The 2026 MLS SuperDraft is almost here and FC Dallas has THREE first-round picks in this year's edition. The draft takes place on Thursday, Dec. 18 at 1 p.m. CT and you can follow along on FC Dallas' social media channels.
Here's everything you need to know for FC Dallas' 2026 MLS SuperDraft.
Draft Overview
This year, FC Dallas has three selections in the first round and one in the third round:
*Note, these picks can always be traded before or during the SuperDraft.
Unlike previous editions, this year's SuperDraft will not be streamed. To follow along, keep an eye on FC Dallas' social media channels to get the most up-to-date information.
General Draft Strategies
In most drafts – regardless of the sport or league – there’s the eternal question: Should you draft for your roster’s specific needs or draft based on the highest value pick left on the board?
North Texas SC head coach John Gall, who attends the annual MLS College Showcase to scout prospects, is heavily involved in the draft process and kindly shared his insight: "The strategy is going to be 'do we have positional needs?' And then obviously, we have talent needs too. It's going to come down to who's available at that time, whether it is going to be a specific position that we target, or whether it's going to be a kid that we've identified as a top talent. It's just like in a game, you have a strategy, you have a plan, and then all of a sudden, 20 minutes into the game, 'okay, I need to tweak this, I need to I need to change this.' It's going to be the same thing with the draft where we have a good idea of of which direction we want to go. But that direction can change really quickly, and we've got to be ready to pivot and put ourselves in the best spot."
North Texas SC's Draft Impact
The addition of North Texas SC in 2019 has also affected Dallas' draft strategy and how those picks develop. FC Dallas winger Sam Sarver is a prime example. Having been drafted in the second round (41st overall) of the 2025 draft by FCD, Sarver signed his first pro contract with North Texas and enjoyed a spectacular debut season, scoring 19 goals and winning MLS NEXT Pro MVP. His form earned him a first team FC Dallas contract midway through 2025 and he became a key contributor down the stretch. Without North Texas, there's a chance Sarver wouldn't have had the development platform to ready himself for the MLS level.
Since its introduction, North Texas has shown to be a crucial proving ground for SuperDraft picks (especially ones drafted outside the first round) to take the next step. And we can expect it to play a similar role for at least a few of FCD's upcoming SuperDraft selections.
John Gall: "Players in the draft and around the country are starting to see that we do promote from within, we do have younger players who come through our framework at North Texas into the first team. It's a super important piece for us as we go down the pecking order in terms of draft picks and in the rounds. Our environment is a great environment for young players. It's an opportunity for us to work so closely with the first team, we're on the next training pitch."
Former Draft Picks
FC Dallas has four of its former SuperDraft picks on the roster for 2026: Tsiki Ntsabeleng (2022, currently on loan), Logan Farrington (2024), Sam Sarver and Enzo Newman (both 2025).
