Was This Chucky Lozano’s Final Game in MLS? His Future for 2026 Remains Uncertain

Hirving “Chucky” Lozano was once again at the center of attention in MLS—just not in the way San Diego FC would have hoped. The Mexican star scored a stunning goal in the Western Conference Final and briefly revived his team’s hopes, but the Vancouver Whitecaps managed the closing minutes and advanced to the MLS Cup.

The playoffs revealed a deteriorated relationship between Lozano and head coach Mikey Varas. At one point, Lozano was even left out of the squad entirely and only slowly regained his starting role. After the match, neither Lozano nor Varas gave any clear indication about his future. Lozano admitted that the year felt “strange personally,” but emphasized that returning to the Mexican National Team is a top priority for him at this stage of his career.

On the team side, Lozano praised the work of San Diego FC, who overperformed expectations in their debut season and came within 90 minutes of reaching the MLS Cup. He said the entire group should feel proud of what they built, while acknowledging how painful the elimination felt in the locker room.

The head coach also avoided any decisive statement. Varas praised Lozano’s effort and his goal but refused to address whether he will remain part of the project for 2026.

What is clear is that Lozano gave everything—he fought, he demanded the ball, he tried to spark a comeback—but his future remains unknown. San Diego closes an historic season, while the fate of its marquee player remains up in the air. Chucky Lozano leaves behind an impression of leadership and quality, but his strained relationship with the coach and lack of clarity only increase speculation about where he will play next year.