NYCFC ended the month of May with two wins, two losses, and one draw, which perfectly encapsulates their middling season so far. Going into the World Cup break, they sit in the eighth position of the Eastern Conference with 19 points from 15 games.
With only 10 points separating third and 10th place in the East, the Boys in Blue will have to have a convincing second half of the season to come out of the mid-table bloodbath with good positioning for the MLS playoffs.
The team is happy to welcome World Cup attendee and USMNT starting goalkeeper Matt Freese back into team dynamics. Freese will be a prominent feature in the team’s reliable defense, which ranks in the top four in goals allowed through the first 15 games. Australian World Cup participants Aiden O’Neill and Kai Trewin, however, will be absent from the team after undergoing ankle surgeries following the tournament.
“It’s super nice. We know for sure we helped them to be there, and we know how important it is. We just like to support them in everything,” Brazilian defender Thiago Martins told amNewYork.
New signing Benie Traore, from Basel FC in Switzerland, will aim to bolster the NYCFC attack and combine with top scorer Nicolás Fernández as the team continues to push for the top places in the conference.
“Obviously, Benie is a very versatile attacker, can play in either of three positions up front, can play as a double striker,” head coach Pascal Jansen said. “He fits the profile that we were looking for exactly. So we’re very happy that he’s joined. If you see how the chemistry is being built between him and Nico, it’s fascinating to watch.”
James Sands also rejoins and signs an extension in New York after a promising loan at St. Pauli in Germany was derailed by an untimely ankle injury that kept him from the rest of the European season and Mauricio Pochettino’s 26-man roster for the 2026 World Cup.
“This is my home. So it’s been amazing being around the group again, and I’m excited to be in front of the fans. I really missed them when I was gone. So to hear them support again is going to be amazing,” Sands said in an interview with amNewYork. “It’s my first time working with Pascal [Jansen], but I kept in touch with some of the guys here even when I was gone. So I had a pretty good idea of what he was like as a coach and being here has only confirmed that.
“He’s the kind of coach I want to play for. He’s demanding, and he’s going to make me a better player. As far as my role, he’s let me settle in and figure things out over the first couple of weeks. I think he’s put an emphasis on not overloading me with too much information right away. As the games start to come, I think my role will become clearer.”
The defensive midfielder will add some much-needed stability to the middle of the park in Trewin’s absence.
“We’ve been having regular conversations to make sure he gets up to speed with the ideas I have as a coach, where I see his qualities fitting the team, and where he sees himself adding to the team,” Jansen said of Sands. “Those conversations have gone really well, and so far the chemistry has been perfect. I’m enjoying working with him on the training pitch. We’ve had a couple of friendly games where he showed some of the things we’ve been working on. I’m very satisfied so far, and hopefully we can continue that.”
NYCFC recently announced it is moving to Queens full-time after the completion of Etihad Park in 2027. The team is excited to build on the momentum from the 2026 World Cup to secure more long-term fans for the team and MLS as a whole.
“It’s so important because more people are going to watch our games, more people are going to go to the stadium to support us, and they just need to keep going, continue growing,” Martins said.
“I hope the World Cup has done a good job of picking up casual fans in the States, and so I think they’ve got a place to turn to in the MLS,” forward Kevin O’Toole told amNewYork. “I think it’s important to support your local club. There’s a lot of good quality in the league, especially now. The standard is rising year-over-year, so it’s a great time to get involved, and the MLS is destined for good things.”
After the extended break, NYCFC reopens its 2026 MLS campaign away at 10th-place Columbus Crew, with only three points separating them in the Eastern Conference standings; this will be a pivotal game for playoff positioning. New York cruised to a 3-0 victory when the teams last met.
For more on NYCFC, visit AMNY.com
