FC Dallas is in Portugal this week for the next phase of their preseason. While the results on the field won’t tell the full story of their preseason, the trip itself is all about finding the bigger answers for chemistry, depth, and how the roster is coming together ahead of the 2026 season. With time away from Frisco and a handful of competitive matches on the schedule, this stretch offers a valuable opportunity to accelerate the process.
Just as a reminder, here is the schedule ahead for this trip. If there are any streams available for the matches, we’ll be sure to share those out.
| # | Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wednesday, Jan. 21 | FC Dallas vs. Portimonense S.C. | Estádio Municipal de Portimão |
| 2 | Monday, Jan. 26 | FC Dallas vs. Brøndby IF | Estádio Algarve |
| 3 | Friday, Jan. 30 | FC Dallas vs. Real Salt Lake | Estádio da Nora |
There will be plenty to watch with this trip from how the team is coming together, the potential starting lineup for next month’s season opener, and when we should expect that new Designated Player to be signed. Let’s dive into some things to watch out for while the team is overseas.
Getting the team on the same page
As any preseason camp begins, the biggest thing with any group is getting the chemistry and relationships in order as fast as possible. Manager Eric Quill talked about it recently, as he wants the veteran players to help connect the dots in the locker room and get the newcomers brought up to speed for what it is like to play in Major League Soccer.
Drew Epperley
Unlike before the 2025 season, when there were many…many…many new faces in camp, there is really only a small number of new faces that are joining the team in 2026. Most of those players are rookies or Homegrown players that will likely spend more time with North Texas SC early on this year.
Continuity in MLS is an underrated item, and the sooner you can check the box next to team chemistry being mostly set, the better.