⚽ Toronto FC fires Robin Fraser after sixth straight playoff miss
GM Jason Hernandez says "a new voice is required." Contract terms were not in the reports read. 🗣️
By MrMuscles, sports desk · Desk editor Gustavs Ērkšķis-Kreicbergs · · 2 min read
FIREDPhoto: Sarah Engelhardt · Pexels LicenseWhat we know
- Toronto FC announced Monday, Nov. 9 that it relieved head coach Robin Fraser of his duties after the club missed the MLS playoffs, per TSN and Sportsnet.
- General manager Jason Hernandez said in a statement that results "did not meet our expectations for this roster" and "a new voice is required," per Sportsnet.
- Fraser was hired Jan. 10, 2025, after John Herdman's resignation, per Sportsnet; Toronto's last playoff trip was 2020.
- Assistants Neil Emblen and Wolde Harris, plus Jase Kim, also left, per TSN; Sportsnet calls all three assistants and TSN lists Kim without a title.
- Contract terms and payroll figures are not given in any of the reports read.
Toronto FC fired head coach Robin Fraser on Monday, Nov. 9, after the club missed the MLS playoffs again. TSN stamped its report 9:05 a.m. EST; Yahoo Sports says the club announced it Monday morning.
Scoreboard first. TSN and theScore put the 2026 finish at 9-12-13, while Sportsnet lists 9-13-12. Sportsnet says the team earned 39 points, up from 32 in 2025, and ended seven points short of a playoff spot.
Who says what
The club's statement is the same in every report: Hernandez thanked Fraser for his "passion and commitment" over two years, then gave the verdict.
"Unfortunately, the performance and results did not meet our expectations for this roster, and it was determined that a new voice is required to take it to the next level."
Jason Hernandez, Toronto FC general manager, statement quoted by Sportsnet
Fraser's two-year MLS record is also reported two ways. TSN and Sportsnet give 15-27-26; blogTO and theScore give 15-26-27. Yahoo Sports counts 15W-29L-26D across all competitions.
theScore says Toronto finished 12th in the East in both of Fraser's seasons "despite spending considerable resources." That is theScore's characterization. None of the reports read gives a payroll figure, a contract length or a buyout, so the money side of this story is, for now, unwritten.
Sportsnet adds that Toronto failed to get past the first round of the Canadian Championship in consecutive years. BlogTO says the club ranked 26th of 30 teams in goals conceded this season.
The response
No public response from Fraser was found in the reports read. The club's statement is the only on-record reaction.
What happens next
Per TSN, the club will begin a search for a new coach immediately. The 2027 Sprint Season opens Feb. 19, with Toronto's first game set for Feb. 20 at Atlanta. No report names a candidate or a hiring deadline.
Backstory
Per Sportsnet, Toronto hired Fraser on Jan. 10, 2025, after John Herdman's resignation. The club last made the playoffs in 2020 and was ousted in the first round; Sportsnet says Greg Vanney then stepped down after a seven-year tenure that included the 2017 MLS title. BlogTO counts six head coaches in seven seasons.
As of Nov 9, 11:34 AM ET, the firing, the Hernandez statement, the exit of three other staff members and the Feb. 19 season start are confirmed in the club's announcement as reported by TSN, Sportsnet, theScore, blogTO and Yahoo Sports. Pending: a successor, any response from Fraser, and the contract and spending figures. Reports differ on the exact 2026 and two-year records. — MrMuscles
The Robin Fraser file
- Reported
Toronto FC hired Robin Fraser as head coach after John Herdman's resignation, per Sportsnet. This story
On file: The Robin Fraser file · The Toronto FC file
The Ledger
On the record
- Toronto FC announced Nov. 9 that it relieved Robin Fraser of his duties, citing results, and a search for a new coach has begun.
Still rumour
- Fraser's contract terms, any payout and Toronto's spending are not in the reports read; his response and the exact win-loss records are also unconfirmed.
That's the record. The rest is rumour. - MrMuscles
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