Nashville SC vs. New York City FC
2026 MLS Regular Season | Matchday 24
Friday, September 4 | 6:30 p.m. CT
Yankee Stadium | Bronx, NY
Broadcast Details
Watch | Apple TV
Listen | 104.5 The Zone
Nashville SC is four wins from four in its latest run in MLS, securing two dramatic late triumphs and two four-goal demolitions to send itself nine points ahead in the Supporters’ Shield race and 10 in the Eastern Conference table through 22 games. The Boys in Gold’s next test as they chase the league title is a road rematch with New York City FC (seventh, 28 points) on Friday evening, after beating the squad from the Big Apple 2-1 in May.
Key Storylines
A battle of goalscorers and goalkeepers
A quick scan of Nashville and NYCFC’s roster pages highlights an immediate strength of both squads: talismanic forwards and All-Star goalkeepers. Sam Surridge, Nicolas Fernández, Brian Schwake and Matt Freese are some of the best players MLS has on offer at their respective positions, ones with more than enough talent to decide the outcome of a match by their lonesome.
Let’s start with the Boys in Gold. Surridge’s reputation precedes him by this point; the Englishman has been one of the premier goalscorers this side of the Atlantic for more than three years now and sits just five shy of the Golden Boot lead this season with more than 300 fewer minutes played than all those ahead of him. His 90.6 minutes-per-goal average is among the league’s best, earning him a second-straight All-Star nod as a coach’s selection. Schwake is the near-undisputed favorite for MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in his first campaign as a starter, marshaling the league’s best defense to 10 clean sheets through an MLS-best 78.2% save rate and astounding 7.8 goals prevented. As much as a goalie can win matches, Schwake has — saving vital penalties against Charlotte and Miami alongside outstanding games against Cincinnati and LAFC, among others.
The numbers aren’t quite as glowing for NYCFC, but that should in no way knock the immense talent or upside of Fernández and Freese. The former leads Surridge by one in the Golden Boot charts, beat Schwake with a penalty in May’s clash at GEODIS Park and sits among the top tier of MLS with 20 goal contributions through 2026. The latter may only have three clean sheets to his name but owns an impressive save percentage (71%) and earned a coach’s choice All-Star spot.
May’s match, by virtue of Surridge’s recovery from injury, only saw three of these four players start. Maxwell Woledzi and Jeisson Palacios, a pair of defenders, won the match with goals either side of halftime before the Englishman entered as a substitute. But with a clean bill of health this time around, we should see some of the league’s best on both sides finally suit up against each other.
Fort Bronx
If you had a nickel for every time Nashville went to a New York team’s stadium this season looking for its first-ever win there, you’d have two nickels. In the sage words of Doctor Doofenshmirtz from Phineas and Ferb, that’s not a lot — but it’s weird it’s happened twice.
Just over two weeks ago, the Boys in Gold made the trek to Harrison, N.J., for the first of two battles with Red Bull New York, having never won or scored at Sports Illustrated Stadium in any of their previous visits. In fact, Nashville only owned one win all-time against Red Bull heading into that matchup, a trend which looked set to continue until Woledzi stepped up for a towering header in stoppage time.
NYCFC’s home venue has been similarly imperious. The Boys in Gold nearly earned their first-ever win in the Empire State after they seized a lead at Yankee Stadium last August in the 10th minute, before NYCFC responded with goals in the 40th and 77th. Nashville also tasted defeat in 2024 at Sports Illustrated Stadium and 2023 at Citi Field, each of which hosted the club before it started construction on a new home in Queens. But for all its difficulty at New York venues, Nashville has never lost a home game against NYCFC, earning 13 points from a possible 15. It has also only lost two total MLS matches in 2026, both by a 1-0 scoreline.
Friday’s match potentially marks the final time Nashville will visit NYCFC at a venue not named Etihad Park. And if there’s any time to secure a win, now looks as likely as any — NYCFC has dropped four games on its home ground this season with just four wins to its name, and is winless in each of its last five matches. Woledzi’s winner at Red Bull and the Boys in Gold’s gritty triumph against NYCFC in May portend good things for Nashville’s chances at breaking through in the Bronx.
Series History & What’s Next
Nashville and NYCFC own a competitive series history. The Boys in Gold hold a slight edge in all-time wins (4-3) and goals scored (13-11), as well as the series’ record goalscorer and playmaker (Hany Mukhtar). As mentioned, neither team has ever won at the other’s home stadium, with a solitary draw to each’s name.
The Boys in Gold stay on the road for their next two games upon the conclusion of Friday’s match, first heading to Toronto on Wednesday night before a colossal Eastern Conference rematch on Saturday, Sept. 12 at Miami.
NEXT HOME MATCH
