Huntsville City FC undergoes Massive squad Overhaul for 2027 season

Huntsville City FC undergoes massive squad overhaul ahead of 2027 season

Huntsville City FC announced a sweeping series of roster changes on November 3, 2027, as the club prepares for the upcoming MLS NEXT Pro season. According to a report from mlsnextpro.com, the club is facing a significant rebuilding phase, with only three players currently remaining under contract for the 2027 campaign.

The restructuring follows a season where Huntsville successfully qualified for the playoffs for the second consecutive year, though the club was unable to move past the opening round. The upcoming roster decisions signal a pivot in the club’s composition, moving away from the core that drove their recent postseason appearances toward a new group of talent and transitions to their parent club, Nashville SC.

Key players moving to Nashville SC

While the departures are extensive, two specific players are being elevated within the organization. As reported by sixonefivesoccer.com, goalkeeper Will Mackay and forward Zidane Yáñez will both transition to contracts with Nashville SC for the 2027 season.

The move for Mackay represents a significant step for the 18-year-old. Having signed a hybrid deal with Nashville SC, he is expected to join the first team following the retirement of Joe Willis after the 2026 season. Mackay’s performance during the previous campaign was notable, as he recorded a club-record six clean sheets across 22 matches. Similarly, Yáñez, also 18, moves up to the parent club after a productive stint in Huntsville, where he netted nine goals in just 13 appearances after signing a homegrown deal last summer.

The remaining roster and departing talent

With the majority of the squad departing, the foundation for the 2027 season rests on a very small group of players. The following individuals are the only players currently under contract with Huntsville City FC:

Huntsville City FC undergoes Massive squad Overhaul for 2027 season — Photo: sixonefivesoccer.com

Landry Walker (Midfielder): Walker joined the club late in the previous season from San Antonio FC and made three appearances.
Maikel Caicedo (Defender): A summer signing from Ecuador’s top flight, Caicedo appeared in 10 matches.
Leo Christiano (Defender): Christiano was a mainstay in the lineup, logging 24 appearances and contributing three goals and an assist.

The list of players leaving the club is extensive. Following the conclusion of the 2026 season, several loan agreements expired, including those for Malachi Molina, Moises Veliz, and Aiden Jarvis. Additionally, a large group of players will depart as they are out of contract, including Patrick Amarh, Alioune Ka, Maximus Ekk, Jayvin van Deventer, Nigel Prince, Angel Iniguez, Klaus Sullivan, Kessy Coulibaly, Nick Pariano, Zach Barrett, Julian Gaines, and Fabian Reynolds. The club also confirmed that Abdel Talabi, Light Eke, and Matteo Zambrano departed during the 2026 season.

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In a statement regarding the transition, Alec Dufty, Director of Soccer Operations, addressed the outgoing group:

“We want to thank the players who will not be returning next season for their hard work and commitment to our club, and we wish them the best of luck in their next endeavors,” said Dufty.

The scale of these changes leaves one notable question regarding the current roster. Sixonefivesoccer.com noted that midfielder Misei Yoshizawa was not included in the official roster decisions released today. Yoshizawa, who recorded two goals and four assists in 16 appearances, remains an uncertainty as the club looks to fill the gaps left by the mass exodus.

The roster transition highlights the volatile nature of the MLS NEXT Pro developmental model, where the primary objective is often the movement of talent upward to the senior MLS squad. While the loss of nearly an entire starting lineup may present immediate challenges for on-field stability in Huntsville, the successful promotion of Mackay and Yáñez serves as a metric of the club’s primary mission to develop professional-grade talent for Nashville SC.

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