Nashville SC wrap up Phase One of the 2026 Leagues Cup on Wednesday night, taking on CF Monterrey at Geodis Park.
Both sides are on three points and need another three points to have any shot at advancing. Will Nashville rotate again ahead of Saturday's clash with Miami, or will they go all out to get their second Leagues Cup win over Monterrey?
SixOneFive Soccer Staff
Match info
Teams: CF Monterrey vs Nashville SC
Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm CT, Geodis Park, Nashville, TN, United States
TV: Apple TV
Forecast: 93º/73º. 86º at kickoff. Mostly sunny. 4-6 mph winds. 30% chance of rain. 73% humidity.
We'd love if you'd vote for us again in the Best Of Nashville 2026 awards!
• Best Sports Writer – Ben Wright or Valair Shabilla
• Best Sports Radio Show or Podcast – Pharma Soccer or Club & Country
• Best Photographer – Christina Moore or Mike Meredith
Head-to-head
Nashville wins: 1
Nashville goals: 2
Draws: 0
CF Monterrey wins: 0
CF Monterrey goals: 0
Last meeting: MTY 0–2 NSH (August 15, 2023 | Leagues Cup)
CF Monterrey
The numbers
Goal leaders: Hugo Cuypers (2), Diego Rossi
Assist leaders: Lucas Ocampos & Ricardo Chávez (1)
Last match: MIA 1–2 MTY (August 9, 2026 | Leagues Cup)
CF Monterrey snapshot
Monterrey enter the match in virtually the exact same scenario as Nashville. They lost their first match, falling 2-1 in Orlando, before pulling off a last-minute win against Inter Miami, scoring the winner in the 90th minute.
The Rayados lineup is loaded with former MLS stars. Hugo Cuypers, the current MLS Golden Boot leader, joined from the Chicago Fire earlier in the summer transfer window and has scored in each of his Leagues Cup matches. Columbus Crew attacker Diego Rossi also joined this summer and got on the scoresheet against Miami. They join former FC Cincinnati winger Luca Orellano, and all three have quickly turned into key players.
After missing the playoffs in the 2026 Clausura, manager Nicolás Sánchez (who was only hired in March 2026) was fired. He was replaced by Matías Almeyda of San Jose Earthquakes fame, and has talked about wanting to rebuild the Rayados project from scratch.
Almeyda was famous for his high-energy, man-marking style previously, but it hasn't been quite as pronounced in Monterrey, a team who have the quality of players to dominate the ball and create chances from possession.
Monterrey are one of the most dangerous sides in Mexico, and the way the Liga MX table works, a convincing win over Nashville gives them a real shot to advance. They should be up for this one.
Predicted XI
Nashville SC and Major League Soccer are back in action, and we're here to cover it all in-depth. Sign up for a new annual membership and save 30% on your first year!
Nashville SC
The numbers
Goal leaders: Cristian Espinoza (2), Sam Surridge & Reed Baker-Whiting (1)
Assist leaders: Eddi Tagseth & Elias Saad (1)
Last match: NSH 4-1 ASL (August 9, 2026 | Leagues Cup)
Nashville SC snapshot
After a dominant 4-1 win over Atlético San Luis Wednesday, Nashville are now faced with a tricky question: do they go all out against Monterrey despite minimal chances of advancing, even with a win, or do they rest and rotate ahead of their Supporters' Shield clash with Inter Miami on Saturday?
Ben Wright
With their heavy rotation in the opener against Club León, it appears that Nashville planned to rotate both midweek matches, play a stronger side on the weekend, and stay fit and in-form for Saturday's clash with Miami.
Could Famara Camara be in line for his first start? The 21-year-old midfielder made his Nashville debut on Wednesday, coming off the bench for the final 25 minutes, and impressed. Depending on fitness, he could be in line for a bigger role as he continues to acclimate to a new team, new league, and new country.
Predicted XI
Staff predictions
Ben Wright
Score: MTY 3–2 NSH
Scorers: Bryan Acosta, Maximus Ekk
MOTM: Famara Camara
Bold prediction: Nashville rotate even more than against Club León, but put in a decent shift in a surprisingly open match.
Jeff Remlinger
Score: MTY 4–0 NSH
Scorers: Hugo Cuypers, Diego Rossi (x2), Luca Orellano
MOTM: Diego Rossi
Bold prediction: It's a heavily rotated Nashville against a Monterrey team with hope. Nashville get pumped.
Harold Espinoza Lopez
Score: MTY 2–1 NSH
Scorers: Diego Rossi (x2)
MOTM: Diego Rossi
Bold prediction: Nashville will try to give it all with their full strength lineup to get a historic victory.
