FC Cincinnati will step onto the pitch Saturday at TQL Stadium against New York City FC with significantly more than three points on the line. With seven matches left in the 2025 MLS regular season, Orange and Blue sit atop the Eastern Conference with 52 points, tied for the league lead overall with San Diego FC. A win over NYCFC would solidify them as a true Supporters' Shield contender and put them on a more efficient path into the playoffs with the swagger of a favorite. The twist? They'll be facing a team that has foiled their plans previously.
The last time they played, the meeting ended in a win for NYCFC, and since then, there has been so much change. Pat Noonan's team may have lost two of their last three home games, but the consistency that propelled them to the top position hasn't evaporated.
NYCFC rolls into town on a high note with playoff hopes alive
New York City is holding on to eighth in the East with 41 points, firmly in the running for one of the final playoff spots. They've stretched two consecutive wins together, both having come back from being behind at halftime, showing some grit that's hard to overlook. It's not one of those squads that impresses with individual stars, but more one that grinds through structure and discipline.
At Yankee Stadium, under Pascal Jansen's leadership, they've been all but invincible. Nine wins in 12 games there and no home loss since May says a lot. Outside New York, though, a different story. They've managed to collect points in three of their last five away games, but the inconsistency continues. And going into TQL Stadium, the pressure builds. Its rivals like Chicago Fire and Red Bulls trail by just two points, so a defeat would sting badly. That alone provides a sense of desperation to Saturday's match.
Cincinnati needs to show that it's a real title contender
While NYCFC comes into battle for playoff survival, Cincinnati has the pressure of proving they're the real deal at the top. Sitting on points with San Diego FC, the team knows that five wins in the last seven would break a single-season record, surpassing their 2023 season when they won the Supporters' Shield.
The area of contention lately has been home form. Two losses in their last three league matches at TQL Stadium have created concerns. For a side with championship ambitions, that's not good enough. That's why this match against New York carries an element of finality. To claim victory at home, in front of the supporters, over an immediate neighbor, and with the platform of the season that it presents, it's the kind of performance that makes a statement.
And then of course there's the rivalry itself. The two clubs have faced one another more than any other opponent Cincinnati has faced since entering MLS in 2019. Saturday will be their 19th meeting, a fact that serves to underscore just how familiar these two teams are with one another. The teams' record suggests balance, but it also suggests that NYCFC tends to make life difficult for FCC. The TQL crowd will be looking for revenge for the last result, but more importantly, they'll be looking for a showcase that confirms Cincinnati as a league powerhouse.