryan Schewe as the 22nd overall pick in the first round of MLS SuperDraft 2024. In two outstanding seasons as a starter at Georgetown University from 2022-2023, Schewe posted a 20-4-4 record with a 0.79 goals against average, 12 clean sheets and 86 saves. He enjoyed a breakout season as a junior in 2022, landing Second Team All-BIG EAST recognition after leading the conference in save percentage (.838) and shutouts (seven) en route to an 11-2-1 record.
During his senior year in 2023, Schewe propelled the Hoyas to the BIG EAST regular season championship with a 9-2-3 record and led the conference with the lowest goals against average (0.84) and the most shutouts (five). He punctuated his final college
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals Allowed N/A Saves N/A
Last Regular Season... Appearance N/A Shutout N/A 2026 Record when: he starts 0-0-0
campaign with BIG East Goalkeeper of the Year and First Team All-BIG EAST honors while also receiving United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-East Region accolades.
In addition to playing for Georgetown, Schewe competed as an amateur for Georgia club Apotheos FC of the National Premier Soccer League in 2022 and the New York-based Westchester Flames of USL League Two in 2023. At the youth level, the Georgia native spent three years each with the Atlanta United Academy and United Football Academy in his home state.
#93 | F | SHAPI SULEYMANOV
Height: 5-8 Weight: 155 Birthday: 12/16/1999
Hometown: Makhachkala, Russia
Last Club: Aris Thessaloniki (Greece) Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 2/3/2025
Sporting Kansas City acquired winger Shapi Suleymanov in a transfer from Greek side Aris Thessaloniki ahead of the 2025 season. In eight prior years as a professional, Suleymanov recorded 55 goals and 46 assists while making over 300 appearances in Russia, Turkey, Israel and Greece. Suleymanov has made 36 appearances for Sporting KC, tallying two goals and four assists.
Suleymanov developed in the FC Krasnodar academy and broke into the club’s first team as a 17-year-old in 2017. That summer, he marked his second career appearance with a 93rd-minute goal to seal a 2-1 victory over Danish side Lyngby in 2017-18 Europa League qualifying. Suleymanov enjoyed a breakout season in 2018-19, finishing with 11 goals in all competitions. The following season saw Suleymanov strike twice in a 3-2 road win at FC Porto in the Champions League, highlighting another strong campaign in which the
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, 2 times, last:June 14, 2025, KC vs. DAL
Assists 1, 4 times, last: May 14, 2025, KC at STL
Shots on Goal 1, 10 times, last: Feb. 28, 2026, KC vs. CLB
Shots 4, July 19, 2025, KC vs. NYC
Fouls Committed 3, 2 times, last: July 12, 2025, KC vs. SEA
Fouls Suffered 5, March 15, 2025, KC vs. MIN
Last Regular Season... Appearance March 7, 2026, KC vs. SD
Goal June 14, 2025, KC vs. DAL
Assist May 14, 2025, KC at STL
2026 Record when: he starts 0-2-1 he scores 0-0-0
winger helped Krasnodar to its second consecutive third-place finish in the RPL. In 2020-21, Suleymanov again eclipsed five total goals for the third straight year Suleymanov spent the next two seasons on loan, joining Turkish side Giresunspor in 2021-22 and Hapoel Be’er Sheva in Israel in 2022-23, where he recorded five goals and five assists as a key contributor. Suleymanov was loaned to Aris for the 2023-24 season and made a strong impression in his debut campaign, notching six goals and four assists across all competitions, leading to a permanent transfer to Aris in 2024.
As a Russian youth international, Suleymanov had six goals and three assists at the U-16 level and added two goals as a U-17 player, before making 12 appearances for the U-18s from 2016 to 2017. He continued to ascend the youth ranks with two goals for the U-19s in late 2017 and three goals for the U-21s from 2019 to 2020.
#14 | M | CIELO TSCHANTRET
Height: 6-1
Weight: 165 Birthday: 2/22/2006
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
Last Club: Sporting Kansas City II (MLS NEXT Pro)
Acquired: Signed as a Homegrown Player on 11/14/2025
Sporting Kansas City signed midfielder Cielo Tschantret as a Homegrown Player ahead of the 2026 MLS season. Tschantret signed an MLS NEXT Pro professional contract with SKC II in early 2024 and appeared in 56 matches for the team as both an amateur and professional from 2023-2025, recording six goals and one assist.
In his MLS NEXT Pro debut for SKC II on April 23, 2023, Tschantret scored in a narrow 3-2 road loss at FC Cincinnati 2 before earning his second start for the club four months later and making an even bigger impact, heading home the game-winning goal in the 62nd minute of a 2-1 victory at Austin FC II. Tschantret saw his role increase significantly in 2024 when he signed his professional deal with SKC II, starting 14 of 22 appearances
while scoring the game-winning goal against rivals St. Louis City 2 at Rock Chalk Park on July 21, 2024. Taking the captain’s armband in 2025, Tschantret played in 28 of SKC II’s 29 matches in all competitions – ranking second on the team with 2,392 minutes played – and scored a career-high three goals in the process. Tschantret’s 2,327 minutes played in MLS NEXT Pro led all teenagers in 2025.
Tschantret arrived in KC from his native Baltimore, Maryland in 2020 and starred for the SKC Academy at the U-15, U-17 and U-19 levels. Tschantret, the son of SKC II head coach Lee Tschantret, spent six years in the club’s youth ranks from the U-15s to SKC II.
