Minnesota United FC at Austin FC Preview
MLS Minnesota United FC

Minnesota United FC at Austin FC Preview

Published on February 20, 2026 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - Minnesota United opens its 2026 MLS campaign on the road against Austin FC at Q2 Stadium on Saturday night. MNUFC looks to build on a strong fourth-place finish in 2025, while Austin FC enters the season after finishing sixth in the Western Conference.

Saturday's matchup marks the first meeting between the two clubs in 2026, with recent history adding intrigue to the season opener. Most notably, Minnesota fell 2-1 to Austin FC in the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinal, ending the Loons' run in the competition. During regular-season play, however, Minnesota found success against Austin, earning a dominant 3-0 victory on the road before drawing at Allianz Field.

Minnesota United enters 2026 in a new era under Cameron Knowles, who begins his first MLS season as Head Coach alongside newly appointed Assistant Coach Josh Wolff. The Loons also added several new pieces during the offseason, with recent signings expected to bolster the squad across multiple positions. With a blend of returning contributors and fresh additions, Minnesota will look to establish its identity early and make an immediate impact under the club's new leadership.

Austin FC begins the 2026 season with confidence following a strong 2025 campaign that saw the club finish sixth in the Western Conference and make a deep run in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Austin advanced to the Open Cup Final, where the Verde & Black fell 2-1 to Nashville SC. With a core group returning from last season's playoff push, Austin will look to build on that momentum and open the new campaign with a statement performance at Q2 Stadium in front of its home supporters.

HEAD COACH CAMERO KNOWLES ON FACING AUSTIN FC AS SEASON OPENER...

"It's a difficult place to play. They want to be a bit more vertical, they want to be a bit more aggressive. They felt like they didn't use possession as aggressively as they could have last year in certain moments. They have a good team, they have a good roster. They've played different ways. So, it's a little bit hard to predict what they'll do, which again is challenging. It's really just focus on what we're doing, know how they can potentially hurt us, but really focus on what we've been doing and continue to press the issue."

GOALKEEPER DRAKE CALLENDER ON FACING AUSTIN FC...

"We just need to be smart with how we approach the game. Of course, it's the first game, so it'll be a bit of cat and mouse, but I think overall, it's a solid team... But I think first and foremost, regardless of who we line up against, were just going to compete and take the win."

POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE:

MNUFC will host a remote postgame press conference with Head Coach Cameron Knowles and possibly a player approximately 15 minutes following the final whistle. Media interested in joining the remote postgame press conference, via Zoom, can join HERE. Webinar ID: 830 3251 2605 | Passcode is MNUFCPress.

PLAYER STATUS REPORT:

Minnesota United

OUT:

None

QUESTIONABLE:

None

MINNESOTA UNITED FC @ AUSTIN FC

Q2 Stadium | Austin, Texas

2.21.2025 | MLS Regular Season | Match 1

7:30 p.m. CT (Apple TV; MNUFC Radio on 1500 ESPN)

2025 Regular-Season Record (W-L-D)

MIN: 16-8-10 (58 pts. | 8-3-6 on the road)

ATX: 13-13-8 (47 pts. | 7-3-7 at home)

Check out the Minnesota United FC Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from February 20, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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