Cincy will begin play in MLS next season. Nashville will in 2020, and Miami will join them if that ownership group gets their shite together soon.

As it stands, the race for the next 2 expansion spots will be interesting. MLS wants big markets before the current TV deal ends in 2022.

I think Phoenix will get one soon. Huge untapped market in a soccer hotbed and their ownership group is really picking up steam much like Nashville's did. Wouldn't be surprised if it happens later this year, even.

Sacramento has almost all of their ducks in a row, and even a shovel-ready downtown stadium site, but they have had huge ownership problems. They are in if they get that sorted out. But they need to do that soon, before bigger markets are ready to compete for that bid.

Detroit is interesting. Huge market with three billionaires in the ownership group. MLS likes that, but they are not keen on having a team play at Ford Field, which is not designed for soccer. If they can come up with a stadium solution, they are in for sure.

I think the next two will come from those three, but there are some wild cards.

San Diego and St. Louis have expressed interest in an MLS team, but both recently had stadium votes fail. Stan Kroenke and his bullshite with the Rams

probably makes it impossible for them to get an MLS team anytime soon unless their ownership group re-assembles with the necessary money to fund a stadium.

North Carolina and Tampa Bay have expressed interest, as well. I think those locations will be in the fight for spots 29-32. Don Garber may publicly say "Oh, we're stopping at 28", but behind the scenes I guarantee he'll continue working with future markets until expansion "opens" again.

The wild card here is the Columbus-Austin situation. It seems that Precourt's goal of having the Crew play in Austin next season definitely won't happen at this point. Ohio is fighting like hell to keep the Crew with the Modell Law and Austin isn't playing ball like Precourt had hoped. That doesn't mean Austin won't get a team at some point, or that MLS won't fold the Crew, but the Crew moving the Austin looks very unlikely right now. Hopefully, the Crew stay in Columbus and get a real owner soon.