C.J. Sapong (2011), Ilie Sanchez (2018), Graham Zusi (2018), Luis Martins (2021), Felipe Hernandez (2022), Remi Walter (2022)
SINGLE SEASON RECORDS (GOALKEEPERS)
GAMES
1.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY INDIVIDUAL ALL-TIME CHARTS (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
ASSISTS
7.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY INDIVIDUAL SINGLE-SEASON CHARTS (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
John Pulskamp 34 120
Kevin Hartman 30 117
Bo Oshoniyi 32 112 2019 Tim Melia 32 111
Player GP SO 2000 Tony Meola 31 16 2012 Jimmy Nielsen 34 15 2013 Jimmy Nielsen 34 13
2018 Tim Melia 34 13
2008 Kevin Hartman 30 10
2010 Jimmy Nielsen 29 10
2017 Tim Melia 31 10 GOALKEEPER WINS Year Player GP GW 1997 Mike Ammann 29 21 2012 Jimmy Nielsen 34 18
2018 Tim Melia 34 18 2013 Jimmy Nielsen 34 17 2000 Tony Meola 31 15 1996 Garth Lagerwey 23 12 2011 Jimmy Nielsen 31 12 2017 Tim Melia 31 12
Player GP GA GAA
Tim Melia 31 24 0.78 2012 Jimmy Nielsen 34 27 0.79 2013 Jimmy Nielsen 34 30 0.88
2000 Tony Meola 31 29 0.92
2004 Tony Meola 21 22 1.05
*Minimum 1,000 minutes played
SPORTING KANSAS CITY INDIVIDUAL HIGHS (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
GOALS
Career: 71 Preki
Season: 22 Dom Dwyer (2014)
Game: 3 10 times
Half: 3 Vitalis Takawira (05/16/1998 at NE, 2nd)
Half: 3 Eddie Johnson (06/02/2007 vs. NY, 2nd)
Half: 3 Gerso Fernandes (05/17/2017 vs. SEA, 2nd)
ASSISTS
Career: 98 Preki
Season: 17 Preki (1997)
Season: 17 Preki (2003)
Game: 4 Chris Henderson (06/20/1999 vs. MET)
Half: 3 Chris Henderson (06/20/1999 vs. MET, 1st)
Half: 3 Preki (06/21/2003 vs. CHI, 1st)
SHOTS
Career: 693 Preki
Season: 140 Preki (1996)
Game: 12 Preki (04/12/1997 at TB)
Half: 8 Preki (04/12/1997 at TB, 2nd)
Half: 8 Onandi Lowe (08/12/2001 at COL, 2nd)
Half: 8 Preki (07/06/2002 vs. DAL, 2nd)
GOALS
Season: 65 in 2018
Game: 7 03/30/2019 vs. MTL
2-Tms: 10 05/02/1996 vs. CLB
Half: 5 05/02/1996 vs. CLB (2nd)
Half: 5 06/21/1997 vs. DC (2nd)
ASSISTS
Season: 69 in 2018
Game: 10 06/20/1999 vs. MET
2-Tms: 12 07/04/2001 vs. CHI
Half: 8 06/20/1999 vs. MET (1st)
SHOTS
Season: 583 in 2018
Game: 34 05/15/2016 vs. ORL
Game: 34 04/20/2018 vs. VAN
Game: 34 10/06/2018 vs. LA
2-Tms: 44 4 times
Half: 23 04/20/2018 vs. VAN (2nd)
SHOTS ON GOAL
Career: 283 Preki
Season: 61 Preki (1996)
Game: 6 Preki (05/19/1996 at LA)
Game: 6 Eddie Johnson (06/02/2007 vs. NY)
Game: 6 Alan Pulido (10/24/2020 vs. COL)
Half: 4 10 times
FOULS COMMITTED
Career: 517 Roger Espinoza
Season: 79 Chris Henderson (2000)
Game: 8 Davy Arnaud (05/29/2010 at RSL)
Game: 8 Oriol Rosell (07/27/2013 at MTL)
Half: 7 Scott Uderitz (05/11/1996 vs. DAL, 1st)
FOULS SUFFERED
Career: 528 Davy Arnaud
Season: 111 Davy Arnaud (2004)
Game: 10 Davy Arnaud (10/14/2006 at NY)
Half: 6 8 times
CORNER KICKS
Career: 800 Graham Zusi
Season: 150 Graham Zusi (2012)
Game: 12 Alex Zotinca (07/22/2006 at NY)
Half: 8 Chris Henderson (04/10/1999 vs. SJ, 2nd)
Half: 8 Chris Henderson (05/20/2000 vs. SJ, 1st)
Half: 8 Johnny Russell (08/14/2019 at ORL, 2nd)
GOALS ALLOWED
Career: 347 Tim Melia
Season: 70 John Pulskamp (2025)
Game: 7 Bo Oshoniyi (07/04/2001 vs. CHI)
Game: 7 Tim Melia (09/15/2019 at LA)
Game: 7 Tim Melia (05/14/2022 at POR)
Half: 6 Tim Melia (09/15/2019 at LA, 2nd)
Half: 6 Tim Melia (05/14/2022 at POR, 2nd)
SAVES
Career: 746 Tim Melia
Season: 129 Tony Meola (2000)
Game: 10 Tim Melia (04/08/2018 at LA)
Half: 7 4 times
SPORTING KANSAS CITY TEAM HIGHS (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
