The New England Revolution begin the 2026 MLS campaign with a trip to Nashville to take on the Boys in Gold.
New England has struggled in its season openers, particularly on the road. The Revs haven't won a season opener since 2023 and have only won six season openers in the club's history.
In particular, GEODIS Park has been a difficult place for New England. The Revolution have a 1-2-2 record when heading down to Nashville.
But Marko Mitrovic isn't worried. No matter where his team is playing he wants them to win and he hopes to begin a new era by changing the outlook in the club's opening matches
“I know it’s the opener on the road, but personally I don’t look at it that way," he said. "Stats are there, but stats sometimes can go in our favor before a game or can go against us. I think every game is a new game for itself. The [past] record [in season openers] is there, but we can change that record in a positive way. To be fair, I don’t think that way right now that it’s our first game, our away game record, the past was like this. That doesn’t worry me at all.”
Nashville has had a positive offseason that included adding Cristian Espinoza and signing head coach B.J. Callaghan to a contract extension. Adding a player of Espinoza's caliber is particularly frightening, considering that the Boys in Gold can utilize an attacking trio that includes former MVP Hany Mukhtar, Sam Surridge, and the aforementioned Espinoza. The trio would have combined for 46 goals and 19 assists.
“First of all, Nashville is a team that is very well-coached," Mitrovic said. "I appreciate [Nashville SC Head Coach] B.J. Callaghan, he is a friend of mine and I really appreciate him as a coach. He’s a very organized person and has a high knowledge about the game. I think that he showed in the last 18 months how he transformed Nashville into one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, obviously together with the club and the people who support him. They have a clear identity on the field, both in and out of possession. We are expecting, again, based on everything I said, one very well-organized team and a great challenge for us.”
A win against Nashville would be a real statement of intent for New England. The Boys in Gold are tough to play against based on the talent they possess and the club's style of play.
While one game won't define Mitrovic, there is no better start for a new head coach than securing three points.
