FC Cincinnati return to Cincinnati after a scorching hot weekend draw, but are right back into the fire with two more matches this week. So as the scholars have said, ‘there ain't no rest for The Orange and Blue.’
Back in the friendly confines of TQL Stadium on Wednesday night, FC Cincinnati host New York City Football Club in an Eastern Conference midweek showdown. With three points on the line, this matchup sees two clubs directly beside each other in the table, battling for position in the playoff picture, only separated by one point.
NYCFC presents another challenge for The Orange and Blue and has always given FCC trouble. Since 2024, they have not earned an outright win against The Pigeons, last doing so in Game One of the MLS Cup Playoffs, and have since gone 0-3-2 in five matches. So to break the trend of results and get back into the win column, FC Cincinnati are preparing for a tough opponent.
“They're technically strong and they do a good job of inviting pressure and finding advantages in the opponent that allow them to break pressure,” FC Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan said of his next opponent on Monday at his prematch press conference. “They attack with speed really well, and a couple of their new additions provide that as well. It's important that we get our guys up to speed (with) a quick turnaround.”
With a 6-2-1 record at home in MLS this season, and a 10-3-1 record across all competitions in the friendly confines of TQL Stadium. FC Cincinnati enter this game on a three-game winning streak at home, and with a win, they would set the second-longest winning streak at home in club history, with four regular-season victories in a row.
After this match, the slog of fixture congestion continues with another home match on Saturday night. This time, Seattle Sounders arrive from the West Coast for a cross-conference showdown.
FC Cincinnati vs New York City Football Club – Wednesday, August 19, 2026 – 7:30 p.m. ET – TQL Stadium
Watch/Stream (English/Spanish): Apple TV
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History vs NYCFC
FC Cincinnati and New York City FC meet for the 21st time on Wednesday night. The 21
all-time meetings are tied with Columbus Crew and New York Red Bulls for FC Cincinnati’s most-faced opponent in all competitions since entering Major League Soccer in 2019.
FC CINCINNATI NOTES
(Courtesy of *FC Cincinnati Communications*)
Another potential milestone for Obi – In his next game played, FC Cincinnati durable midfielder Obinna Nwobodo will make his 150th appearance for the club, becoming just the sixth player in FCC’s all-time history to reach the milestone (Kubo, Hagglund, Celentano, Powell, Acosta).
Last Time On… – FC Cincinnati and NYCFC last met on April 22 in a wild 4-4 draw which saw The Orange and Blue scored twice in stoppage time to rescue a point. On that night:
- For the first time (and to date, only time) FC Cincinnati tied a match when trailing by two goals entering second-half stoppage time. It’s the only time FCC have scored twice in stoppage time in a match.
- Andrei Chirila, who scored the first of two stoppage-time goals, became the youngest goal scorer in an MLS match in club history (17 yrs., 250 days).
- Evander’s 90’+5 penalty kick equalizer was just his third goal contribution of the season. Since then, he has netted 9 goals and 10 assists.
Winning at Home – FC Cincinnati have made TQL Stadium a fortress in 2026, posting a 6-2-1 MLS record and 10-3-1 record in all competitions. A win Wednesday would mark the second-longest home win streak in FCC’s MLS history, behind only the club’s historic 10-match home win streak to start the 2023 season.
Cardiac Cincy – FC Cincinnati have fought to the death in every match and have been one of the best teams in the league to earn results late.
19 of FC Cincinnati’s 27 points this season have come in matches in which FC Cincinnati trailed at some point in the match. FC Cincinnati’s 15 points in matches when conceding the first goal lead MLS (2nd: 12, MIA/NE). FC Cincinnati’s four wins in matches when conceding the first goal co-lead MLS (NE). FC Cincinnati’s 16 goals scored from the 75th minute onwards are most in MLS (2nd: 14, MIA). Three times this season FC Cincinnati have equalized in stoppage time to earn a draw (April 11 at TOR; April 22 at NYC – scored twice; May 16 at SD). Two other times FC Cincinnati scored a game-winning goal in stoppage time, and in both of those games, Cincinnati were down to 10 men (March 22 vs MTL; May 2 at CHI).
Scouting NYCFC (7-7-5, 26 Points, 7th in the Eastern Conference, L-D-W-W-L)
The Pigeons come to TQL Stadium on the heels of a fairly devastating loss in their most recent match, falling 3-2 to the Philadelphia Union after taking a 2-0 lead at home going into halftime. NYCFC is also coming off a Leagues Cup campaign that was positive with two wins and one loss, but were ultimately unable to advance.
After a hot start to the season, going undefeated in their first four games and winning three of them, NYCFC went on a devastating slide, going winless in seven straight matches from the end of March to the beginning of May. That stretch included a 4-4 draw with FC Cincinnati, where The Orange and Blue scored twice in stoppage time to etch out a point.
Since then, results have stabilized. They’ve won four of eight matches, earned draws in two others, and since the return of Major League Soccer action after the World Cup, NYCFC is 4-2-1 across all competitions.
FC Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan said this week he sees similarities in how his club and the New York club’s seasons have gone, but there are pretty clear differences in how the clubs play on the field.
“I almost compare our two teams. As far as where we're at in the table, results, a lot of that has been similar,” Noonan said Monday in his prematch press conference. “They're very talented, and typically you see a technical team, a team that's comfortable with the ball. None of that has really changed. It's just personnel that maybe has changed over the years, and they're pretty much in every game. They're always a difficult opponent to prepare for.”
At the helm of NYCFC is Dutch manager Pascal Jansen, now in his second season as Head Coach. In his first full year, NYCFC finished fifth in the Eastern Conference with 56 points. Jansen, 53, previously managed in the Netherlands with Jong PSV and AZ Alkmaar, and in Hungary before jumping to MLS.
In their most recent match, Jansen deployed his side in a 4-3-3 formation. At the base of that shape is US Men’s National Team starting keeper at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Matt Freese. The keeper has earned three clean sheets, making 63 saves and conceding 27 goals in 19 matches.
At the other end of the field, atop the formation, are two key newcomers to the NYCFC side. Forwards Bénie Traoré and Luighi have come into the squad as reinforcements in key roster spots, looking to uplift the side.
Traoré, 23, is a Designated Player who plays on the left of the front three. Joining the club from Swiss Super League powerhouse FC Basel 1893, the Ivory Coast native scored his first goal for NYCFC this past week against Philadelphia. Luighi, a Brazilian U22 initiative addition on loan from Palmeiras, made his MLS debut this past week and also scored.
Nicolas Fernandez, the club's leading scorer with 13 goals and 4 assists, was absent from their most recent game on suspension, but will be available for this game. In the last game against FC Cincinnati, Fernandez earned a brace.
The biggest story about NYCFC has been injuries that have limited their options and left them with a short bench. In their most recent game, they had eight players listed as Out, including stars like Maxi Morales, Alonso Martínez, Thiago Martins and Hannes Wolfe.
With those stars out, individuals like Fernandez have stepped up, but so have younger stars like Tayvon Grey and Kai Trewin on defense. Also on the back line, long-time NYCFC player James Sands has been strong since returning from a loan to Germany, and has been joined by a fresher face in Max Murray – who made his MLS debut recently and was a first-round MLS SuperDraft selection in 2025.
This season, NYCFC have scored 33 goals and conceded 27. In road matches, they are 3-3-2.
