Six big questions for Nashville SC heading into 2026

Nashville SC will kick off their 2026 campaign in just 43 days when they take on Atlético Ottowa on February 17. The team will head to Florida for their preseason training camp early next week, getting the start-of-season preparations fully underway.

With little time until Nashville's season begins in earnest, we're taking a look at the biggest questions facing the club in BJ Callaghan's second full season in charge.

1 – Can Sam Surridge keep scoring?

With 31 goals in all competitions last season, Sam Surridge had a career-best year, and one of the best seasons in recent MLS memory. His 24 regular-season goals are the eighth most in a single season since 2013.

It wasn't a fluke, either. The underlying numbers back it up. Surridge's 0.79 expected goals per 96 minutes played are the seventh-highest since 2013, per American Soccer Analysis. He finished with the seventh-most xG per 96 minutes among strikers in 2024, and the second-most in 2025. He consistently gets into fantastic positions in front of goal, in a system designed to create high-value chances for the striker.

All signs point to Surridge being in the Golden Boot race once again. While 30 goals is an incredibly hard feat to attain in back-to-back years, this is an attack built around feeding chances to Surridge. If he can stay healthy – and stay in Nashville – he should be set for another high-scoring season.

Can Surridge repeat as one of the best strikers in MLS?

2 – Will any young attackers level up?

This has been an ongoing question for Nashville since 2021, when Hany Mukhtar, CJ Sapong and Randall Leal formed Nashville's most balanced attack to date. Since then, there have typically been two consistent scorers, with a significant gap from second to third.

If Nashville want to take a step forward in 2026, they need to find another consistent goal threat, and there's reason to hope that the answer may already be on the roster.

Ahmed Qasem was signed for $4.5 million, the third-highest transfer fee in Nashville SC history behind Sam Surridge and Aké Loba. The 22-year-old showed flashes in his first year, including goals in his first two starts, and is incredibly highly rated within the club. Young players coming to MLS from overseas often take a year or so to fully adapt, and the hope is that Qasem will show why Nashville spent such a significant sum in 2026.

Jonny Pérez is another U22 Initiative winger who could make a difference. Initially loaned in from the LA Galaxy, Nashville shelled out up to $1.8 million to acquire him permanently, another big swing from the club. Before a quad injury cut his 2025 season short, he had nailed down a starting spot and was the most dangerous wide attacker on Nashville's roster. About to turn 23 and with proven familiarity with Callaghan's system, Pérez should be in line for career-best numbers in 2026.

Another piece to the puzzle is the newest Boy In Gold: Warren Madrigal. The 21-year-old Costa Rican international was just acquired from Saprissa for a reported fee of more than $500,000, and with five goals already for his national team, he will add a goal threat from both the wings and as a No. 9.

A key for Nashville to contend for silverware in the Eastern Conference next year is for one of these players to level up and play above their pay grade.

Will Nashville finally find a consistent third attacker?

3 – Can the midfield evolve?

Eddi Tagseth and Patrick Yazbek nailed down a starting partnership in the heart of Callaghan's 4-2-2-2 system, largely freezing out players like Gastón Brugman, Matt Corcoran and Bryan Acosta. The pair bring high levels of energy and intensity, perfect for matchups against teams like Philadelphia Union or FC Cincinnati. Where they struggle, though, is with the ball.

In fairness, Yazbek made significant improvements as the season went on, and was able to match his trademark work-rate with genuine quality in possession, especially with his ability to break the first wave of pressure on the dribble. But a Tagseth-Yazbek pairing often meant that ball-progression is sacrificed for intensity, while adding Brugman into the midfield often meant that the defensive side took a hit. Helping both Yazbek and Tagseth take a step forward in possession this year has to be a priority.

Nashville need a Brugman-esque player who can consistently start and stay on the field. Corcoran has shown flashes of this, and should see an increase in playing time this year. But Nashville also need to add another high-quality midfielder to replace and improve on Brugman's minutes, someone who can provide a true threat in possession, especially against a low block. Without this, the midfield looks rather one dimensional.

Can the midfield take a step forward and bring the whole team along with it?

4 – What does the backline look like without Walker Zimmerman?

At the end of his tenure in Nashville, Walker Zimmerman wasn't an every-game starter, but that shouldn’t diminish his importance to the club. Acquired just weeks ahead of their MLS debut in 2020, the center back was the heart of the backline on the pitch and a crucial voice off the field.

Walker Zimmerman says goodbye to Nashville

“I leave here incredibly grateful for all the blessings that Nashville has showered on our family”

SixOneFive SoccerBen Wright

Now that he's signed with Toronto, the Zimmerman era is officially over in Nashville. 2026 will be the first taste of a defense without him, either on the field or leading and organizing on the training pitch.

There's reason to expect Nashville to maintain their typically elite defensive level; Jeisson Palacios looked like a Top 10 center back in MLS down the stretch last season, while new signing Maxwell Woledzi was an elite defender in Norway. Josh Bauer broke out last season, largely out of position as a right or left back, but looks more than capable of being a third-choice defender for a high level team. And Jack Maher has been in Nashville since 2020, a capable-if-occasionally-nervy player.

Will all this be enough to replace Zimmerman, one of the best defenders in league history?

5 – Is Brian Schwake a starting-quality goalkeeper?

Joe Willis isn't leaving, as it turns out. Nashville's long-term No. 1 signed a one-year deal to come back to the Boys In Gold after his contract expired last season, but he's expected to play a very different role.

This is Brian Schwake's team. The 24-year-old US Open Cup final MVP is set to take over the starting job in 2026, with Nashville believing that he is capable to be their long-term option, an able shot-stopper and a better player with the ball at his feet.

The SAVE | Brian Schwake#USOC2025 // FINAL https://t.co/JkJJsRJukx pic.twitter.com/YzfuMfjLbY

— U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) October 2, 2025

It's a big gamble, but one that needs to be taken. Willis is 37. He's still a reliable player and did an incredible job adapting to new requirements in possession, but wasn't without mistakes. Nashville have quietly been looking for a new No. 1 for years, since Elliot Panicco was drafted. In Schwake, they have enough sample size (albeit small) to take the leap.

Will Schwake prove to be a starting-caliber goalkeeper? Or will keeping Willis as an option put extra pressure on the young 'keeper and tempt the staff to return to the veteran?

6 – Will Dan Lovitz and Andy Nájar stay healthy and effective?

Dan Lovitz and Andy Nájar were durable in 2025. Insanely durable. Both played over 3,400 minutes in all competitions, over 65% of possible playing time.

Having them on the pitch so much was a huge positive for the 'Yotes. It's also unsustainable. Lovitz will turn 35 in August, and Nájar is 33 in March. Nájar managed to stay unbelievably healthy, shrugging off the persistent soft tissue injuries that plagued him for most of his career to have his best individual season ever. Lovitz is a model professional who takes incredible care of himself, and he's been a fixture on the pitch for Nashville for the last six years. While the knocks that limited his minutes down the stretch shouldn't be lingering, they may be a glimpse into the future.

Nashville will be better with Lovitz and Nájar on the field every game, but they would be wise to plan for the inevitability of Father Time taking his toll.

Will Lovitz and Nájar be similarly effective in 2026? And if they're not, will Nashville have answers?