Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of cold, dreary winter. And as much as I respect and revere the tradition of the great groundhogs, I’ve got to disagree with him on at least one front. Sure, winter’s nowhere near over in the Midwest. But at Minnesota United, it’s anything but dreary. 

We’re just weeks away from the season opener, and your Loons are seeing some big  action already. Last week, the club announced the signing of Colombian national team captain James Rodríguez, a superstar attacking midfielder and winger who’s played everywhere from Real Madrid to Bayern Munich to the World Cup (twice so far, going on number three this year)! 

With Rodríguez and a handful of other new faces on the roster, the team now buckles in for the Coachella Valley Invitational, set to play three different MLS teams and warm up for the regular season kickoff. Tune in this Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. CT, as the Loons take on D.C. United in the second of three preseason matches. In the meantime, read on for more on Rodríguez, information on the 2026 kit launch, and other things to get on the calendar ahead of the season opener.