The Wait Is Almost Over

by Lisa Schafer

Brina Orozco, Marco Fabian, and Justin Stinson celebrating

THE wait is almost over

It's still high summer, but Major Arena Soccer League fans and especially fans of the Empire Strykers will not have long to wait, as some major announcements are about to drop about some significant preseason international contests coming to the Toyota Arena and the announcement of the first home game and full schedule for the Strykers' 2026-2027 season.

“Anticipation is high, and after all the excitement for the World Cup, I expect this to be a big year for fan attendance for the Empire Strykers,” SaID Tim Ko0lacz, host of the Empire Strykers-related radio show Soccer in 60 heard locally on KMET ABC news and sports radio.

The Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) is gearing up for its 2026–27 season, which features a shifting league landscape and massive leadership stability for the Empire Strykers. [1]

While the exact dates for the full 2026–27 season schedule are still TBA, key league developments include: [1]

  • League Expansion: The league welcomed the Lehigh Valley Spirits to Allentown, PA, as an active expansion team for the 2026–27 campaign following the league's 2026 Expansion Draft. (A future Sacramento franchise is also locked in for 2027–28). [1, 2]
  • Player Pipeline: Budding stars and new talent will be selected during the 2026 MASL Player Combine scheduled for October 8–10, 2026, in Cincinnati, OH.

Focus on the Empire Strykers

Following their successful playoff run during the 2025–26 campaign, the Southern California-based team is positioning itself as a dominant force in the league.

After taking over as interim player-coach late in the 2025–26 season, Robert Palmer was officially named the permanent Head Coach of the Empire Strykers. He is fully leading the squad into the 2026–27 season while continuing to balance his role as a player-coach on the field. [1, 2, 3]

The Strykers secured their biggest star for the future. World Cup veteran and Olympic gold medalist Marco Fabián signed a multi-year extension that locks him into the Inland Empire roster through the 2026–27 season. Fabian—the league's 2023–24 Co-Golden Boot winner—remains the centerpiece of the club's championship ambitions.

3. Core Roster Foundation

The team enters the next campaign with several key players secured on multi-year deals:

  • Justin Stinson (Midfielder) – Locked in through 2027–28.
  • Antonio De La Torre (Midfielder) – Locked in through 2027–28.
  • Brian Orozco (Goalkeeper) – Locked in through 2028–29.

They will continue to play their high-energy home games at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California. If you are looking to purchase Empire Strykers season tickets or you want Empire Strykers single-game tickets, you can find those at www.theempireStrykers.com as well as all the Empire Strykers fan gear you need.