While it’s the lone division in the 2021 Championship season with only seven teams, you could make a good argument that the Mountain Division might end up being the league’s most competitive. From the four clubs that make up the battle for the Copa Tejas, including a Rio Grande Valley FC side that begins a new era on the field, to the potential rejuvenation of Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC as they move into their new downtown home, to New Mexico United returning to play in front of their home fans for the first time since 2019, everything feels up for grabs.

As good as many of these clubs look on paper, however, the presence of two-time Western Conference Finalist El Paso Locomotive gives the Mountain Division a clear pacesetter. San Antonio FC and New Mexico will press their claim as well after their contentious postseason clash in 2020. And then there’s 2019 Championship Final winner Real Monarch SLC, which will be looking for a far better performance than it achieved in defense of its title.

Who’ll come out on top? We’ve taken a stab at sorting that out.

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