Plenty still on line for Toronto FC players in season finale against Philadelphia

After a tough first half of the MLS season, Toronto FC showed genuine signs of life after the summer break for the FIFA World Cup and played itself into post-season contention. 

But the Reds' hopes were dashed in last weekend’s road loss to Atlanta United, a result that officially eliminated them from the playoff picture and extended their post-season drought to six years. 

As a consequence, Toronto enters its final game of the 2026 regular season, away to the Philadelphia Union on Saturday, with little to play for except some pride. At the same time, most TFC players have plenty to play for in this dead-rubber match. 

For starters, no less than 16 members of the current squad will either be out of contract, entering the option year on their deals or at the end of their loan spells once the season concludes. 

GM Jason Hernandez faces some very tough decisions in the off-season about who to re-sign, whose contract options should be exercised, and which loan players should be signed on a permanent basis. Saturday’s game could play some role in helping inform him in his decision-making process as to how to rebuild his roster ahead of the 2027 MLS Sprint Season that kicks off in February. 

“Obviously, people are let down, but I do think that from what we've seen, that this pride factor is an important thing. And there are guys who have different things to play for, whether it's contracts or longevity or starting positions; there's always something to play for,” coach Robin Fraser said this week. 

Saturday's match in Philadelphia also allows Fraser to juggle his starting lineup and give opportunities to members of his squad who have struggled for minutes this year. One such player is Richard Chukwu, an 18-year-old defender who is one of the team’s brightest prospects. 

Chukwu has been limited to just three MLS appearances (one start) totalling 96 minutes since signing a first team contract in July after cutting his teeth with Toronto’s reserve team. But that hasn’t stopped Canadian national team coach Jesse Marsch from calling him up for international duty. Chukwu made his debut and earned two caps for Canada in the last international window and is part of Marsch’s latest squad for this month’s Concacaf Nations League qualifiers. 

A strong showing against Philadelphia (if he plays) and for Canada in its two-legged series vs. Guatemala could bolster Chukwu's chances of receiving more playing time for TFC next year. 

"There is no greater source of pride than playing for your country. And to play for your national team is one thing. To play meaningful games that count toward World Cup qualification or any huge FIFA events, it's a real honour. So, for him, it's a great situation. He's put himself in a really good position to where he's being called in," Fraser said.  

Saturday’s road game might also turn out to be the final hurrah for captain Jonthan Osorio.  

Osorio, 34, is Toronto's all-time appearances leader across all competitions (420) and is one of only three players in team history to score 70 goals (Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore are the others). Last week he made MLS history by becoming the first player to score in 14 consecutive seasons with the same club.  

But the veteran midfielder is out of contract at the end of this season and as of right now it's not known whether he'll be back for a 15th campaign with his hometown club.   

“We’ll see. We’re just at the end of the season right now. I’m just disappointed right now that we couldn’t get to the playoffs this year,” Osorio said when asked about his future after the loss in Atlanta.  

Saturday’s game also means that Toronto FC is 90 minutes away from going seven consecutive MLS seasons without a 10-plus goal scorer.  

The last time TFC had someone bag 10 goals in an MLS campaign was in 2019 when Alejandro Pozuelo scored 12 times and Jozy Altidore chipped in with 11. Since then, the Reds have had five players score nine goals in a season: Pozuelo and Ayo Akinola in 2020; Jonathan Osorio and Jesús Jiménez in 2022; and Prince Owusu in 2024.  

Both Josh Sargent and Dániel Sallói are tied for a team-high nine goals this season and have one game left to hit the double-digit mark.  

Elsewhere in MLS this weekend…  

• It’s an all-Canadian battle when the Vancouver Whitecaps visit CF Montreal at Stade Saputo. Vancouver has already sewn up first place in the Western Conference and will enter the playoffs as one of the favourites to win the MLS Cup. Montreal is guaranteed of finishing last in the Eastern Conference and could finish last in the overall league table with a loss on Saturday combined with a win by Sporting Kansas City away to San Diego FC. 

• Lionel Messi will more than likely make MLS history when Inter Miami hosts Charlotte FC. The World Cup champion tops the scoring race with 30 goals — four more than Petar Musa of FC Dallas — and is poised to win his second Golden Boot. Five other players in league history have won two scoring races, but Messi will become the first to do it in consecutive seasons. Messi is also on track to win an unprecedented third straight league MVP award. 

• Speaking of history, Nashville SC is also on the precipice of making some in its road game vs. FC Cincinnati. Nashville currently sits on 74 points, tied with the Inter Miami team of 2024 for the most points in a single season. A draw in Ohio on Saturday would see Nashville establish a new record and allow it to call itself the greatest team in regular-season history.  

• Six teams are vying for the last three playoff spots in the West with the LA Galaxy, Portland Timbers and Colorado Rapids controlling their fate as they sit in the pole positions. The Seattle Sounders, Real Salt Lake and Minnesota United FC are on the outside looking in and need to pick up wins and receive help elsewhere to qualify for the post-season. The marquee matchup involving the six teams sees Salt Lake host LA. 

• All nine playoff berths have been claimed in the East, but there’s still the small matter of final positioning. Four points separate the sixth-place Philadelphia Union and ninth-place Orlando City SC, with FC Cincinnati and the Columbus Crew in between. Finishing in the top seven means advancing to the first round of the playoffs, while the eighth- and ninth-place teams are forced to face off in a wild-card match. Philly hosts Toronto, Nashville visits Cincinnati, Columbus plays away to the Chicago Fire and Orlando welcomes the New England Revolution. 

• Charlotte (away to Miami) and Chicago (at home vs. Columbus are fighting it out for fourth spot in the East with the team from the Midwest holding a two-point edge over the Carolinians. Finishing in the top four ensures home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs which is a best-of-three series. In the West, the San Jose Earthquakes (52 points) and St. Louis City SC and Houston Dynamo (51 points each) are trying to finish in third and fourth. Houston hosts St. Louis while San Jose travels to play Minnesota United FC.