Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Real Salt Lake MLS Preview and Prediction
All MLS teams begin play this weekend to start their season as North America’s top-flight soccer league hits the television once again after Inter Miami’s triumphant Cup run last year.
The White Caps were on the unfortunate receiving end of Miami’s dominance and were so close yet so far from winning the 2025 MLS Cup, but they start with a fresh mindset this year against Real Salt Lake.
Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Real Salt Lake MLS Odds and Betting Trends
The squads face off for the 36th time overall, with both winning exactly 15 and drawing five. The Whitecaps were a force to be reckoned with last year, winning both fixtures against Salt Lake in May 2025, although leading up to that, RSL had a four-game winning streak against their Vancouver opponents. Only one match in the last six years between the two has seen fewer than three goals find the back of the net.
The Whitecaps are +1000 contenders for the MLS Cup this year after an inspiring run to the final for the first time in history, and take on Real Salt Lake at home as -160 favourites. Real Salt Lake would have to pull off some huge upsets to make the finals this year, as the side is listed as +4000 potential MLS Cup winners, and enters this matchup relatively outclassed at +360 odds. A draw (which hasn’t occurred since 2022) is listed at +310 odds, with over 2.5 goals favoured at -165.
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake were indeed former MLS Cup champions in 2009, and it’s been a long time since they made a run akin to that effort. Last season, they clinched a playoff spot in ninth after reaching just 12 wins on the season, but were ultimately knocked out in the wild card round by the Portland Timbers. US international Diego Luna led the team with nine goals last season, and Salt Lake hopes to improve after signing 22-year-old Colombian Jaun Jose Arias on loan from Atletico Nacional to help improve upon their -11 goal differential.
Real Salt Lake scored the second-fewest goals (38) in the Western Conference last season and one of their main focuses will be to improve on their chance creation and finishing. Both Victor Olatunji (+320) and Diego Luna (+330) are the team’s highest probable goal scorers in this match, with four and nine goals respectively last season, accounting for nearly half the team’s goal count.
Vancouver Whitecaps
The Whitecaps have two new arrivals so far, including two defenders on loan. Joedrick Pupe from Sint-Truidense in the Jupiler Pro League, and Giusepe Bovalina from Orebro SK in the Superettan League. The Whitecaps are surely grateful for Thomas Müller’s efforts last season, along with the healthy return of Brian White, a forward with 16 goals in just 21 games previously. Vancouver boasted the fewest losses (seven) in the entire MLS last season, and if they can find their rhythm again with a convincing home opener tonight, they could be considerable contenders in the playoffs once again. However, they did most recently draw Cartagines 0-0 in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup first round, showing some rust in their gears, despite outshooting their opponents 12 shots to four.
Brian White leads the charge as the highest anytime goalscorer at +125, followed by eight other teammates, including Nelson Pierre (+155), Rayan Elloumi (+155), and Thomas Müller (+160), all before Real Salt Lake’s most likely goalscorer (Victor Olatunji). The Whitecaps’ offence has plenty of options, and their defence is solid, setting them up for an almost inevitable win at home for the first game.
MLS Prediction: Who Will Win Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Real Salt Lake?
The Whitecaps may have failed to score in their most recent showing in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, but with a warmup game under their belt before the MLS season kicks off, they’ve got the advantage.
Real Salt Lake lacks urgency and personnel, and many of their games last season were lost by at least two goals, with the majority of their victories won by just a single goal.
The Whitecaps beat RSL both times last season, home and away, and considering they had the best goal differential out of any MLS team (28), made it to the finals, and have the firepower of Brian White and Sabbi with the experience of Thomas Muller, Vancouver is looking at a 2-0 win in this one.