Major League Soccer recently published updated Club Roster Profiles for all 30 teams, providing fresh details on the New York City FC roster in 2026 under new Sporting Director Todd Dunivant. These updates reveal important adjustments and challenges as the team navigates roster construction and contract decisions in the season ahead.
Since the previous update in September 2025, significant developments have reshaped NYCFC’s roster. The return of Designated Player Talles Magno, the loan of U22 Initiative signing Julián Fernández to Rosario Central, and the continued status of club captain Thiago Martins as a Designated Player underscore a transition period for the club just after the league’s February 20 roster compliance deadline.
Shift Toward Designated Player Roster Strategy
Beginning in 2026, New York City FC has moved from primarily utilizing the U22 Initiative Player Model, which allowed a combination of Designated Players and up to four U22 Initiative signings along with extra General Allocation Money (GAM), to relying more heavily on Designated Players. This transition is highlighted by the return of Talles Magno, who joins Thiago Martins and Nico Fernández Mercau as Designated Players on the team.
Notably, Thiago Martins remains classified as a Designated Player despite earlier rumors suggesting he might be “bought down” to free a slot for Moussa Sylla’s acquisition. The club’s latest roster profile confirms that Martins, a 30-year-old Brazilian center-back, cannot currently be reclassified as a non-Designated Player using allocation money, leaving NYCFC at its maximum for Designated Players heading into the 2026 season.
Understanding TAM and Non-TAM Player Distinctions
A key roster development is goalkeeper Matt Freese’s promotion to the group of Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) Players, reflecting the substantial contract extension he signed last year. According to league guidelines, a TAM Player has a salary charge exceeding the Maximum Salary Budget Charge ($803,125) but not above the Maximum TAM Amount ($1,803,125).
Freese’s salary now places him among NYCFC’s highest-paid players, alongside recently added defender Raul Gustavo, who earned a base salary of $720,000 in 2025. Conversely, Australian defender and midfielder Kai Trewin, signed to replace midfielder Justin Haak (now at LA Galaxy), is not listed as a TAM Player, indicating a lower salary rate in his debut MLS season.
Contract-Year Uncertainties Affecting Core Players
Several senior members of the NYCFC squad face crucial contract decisions in 2026. Thiago Martins, Kevin O’Toole, Tayvon Gray, and Tomás Romero are all in their final guaranteed contract years with no options remaining. Veteran Maxi Moralez is also in a year-to-year situation, raising questions about whether he will continue playing or retire.
Midfielders Keaton Parks and Strahinja Tanasijević also enter 2026 at the end of guaranteed contracts, though both have options that could extend their tenure beyond the current season. Sporting Director Todd Dunivant and his staff face pressing decisions regarding these players who have been mainstays in the roster, as their futures carry significant implications for team stability and performance.
Remaining Roster Flexibility and Future Signings
Despite a tightening roster, NYCFC maintains some flexibility. An open international roster slot exists, and two U22 Initiative signings—currently on loan—are temporarily off the roster but available for recall. These factors provide pathways to add new talent during the season as the club pursues a reliable goal-scoring forward to compensate for Alonso Martínez’s absence.
Although the current amount of General Allocation Money is not officially updated in the latest roster profile, NYCFC held $5.45 million in GAM, ranking 11th in MLS, as of January’s preseason figures. The exact GAM balance for 2026 will be clarified when the league releases revised numbers in early March, influencing the club’s financial maneuverability for player acquisitions and contract management.
Homegrown Players and Their Role on the Team
New York City FC has ten players on Homegrown contracts listed in the most recent roster update, including offseason additions Cooper Flax and Kamran Acito, as well as returning contributors such as Tayvon Gray. Acito’s assignment in Supplemental Spot 31 reflects a special league provision allowing clubs to place young loaned players in a slot with limited salary budget impact and without counting against international player limits.
“may be filled with a player on a season-long loan to a lower-division club in the U.S. or Canada (i) who is 24 years or younger during the League Year, (ii) whose Salary Budget Charge is less than or equal to the MLS Senior Minimum Salary level, and (iii) so long as the MLS club does not exercise a right to recall the player during the remainder of the MLS Season. A player in Slot 31 is ineligible to compete in MLS competition except as a Short-Term Call Up and therefore shall not count against a club’s International Player limit.” – Major League Soccer League Policy
Players like Acito and midfielder Peter Molinari, currently listed as Off Roster (Unavailable), will primarily feature with NYCFC II in MLS Next Pro unless signed to short-term agreements elevating them to first-team duties. This structure allows for ongoing player development while preserving roster flexibility at the top level.
Overall, New York City FC’s 2026 roster reflects a complex mix of contract expirations, salary structure adjustments, and careful planning under Todd Dunivant’s leadership. With limited new Designated Player spots and critical decisions pending on veteran contracts, the team must navigate a delicate balance between maintaining continuity and injecting fresh talent to sustain competitive performance in Major League Soccer.
Moussa Sylla will join on a DP deal for NYCFC, per sources. The club has bought down Thiago Martins, I'm told.
NYCFC's three DPs right now (pending Sylla deal):
🇦🇷 Nico Mercau Fernandez
🇲🇱 Moussa Sylla
🇧🇷 Talles Magno (back from loan and in preseason) https://t.co/TXTL4fSVrD— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) January 25, 2026
