Comets sign defender Leonel Palma for 2026-27

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Comets have signed 22-year-old defender Leonel Palma for the 2026-27 season. Per league and team policies, the terms of the agreement with the Kansas City native were not disclosed.

Palma returns to the Comets after debuting as a rookie in the 2024-25 season. In his opening campaign, Palma showed promise and blocked three shots in six appearances.

“Leo is a young player with a lot of potential, and I believe he has a bright future ahead of him,” Comets head coach Stefan Stokic said. “He has continued to develop his game, and what I like about him is his willingness to learn, compete, and get better every day.”

Palma made his MASL debut on Feb. 2, 2025, in a 7-3 victory over Harrisburg. He returned to the lineup in the regular season’s final month, making five appearances in the Comets’ last seven games.

Before his rookie MASL season, Palma spent time as a youth member of FC Barcelona’s residency soccer academy in Casa Grande, Arizona. He later featured in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for Gold Star FC Detroit and Savannah Clovers FC.

“Really grateful for the opportunity to play for my city again and for the best fans in the league,” Palma said. “Let’s get to work!”

The Kansas City native most recently spent time in Mexico at Tlaxcala FC, where he featured in two matches in the club’s Liga de Expansión MX Apertura campaign. Now that he is back home, he is ready to take on an important role in his Comets return.

“We believe in his ability, and I’m looking forward to seeing him take that next step and become an important part of this team,” Stokic said.

Palma and the Comets open the 2026-27 season over Thanksgiving weekend, which includes the home opener on Nov. 28 against Milwaukee. Tickets for the home opener are still available.