Brian Quarstad
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brianquarstad.bsky.social
Brian Quarstad
@brianquarstad.bsky.social
Former writer/founder of Minnesota's first soccer news website, Inside Minnesota Soccer. Former co-founder and writer at http://FiftyFive.One. MN soccer historian. Member of Society for American Soccer History. https://www.ussoccerhistory.org
A few items of note re: the MNUFC 2026 schedule.
First home game is Feb 28th vs Cincy. Tough first 1/3rd of our season as we play Cincinnati, Nashville and Columbus the later two away.
No games for two months between May 23 and July 25 for the WC. 1/2
7 midweek games
www.mnufc.com/news/minneso...
Minnesota United Announces 2026 Major League Soccer Schedule | Minnesota United FC
Loons kick off 10th season on the road against Austin FC; host FC Cincinnati in home opener February 28; will host 10th season celebration game against rivals Atlanta United FC
www.mnufc.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Ladies, gentleman and children, without knowing it you have experienced your last full summer of pro soccer in Minnesota.
2026: No games from May 23 to July 25 (World Cup)
2027 and beyond: No regular season games May - mid July.
www.mnufc.com/news/minneso...
Minnesota United Announces 2026 Major League Soccer Schedule | Minnesota United FC
Loons kick off 10th season on the road against Austin FC; host FC Cincinnati in home opener February 28; will host 10th season celebration game against rivals Atlanta United FC
www.mnufc.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:15 PM
MLS has said that in 2027 with the new season restructure will come five new six-team regional divisions. This is how I think it should lay out.
November 19, 2025 at 10:00 PM
MNUFC's Nectar Triantis played in his first-ever game for Greece on Tuesday in a 0-0 draw with Belarus. Appearing in the 64th minute he had a pretty quiet but steady game. The appearance cap-tied him to Greece over Australia, his home country who he played for as a youth.
November 19, 2025 at 5:58 PM
MN United’s Carlos Harvey had a great game for Panama on Tuesday night with a 8.2 Fotmob rating and one shot off the woodwork. Panama defeated El Salvador booking a trip to the World Cup for only the second time in their history.
November 19, 2025 at 5:39 PM
MN United’s Joseph Rosales' Honduras struggled yet again Tuesday night and drew 0-0 with Costa Rica and Alejandro Bran. The result means neither team will be making an appearance at WC 26.
November 19, 2025 at 5:37 PM
After Maurer's deep investigation and article at The Guardian, looking into complaints, and allegations into Ernst Tanner of the Philadelphia Union, he has been placed on leave and MLS is reopening the investigation. It may not be the case but it feels like MLS originally swept this under the rug.
November 19, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Some great reporting by Pablo. A must read. I will also post a follow up. After this article was posted MLS has reopened the investigation into the Philadelphia Union's Tanner. See my timeline for that post.
NEW: Ernst Tanner has built a powerhouse at the Philadelphia Union.

But my @us.theguardian.com investigation has shown wide-ranging allegations of misbehavior throughout his 7-year tenure.

Tanner denies the allegations, and was investigated by MLS this year.

www.theguardian.com/football/202...
MLS executive who built a powerhouse faced allegations of sexist, racist and homophobic behavior
Philadelphia Union sporting director Ernst Tanner denies the allegations, which prompted a recently-concluded MLS investigation that could not corroborate them
www.theguardian.com
November 19, 2025 at 5:25 PM
"When Oluwaseyi’s deal was agreed, Turkish club Trabzonspor submitted an $8 million bid for Joaquin Pereyra. The club simply couldn’t lose both players without time to replace either."
"We didn't want to sell Tani, we said no several times," MN CSO Khaled El-Ahmad.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...
MLS club officials agree that calendar shift will boost power in transfer windows
Chief soccer officers across MLS clubs believe the switch to the European calendar will strengthen their position in the transfer market
www.nytimes.com
November 17, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Reposted by Brian Quarstad
Dr Bill singing Wonderwall at @blackhartstp.com!! #mnufc
November 9, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Reposted by Brian Quarstad
Story for @stribsports.startribune.com: Dayne St. Clair, deservedly, is the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.

#MNUFC
Minnesota United’s Dayne St. Clair wins MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Award
St. Clair posted the best numbers of his career this season and has developed a reputation as the penalty-kick king of MLS.
www.startribune.com
November 3, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Reposted by Brian Quarstad
News story: #MNUFC Dayne St. Clair named #MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.

News delivered uniquely before flight to Seattle for #MLSCupPlayoffs 📢 What DSC recalls from previous United winner Vito Mannone's campaign in 2019 🧤 Dayne shares a contract update 🖊️
www.twincities.com/2025/11/03/l...
Loons’ Dayne St. Clair wins MLS goalkeeper of the year
Instead of a standard flight attendant, Minnesota United assistant coach Zarek Valentin was heard over the plane’s intercom system before the team’s flight to Seattle on Saturday. And instead of ro…
www.twincities.com
November 3, 2025 at 4:04 PM
I've talked to a lot of people about Dayne's ongoing contract negotiations with MNUFC. It's going to cost the team a lot to sign him but they will probably do so. We will see him play the 2026 season and the WC for Canada and then will probably be transferred out after the WC with peaked interest.
Best of the best 🧤
Dayne St. Clair has been named the 2025 @mls Goalkeeper of the Year.

𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙚 » https://utd.mn/3X5NQZo
November 3, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Reposted by Brian Quarstad
Story: Nectar Triantis has made an immediate impact since joining #MNUFC in September 📈 A "destroyer" in midfield 🥊 A lofty comparison to a Premier League stalwart 👀 And his #Loons performances should put him on the radar of Greece's national team 🇬🇷
www.twincities.com/2025/11/02/n...
Nectar Triantis makes immediate impact for Minnesota United
During the summer transfer window, Minnesota United’s front office leaders needed to convince Nectar Triantis that coming to MLS was the right move in his budding career. The 22-year-old Australian…
www.twincities.com
November 2, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Is referee Alexis Da Silva who we the Loons have had problems with in the past, a nemesis of MN United? Interesting piece by Jon. No firewall.
More from last night's #MNUFC penalty-shootout win, focused mostly on the one referee that has roused manager Eric Ramsay's ire - and has been at the center of two controversial Loons games in a month:
Loons beat Seattle on penalties in Game 1
Sure, Minnesota United beat Inter Miami earlier this season. Sure, they might go on to do exceptional things in the MLS Cup playoffs.
jonmarthaler.com
October 28, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Reposted by Brian Quarstad
If you look past the Federal evacuation of responsibility, this is a very cool story. www.mprnews.org/story/2025/1...
Grand Portage Band launches first Indigenous-led coast guard on Lake Superior
The Grand Portage Band has launched the nation’s first Indigenous-led coast guard on Lake Superior, providing critical search and rescue coverage along Minnesota’s North Shore.
www.mprnews.org
October 15, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Reposted by Brian Quarstad
#MNUFC training report: Robin Lod was back in action with the Loons today. Sounds like Kelvin Yeboah is progressing well, too; he's done three full training sessions in a row, minus some 11-on-11 work, according to manager Eric Ramsay.

A growing chance Yeboah plays Sat., to get back in form...
October 14, 2025 at 5:55 PM
MNUFC new signing Nectar Triantis was interviewed recently on Sound of the Loons - an interesting conversation on his journey from growing up in Sydney, Australia, to Bodo, Norway, Scotland and now Minnesota. Apple Pods has a transcript to skip the audio. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...
Episode 316: Immediate Impact with Nectarios Triantis
Podcast Episode · Sound of the Loons · 10/06/2025 · 16m
podcasts.apple.com
October 14, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Glad to see yet another intimate jazz club opening this time at 2756 Hennepin Av. in Uptown. I've been catching some nice sets at the super intimate High Hat in St. Paul on Selby Av. Thrilled to see jazz making a comeback in the Twin Cities.
www.startribune.com/brownstone-j...
A new jazz venue is coming to Uptown in Minneapolis
Brownstone Jazz will be an intimate club run by a veteran R&B singer at the corner of Hennepin and 28th.
www.startribune.com
October 14, 2025 at 12:07 PM
I enjoyed this interview with MNUFC Kelvin Yeboah and his comparison of MLS to other leagues in Europe he has played in. "MLS is more like France—more athletic, more about talent and intensity. Honestly, the MLS might even be slightly above Ligue 1 now..."
en.as.com/soccer/kelvi...
Kelvin Yeboah exclusive interview: Messi, Tony Yeboah, injuries, MLS growth
The Minnesota United forward opened up to AS USA about his time in MLS.
en.as.com
October 13, 2025 at 2:21 PM
I was in Hayward, Wisconsin for a wonderful weekend away with dear friends and took these photos. And no, the chair photo is not ai created - I've had some people ask.
October 13, 2025 at 1:59 PM
According to @frederickmelo.bsky.social, “FAMILY” — the Centerpiece at the Museum of Modern Art San Francisco —- will be permanently situated either inside or outside the four-level TreeHouse retail/office building at #MNUFC's United Village. It’s by the artist known as KAWS.
x.com/FrederickMel...
October 13, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Dr. Bill McGuire recently shared plans for United Village, the development surrounding #MNUFC's Allianz Field. A bakery, dinner, pizzeria, Bailey's Garden, ice rink, music venue, day care, some of these concepts are now in the works. Details here:
t.co/ASPhBshbP7
October 13, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Reposted by Brian Quarstad
As someone whose time freelancing for MLSsoccer was a vital step in my career progression, and someone who generally gleans insight from the observations of others:

This sucks so hard.
October 12, 2025 at 3:21 PM
The US is and has been a soccer nation despite what you have been told by US Soccer and even Don Garber.
Soccer was in New Jersey before Brazil
US had a pro league before Italy or Spain
An American Game podcast tell these amazing and entertaining stories told by @soccertownmedia.bsky.social
October 8, 2025 at 3:06 PM