The Eastern Conference sides have won three of the last five MLS Cups, and they hope to continue that domination this season. This season, they have more firepower in their attack, with Inter Miami ready to charge for the top spot from the start.
While Lionel Messi & co will get the eyeballs, there are other sides capable of going all the way this season. Without further ado, here are the top 5 teams in the Eastern Conference of the MLS who can challenge for the title:
Columbus Crew
The reigning champions, Columbus Crew, are easily the ones to keep an eye on this season as they will be keen on retaining the title. The celebrations are yet to end in the city of Ohio, but they are now gearing up for the new season.
Wilfried Nancy’s men will be keen on winning the Regular Season as well, this time after finishing 3rd in the Eastern Conference last year. They were a whopping 12 points behind the table toppers FC Cincinnati as they had lost 9 times in their 34 league matches.
They have added Rudy Camacho from CF Montreal and Yevgen Cheberko from NK Osijek to the backline, while goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen has also been signed. Diego Rossi, Marino Hinestroza, Luis Diaz, and Julian Gressel are the new additions to the attack, but they will find it hard to replace Lucas Zelarayán in the team after his move to the Saudi Pro League side Al Fateh.
Retaining the title is not realistic for the Crew this season, but they should easily get into the playoffs. Their main aim would be to better the 57-point tally from last season and then focus on the MLS Cup.
FC Cincinnati
FC Cincinnati were a force in the league last season and lost just 5 of their 34 matches. They finished on top of the Eastern Conference and the overall table by a mile – Orlando City, with 63 points were the closest to them, finishing six points behind.
However, they fell to Columbus Crew in the Conference final despite leading the match 2-0 at half-time. The eventual champions pulled off a stunning comeback with goals in the 75th and 86th minute before Christian Ramirez scored the winner in Extra Time.
Pat Noonan will be hoping that his players have put the heartbreaking end of the 2023 season behind them and are focused on going all the way this season. They have added Aaron Boupendza and Corey Baird in the attack, while Miles Robinson and Kipp Keller have been added to the defense along with Bret Halsey, who got promoted from Cincinnati 2.
FC Cincinnati will enter the new season with the expectation of topping the table again and winning the MLS Cup. They are easily one of the favorites for the title.
Inter Miami
All eyes will be on Inter Miami from the start of this season after Lionel Messi’s led side almost pulled off a miraculous comeback last season and made it to the playoffs. They won the Leagues Cup last season against all odds after the addition of the Argentine, and the fans will be hoping that the former Barcelona and PSG star can weave his magic in the league this season.
Tata Martino has a challenging task on his hands as he needs to find the right balance between attack and defense. He has a good squad to work with, with the likes of Luis Suarez, Tomás Avilés and Diego Gómez joining the squad.
Inter Miami finished 2nd from the bottom last season but are currently one of the favorites to finish in the top 3 this season. They will be hoping to turn the table and finish with 18 wins, instead of the 18 losses they suffered in the 34 league games last season.
While Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets will be the main men in the squad, Benjamin Cremaschi, Facundo Farías, and Leo Campana are the best players who can support them on the pitch.
Also Read: MLS Teams: Top Teams in Western Conference in MLS Season 2024
Orlando City
Orland City have retained Oscar Pareja as their head coach this season, which will be a big boost for them. They finished 2nd in the Eastern Conference last season but could not do much in the MLS Cup.
They have added Iván Angulo, Nicolás Lodeiro, and Júnior Urso and will be hoping that the squad will build on last season. The future of Duncan McGuire is still hanging in the balance after an ‘administrative error’ saw his move to Blackburn Rovers fall through, but the appeal is still going on.
Keeping McGuire, even if it is for half a season, could be crucial for Orlando City as he can provide the much-needed goals. Without him, things could be difficult, but they are still one of the favorites to make it to the playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
New York City FC
New York City FC had a season to forget last season, but it was mainly down to them playing a young side the entire season. The 2021 champions will hope that the players are more mature now and get the wins they need.
Agustín Ojeda, Julián Fernández, Monsef Bakrar, Birk Risa, Andrés Perea, and Strahinja Tanasijević are excellent signings in the off-season. They also have Hannes Wolf, Alonso Martínez, and Maxi Moralez signed on free transfers and will be hoping that they jel together quickly.
NYCFC finished last season with 11 losses and 9 wins in their 34 matches. They need to convert half of their 14 draws into wins, which will be enough to secure a top 4 spot and ease into the playoffs.
Teams in Eastern Conference:
| Atlanta United |
| Charlotte FC |
| Chicago FIre |
| FC Cincinnati |
| Columbus Crew |
| DC United |
| Inter Miami |
| CF Montreal |
| Nashville SC |
| New England Revolution |
| New York City FC |
| New York Red Bulls |
| Orlando City |
| Philadelphia Union |
| Toronto FC |