Sporting KC GM admits 2026 season failure
David Lee accepted responsibility for the club's 26-point finish and outlined a rebuilt roster for the upcoming spring sprint.
By Emmanuel Faure ·
Sporting Kansas City general manager David Lee told reporters on Wednesday that the club must accept it failed to meet its own standards during the 2026 campaign. Lee, who completed his first season leading soccer operations, held a 50-minute press conference to address the team's poor performance. He stated that the responsibility for the result rests with him as the leader of the soccer operation.
The club finished the season with 26 points, placing them 15th in the Western Conference. This marks the third time in franchise history that Sporting Kansas City has finished with fewer than 30 points. The 22 losses and 26-point total represent the second-worst marks in club history. The team conceded 81 goals, an MLS record, which highlighted the defensive struggles that defined the season.
Lee used the conference to outline the structural changes made during the year. He established a four-member data and analytics department, a function that previously did not exist at the club. The scouting department and other support roles were also expanded. Lee said the process of placing these personnel took longer than anticipated but that the organization is now moving at a pace that will benefit future transfers and season planning.
The roster for the upcoming spring season will center on Brazilian defender Andre Luiz, who scored eight goals and provided three assists in 13 appearances after arriving in the summer window. Taylor Calheira, who recorded five goals and two assists in 15 games after the World Cup break, will also be a key figure. The club exercised contract options for defenders Wyatt Meyer and Jayden Reid through the 2027 spring season, as well as for Jansen Miller and Justin Reynolds through the 2027 calendar year.
Sporting Kansas City declined to retain defender Ethan Bartlow and forward Shapi Suleymanov. The club also will not re-sign goalkeeper John Pulskamp or forward Stephen Afrifa. The squad currently includes 25 players under contract, including 15-year-old academy product Zamir Loyo Reynaga, who will join the senior roster as a Homegrown Player in 2027.
The 2027 season will feature a 14-game sprint from February 20 to May 1. This format precedes a full 2027-2028 season, as Major League Soccer aligns its calendar with European leagues. Lee noted that the organization needs to build a structure capable of supporting its ambitions, a goal he described as a primary motivation for joining the club.
The last five years have shifted public perception of the franchise from a model operation to a club in transition. Lee's immediate task is to guide the team through the shortened spring schedule before the new calendar year begins.
