Austin FC today announced decisions on the contracts of three players following the conclusion of the 2026 season, with Brendan Hines-Ike, Ilie Sánchez, and Riley Thomas departing the Club. Hines-Ike is out of contract while Austin FC declined the 2027 contract options of Sánchez and Thomas.
The Club’s full offseason roster decisions announcement will be made at a later date.
“Brendan, Ilie, and Riley have meant a great deal to this Club both on and off the pitch. On behalf of everyone at Austin FC, I want to thank them,” said Austin FC Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director Khaled El-Ahmad. “It was important to us that each of them heard this news directly, so we met with them individually last Wednesday, giving them the chance to enjoy their final home match at Q2 Stadium with our supporters. They will always have a home here in Austin.”
Hines-Ike played three seasons with Austin, making a total of 99 appearances across all competitions and recording four goals and three assists. Sánchez played two seasons for the Verde & Black and served as the Club’s captain during that span. A former MLS All-Star and MLS Cup winner, Sánchez appeared in 65 games for ATXFC. Thomas, whom Austin selected in MLS SuperDraft 2025, made one MLS appearance for the Club and played a total of 33 times for Austin FC II.
