Sporting KC Signs Forward Taylor Calheira from FC Tulsa | MLS Transfer News

Sporting Kansas City has significantly bolstered its attacking options with the acquisition of 23-year-old forward Taylor Calheira from USL Championship side FC Tulsa. The move, announced today, sees Calheira join Sporting on a two-and-a-half-year Major League Soccer contract extending through the 2027-2028 season, with club options for the following two seasons.

The acquisition involved a trade with Minnesota United, with Sporting relinquishing $50,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money (GAM) for Calheira’s Discovery Priority. An additional $25,000 in GAM will be transferred to Minnesota United should Calheira meet certain, undisclosed performance-based incentives.

Calheira arrives in Kansas City with a proven track record of goalscoring, having amassed 38 goals and 10 assists in 69 appearances across his stints with FC Tulsa and NYCFC II. His prolific form suggests an immediate impact potential for a Sporting KC side looking to strengthen its offensive capabilities.

“Taylor has an impressive goalscoring record at every level he has played from college to MLS NEXT Pro to the USL Championship,” stated David Lee, President of Soccer Operations &amp. General Manager of Sporting Kansas City. “Taylor has consistently shown high levels of performance as he stepped up to a higher level of competition each of the last three seasons and he is now eager to prove himself in MLS. He will provide good instincts around the goal to go along with his clean technical ability and an excellent work rate.”

The forward’s most recent success came with FC Tulsa in 2025, where he spearheaded the team’s attack, scoring 21 goals and providing four assists in all competitions. This performance propelled Tulsa to the top of the Western Conference with a 16-5-9 record and a berth in the USL Championship Final. Calheira was recognized for his outstanding contributions, earning a spot on the 2025 USL Championship All-League First Team.

Notably, Calheira finished the 2025 USL Championship season as the second-highest goalscorer with 17 goals – a new club record, comprising 15 regular-season goals and two in the playoffs. He also led the league in “Goals Added,” a statistic measuring a player’s overall attacking and defensive contribution, with a mark of +11.11. He found the back of the net twice in the Western Conference Final against New Mexico United and converted a penalty in the shootout during the USL Championship Final against Pittsburgh Riverhounds, though Tulsa ultimately fell short.

Prior to his standout season with FC Tulsa, Calheira began his professional career with NYCFC II after being selected in the third round of the 2024 MLS SuperDraft. In his single season with the club’s reserve team, he demonstrated his scoring prowess, netting 17 goals and adding six assists, earning him MLS NEXT Pro Best XI honors. He also played a key role in NYCFC II’s impressive run to the Round of 16 in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Calheira’s roots in the game run deep, having honed his skills during a successful collegiate career at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). There, he scored 32 goals and registered 16 assists in 61 appearances, earning America East Striker of the Year honors in both 2022 and 2023, and America East All-Rookie Team honors in 2020.

The addition of Calheira brings Sporting Kansas City’s roster to 22 players as they prepare for the 2026 MLS season. The team will kick off their campaign with an away match against the San Jose Earthquakes on February 21st at PayPal Park, followed by their home opener against the Columbus Crew on February 28th at Sporting Park.

Current Sporting Kansas City Roster:

• Goalkeepers (4): Stefan Cleveland, Jack Kortkamp, John Pulskamp, Ryan Schewe
• Defenders (6): Zorhan Bassong, Ian James, Wyatt Meyer, Jansen Miller, Jayden Reid, Justin Reynolds
• Midfielders (6): Kwaku Agyabeng, Jacob Bartlett, Lasse Berg Johnsen, Jake Davis, Manu Garcia, Cielo Tschantret
• Forwards (6): Stephen Afrifa, Taylor Calheira, Calvin Harris, Dejan Joveljic, Daniel Salloi, Shapi Suleymanov

Transaction: Sporting Kansas City (MLS) acquires forward Taylor Calheira in transfer from FC Tulsa (USL Championship).

VITALS
Taylor Calheira (cal-HAIR-uh)
Number: 19
Position: Forward
Birthdate: April 26, 2002 (23 years old)
Height: 6-1
Weight: 185 lbs.
College: University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
Birthplace: Mobile, Alabama
Citizenship: USA, Brazil
Instagram: @taylor.calheira