Preview: New York City FC vs Nashville SC

Nashville SC continue their dominance of Major League Soccer, as the Boys in Gold are nine points clear in the Supporters' Shield standings. On Friday night, they'll take on a desperate New York City side, who are winless in six matches.

The Pigeons are the only team in the Eastern Conference that Nashville SC have failed to beat away from home. Will the Boys in Gold be able to finally break the curse and continue their dominance?

Here's everything you need to know heading into the match.

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Match info

Teams: New York City FC vs Nashville SC
Referees: Rosendo Mendoza (Ref), Adam Wienckowski (AR1), Nick Balcer (R2), Sergii Demianchuk (4th), Ricardo Montero Araya (VAR), Robert Schaap (AVAR)
Odds: NYC (+145), Draw (+260), NSH (+165)
Date: Friday, September 4, 2026
Time: 6:30 pm CT, Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York, United States
TV: Apple TV
Apple TV Commentary: Callum Williams & Calen Carr (English), Bruno Vain & Andres Agulla (Spanish)
Radio: 104.5 The Zone
Radio Commentary: Will Boling
Forecast: 84º/69º. 78º at kickoff. Partly sunny. 6 mph winds. 15% chance of rain. 73% humidity.

Watch party!

We'll be watching the match at East Nashville Beer Works! Come join us!

320 E. Trinity Lane, Nashville, Tennessee, 37207

Head-to-head

Availability report

Availability Report: New York City FC vs Nashville SC

Here’s who’s available for Friday night soccer

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New York City

The numbers

New York City snapshot

Not much has changed for NYCFC since these two met in late May. New York's hot-and-cold season continued after the World Cup break. The Pigeons came out of the break with three wins and a draw, climbing up the Eastern Conference table. The brief run of form was soon overshadowed by their current six-game winless run across all competitions.

New York currently sit two points clear of the play-in positions. With multiple teams breathing down their neck, if they don't start to pick up wins soon, they'll be dragged into a very congested playoff battle.

Regardless of the team's form, Nico Fernández Mercau has not slowed down one bit. The Argentine continues to lead the team with 20 goal contributions and is a nightmare to play against. His movement and finishing make him one of the league's best attackers. With 14 goals in MLS, Fernández Mercau is third in the Golden Boot race, only behind Petar Musa and Lionel Messi. The forward was linked with a move away from the Big Apple, but those talks seem to have slowed down as the transfer window comes to a close.

While players like Agustín Ojeda and Hannes Wolf have contributed in attack, NYCFC clearly needed more firepower to compete. The Pigeons signed forward Luighi on loan from Palmeiras. The Brazilian has hit the ground running, scoring twice in four matches.

The big purchase for NYCFC this summer was Ivorian winger Bénie Traoré. The 23-year-old is the newest DP in town and has already played seven matches and scored once.

NYCFC hopes the attacking reinforcement will help propel them higher up the table. Defensively, they remain one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference. USMNT international Matt Freese continues to be a key piece for the Pigeons and one of the best shot-stoppers in MLS.

Predicted XI

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Nashville SC

The numbers

Nashville SC snapshot

Nashville SC continue their historic season, leading the Supporters' Shield race and chasing the MLS single-season points record. The Boys in Gold are currently on pace to finish with 81 points. Inter Miami hold the current record with 74 points in the 2024 season.

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The attacking trio of Sam Surridge, Hany Mukhtar, and Cristian Espinoza remains the league's most dangerous. With all three rounding into form, Nashville have scored 12 goals in their last four matches. Not to mention the summer transfer window addition of Elias Saad, who has hit the ground running with four assists in eight matches.

Perhaps Nashville's biggest improvement on previous seasons is their ability to be dangerous from different areas and in different phases of the game. In their latest game against FC Cincinnati, the Boys in Gold scored from both flanks, a free kick and a counterattack.

Their attacking diversity shows in contributions from defenders, midfielders, and even the goalkeeper. Throughout the season, Nashville SC have had 22 different players contribute with a goal or an assist.

In addition to their superb attacking output, Nashville have the league's best defense, conceding only 17 goals in 22 games. Much of that defensive strength comes from an organized structure set by head coach BJ Callaghan and his coaching staff. At the same time, Callaghan has gotten the best out of MLS All-Star goalkeeper Brian Schwake and contenders for the Defender of the Year award, Jeisson Palacios and Maxwell Woledzi.

With a fairly clean bill of health, squad depth and in-form players, the Boys in Gold are the favorites in almost every match they go into. With NYCFC struggling to find wins, Nashville will go into Yankee Stadium with the upper hand.

Predicted XI

Staff predictions

Ben Wright

Score: NYC 1-1 NSH
Scorers: Hany Mukhtar
MOTM: Hany Mukhtar
Bold prediction: Nashville have less than 45% possession but outshoot NYCFC

Colby Hitchcock

Score: NYC 0-2 NSH
Scorers: Sam Surridge, Elias Saad
MOTM: Elias Saad
Bold prediction: Slow start but Nashville find footing in second half

Harold Espinoza Lopez

Score: NYC 0-1 NSH
Scorers: Sam Surridge
MOTM: Sam Surridge
Bold prediction: Surridge with the header late game winning goal.

Jeff Remlinger

Score: NYC 2-2 NSH
Scorers: Sam Surridge, Elias Saad
MOTM: Elias Saad
Bold prediction: Nashville have played some brutally boring games on the road. Not this time

Valair Shabilla

Score: NYC 1-1 NSH
Scorers: Sam Surridge
MOTM: Sam Surridge
Bold prediction: Both goals will be penalties

Pre-match Media