Sockers Favorite for Championship?

By Óscar Sánchez

Once again, the San Diego Sockers have armed themselves to the teeth. With the unexpected exit of the three-time champion Chihuahua Savage, San Diego is shaping up to be the leading candidate to take home the 2025-26 Ron Newman Cup.

The Mexican team, along with the Harrisburg Heat and the two Texas teams—the Dallas Sidekicks and the Mesquite Outlaws—will not be competing this season, leaving the Major Arena Soccer League with 8 squads.

The Kansas City Comets and the Milwaukee Wave look like the main candidates to fight for the title against the Californian team, while Baltimore, a club you can never rule out, is aiming to enter the group of the four with the best chances of fighting for the championship.

The Empire Strykers—featuring Mexican star Marco Fabián—Utica City, and the Tacoma Stars form the next block, which is rounded out by the St. Louis Ambush in my ranking to take the crown.

The Sockers, who haven't been able to win the championship since the 2021-22 season, have now bolstered their already powerful roster with three pieces that could be fundamental for their squad: the experienced goalkeeper Chris Toth and Nick Perera, one of the league's elite forwards, both of whom have a history with the team.

Additionally, they acquired Jesús “Sweet Pea” Pacheco from Baltimore, a young element who will provide plenty of stamina in the midfield in their quest to return to the throne.

The Comets recovered one of their emblems of recent years, the Chilean Nacho Flores, and renewed the contract of the multifaceted Stefan Mijatovic—two pieces that will be key in the campaign. For me, they are the strongest rival for San Diego.

The Wave also has the credentials to seek the championship, now with one of their historic figures, Marcio Leite, as head coach. The health of their historic goal scorer and icon, Ian Bennett, will be vital.

Fabián is going for his third season in the league, and his performance has been surprising. It is not easy to adapt from outdoor soccer to indoor, but Marco has done it wonderfully.

He has totaled 88 points in two seasons, the product of 60 goals and 28 assists in the two tournaments he has played in the circuit—outstanding numbers, without a doubt. In his first tournament, he took home the Newcomer of the Year trophy, and last campaign ,he contended for the MVP title.

From his first tournament ,where they only won three games, to the last one where they reached the first round of the playoffs (12-10), there was substantial improvement in his team. For this third opportunity, the expectations are that they will be more than just participants.

These are my predictions based on what I see on paper, but the ball is capricious and tends to take strange paths—especially when played under a roof, on synthetic turf, and inside a field bounded by boards.

Take your seat and enjoy the ride, we have begun!