Preseason Expectations
Coaches across the Atlantic Coast Conference have voiced their confidence in the Wolfpack, selecting North Carolina State as the preseason favorite for the 2026 men’s soccer championship. The poll awarded the team 183 points, including eight first‑place votes, underscoring the breadth of support from the league’s 15 head coaches.
Stanford followed with 171 points and two top votes, while Virginia gathered 161 points and four first‑place votes. SMU collected 146 points, edging out Clemson by a single point and also receiving one first‑place vote, creating a tightly packed top four.
Watch List Spotlight
The 2026 preseason watch list, released alongside the poll, spotlights standout student‑athletes from each program. Former All‑ACC honorees Ransford Gyan of Clemson, Ulfur Bjornsson of Duke and Stephan Soghomonian of SMU are among those nominated, highlighting the conference’s blend of experience and emerging talent.
Four ACC squads crack the preseason United Soccer Coaches Top 25, with NC State positioned at No. 2, Stanford at No. 9, Virginia at No. 11 and SMU at No. 15. The rankings reflect the league’s depth, as nine of the fifteen ACC members earned NCAA tournament bids last season and the conference boasts a record of twenty national titles, including three of the past five championships.
The regular season will open on August 20, with league play beginning September 4. The championship tournament kicks off November 4, culminating in the final on November 15 at First Horizon Stadium in Cary, North Carolina, where the culmination of the preseason expectations will finally unfold on the field.