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DC United vs Columbus Crew preview: next match kick-off, venue & key talking points

The next DC United match sees them host Columbus Crew in the Major League Soccer Regular Season on 9 September 2026. This DC United vs Columbus Crew preview focuses on a key Eastern Conference clash at Audi Field in Washington, with kick-off scheduled for 23:30 UTC. With both sides sitting next to each other in the conference standings, points here could prove crucial in the push up the table.

For fans wondering when DC United play next, this home date against Columbus Crew offers a chance to halt a poor run of form and create daylight between the teams. Columbus, meanwhile, travel to the capital looking to build on a recent win and potentially leapfrog their hosts. With the head-to-head history between these clubs often tight but generally favouring Columbus, this DC United vs Columbus Crew preview highlights a matchup with plenty at stake on both sides.

Match details: date, kick-off & venue

  • Competition: Major League Soccer, Regular Season - 24
  • Date / Kick-off: 2026-09-09T23:30:00Z
  • Venue: Audi Field, Washington
  • Status: Not Started (Fixture has not started yet)

Standings & form

DC United come into this fixture 12th in the Eastern Conference on 25 points from 22 matches. Their overall record stands at 5 wins, 10 draws and 7 defeats, with 28 goals scored and 36 conceded, giving a goal difference of -8. Recent form has been challenging, reflected in their current sequence of DLLDD. At Audi Field they have played 11 times, recording 3 wins, 4 draws and 4 losses, scoring 15 and conceding 22.

Columbus Crew sit just behind them in the same conference, in 13th place with 23 points from 23 matches. Their record reads 6 wins, 5 draws and 12 defeats, with 34 goals for and 39 against, a goal difference of -5. Their form string of WLLLL underlines an inconsistent spell, though that recent win gives them something to build on. Away from home, Columbus have struggled, taking just one win from 11 road games, alongside 3 draws and 7 losses, scoring 17 and conceding 25.

Looking deeper at season statistics, DC United have managed 5 clean sheets so far (2 at home, 3 away) but have also failed to score in 7 league outings. They have been reliable from the spot, converting 4 penalties from 4. Columbus Crew have kept 4 clean sheets, all at home, and have failed to score only 3 times in the league. From the penalty spot, they have scored 3 of 4 attempts. In terms of discipline, both teams pick up a notable number of yellow cards across matches, with DC United also recording a single red card in the 61–75 minute range this season.

Head-to-head

  • 2025-07-19: Columbus Crew 2–1 DC United (Major League Soccer)
  • 2025-03-29: DC United 1–2 Columbus Crew (Major League Soccer)
  • 2024-09-28: DC United 2–2 Columbus Crew (Major League Soccer)
  • 2024-04-06: Columbus Crew 1–1 DC United (Major League Soccer)
  • 2023-04-08: DC United 0–2 Columbus Crew (Major League Soccer)

The recent head-to-head record shows Columbus Crew with a clear edge. Across these five meetings, Columbus have taken three wins, with two draws and no DC United victories. Notably, Columbus have won on their last two visits to Audi Field in 2025 and 2023, while the 2024 fixtures produced back-to-back draws (2–2 in Washington and 1–1 in Columbus). DC United have at least found the net in four of these five encounters, but Columbus have consistently managed to score in every game listed.

Team news & absences

DC United are set to be without G. Segal, who is listed as a Missing Fixture due to a Leg Injury. Defender K. Rowles is rated Questionable with a Thigh Injury, leaving some uncertainty over his involvement.

Columbus Crew have several confirmed absentees. W. Abou Ali misses out with a Knee Injury, while S. Bangoura is sidelined by an Ankle Injury and R. Camacho is ruled out with a Foot Injury. In addition, J. Thiare is listed as Questionable because of a Leg Injury, which could further affect Columbus’ attacking options depending on his final status.

Key players to watch

  • T. Baribo (DC United) — The forward has scored 12 goals in the 2026 MLS season, emerging as DC United’s standout attacking threat and a crucial figure if the hosts are to break down Columbus at Audi Field.

Prediction

The prediction model leans slightly towards the visitors in this DC United vs Columbus Crew prediction. The advice given is "Double chance : draw or Columbus Crew", with win probabilities set at 10% for DC United, 45% for a draw and 45% for Columbus Crew. That reflects Columbus’ stronger recent head-to-head record and attacking numbers, balanced against their poor away form and DC United’s home advantage. A tight game is expected, with the data suggesting Columbus are more likely to avoid defeat than the hosts are to take all three points.

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