FC Cincinnati head to South Beach for the final regular-season away game of the year and a chance to clinch their spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs for the fifth straight year with a win and a little help from the rest of the league. The Orange and Blue take on a strong Inter Miami side; they are riding high and building confidence!
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Apple TV from Nu Stadium. Ahead of this matchup, here are a few key stories to keep in mind as FC Cincinnati look to earn all three points on the road.
Keep the Momentum
FC Cincinnati started last week slowly but found their groove, earning six huge points in two wins over D.C. United to vault themselves back up the table and into a clearer playoff picture. With 42 points, FCC are now tied for seventh place (but eighth on playoff seed tiebreakers) and can clinch a postseason spot with a win over Miami and a Columbus Crew loss to FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium.
The opportunity is now there to end the season on a high and go into the playoffs flying. The two wins last week over D.C. started rebuilding that confidence and displaying how FC Cincinnati can win games down the stretch and into the playoffs.
"It's what we need. It's not always going to be pretty; it's not always going to be comfortable. You're not always going to have time and space. So, knowing how to win games in that fashion... and that's hard to do against any team in this league,” FC Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan said post D.C. United last weekend. “So, I'm pleased about that.”
“Like I said, we have three remaining, three very strong teams… you're talking about three of the top five teams in the conference, and in good form,” Noonan continued. “So it'll be a really good end to the season for us as far as how we'll be challenged with strong opponents, and hopefully we can take some of the good feelings that we have from winning, but understand that some of these games are going to look different, and how do we manage that and try to find some success?"
Evander Excellence
FC Cincinnati midfielder and now regular captain selection, Evander, broke a long streak over the weekend and helped lead FC Cincinnati to a road win.
With a goal and assist in the 2-0 victory over D.C. United, Evander scored for the first time in eight matches and earned himself a spot on the Team of the Matchday for the eighth time this season. With the assist, Evander also became just the second player in MLS history with three straight seasons of 15+ assists. With 29 goal contributions this season, the Brazilian baller is just five contributions short of setting a career high.
With their next goal as a club though, FC Cincinnati would set their all-time MLS record of 65 goals in an MLS season, surpassing their 2022 mark of 64. The Orange and Blue are currently sitting on 64 with three games to play, but have already set their all-competitions record for goals scored in a single season, having scored 87 now between MLS action, Concacaf Champions Cup and Leagues Cup.
First Visit, Final Road Trip
FC Cincinnati will make their first visit to Miami proper, as this match will be played at The Herons' new home field, Nu Stadium. All previous South Florida matches against Inter Miami have been played at their former home in Ft. Lauderdale, but with the opening of this new building, The Orange and Blue will take to a brand-new pitch.
Nu Stadium was officially opened in early April, so FC Cincinnati are one of the last Eastern Conference sides to visit. But since Nu Stadium's opening game, Inter Miami has been good, but far from perfect, at home, going 6-2-6 in 14 games.
This trip will also be the final one of at least the 2026 MLS regular season for FC Cincinnati, as The Orange and Blue return home to TQL Stadium after this match for a final two home games. They are the only team in Major League Soccer to finish the season with back-to-back home games.
FC Cincinnati kick off against Inter Miami CF at Nu Stadium on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. for their final road match of the season. For more information on streaming and radio broadcast information, click here.
