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DC United vs Columbus Crew preview: match details & predictions

The next DC United match in Major League Soccer sees them host Columbus Crew at Audi Field in Washington. This Eastern Conference clash is scheduled for 9 September 2026, with kick-off at 23:30 UTC, and offers both sides a chance to climb the conference standings as the regular season moves into its later rounds. This DC United vs Columbus Crew preview looks at form, standings, head to head and the latest team news before the action gets underway.

DC United come into this Regular Season - 24 fixture sitting just ahead of Columbus in the Eastern Conference, but both teams are under pressure after inconsistent runs. With only two points separating them in the table and both sides carrying notable absences, fans wondering when DC United play next can expect a tense, high-stakes meeting under the lights in Washington.

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

In the 2026 Major League Soccer season, DC United are currently 12th in the Eastern Conference with 25 points from 22 matches. Their overall record stands at 5 wins, 10 draws and 7 defeats, with 28 goals scored and 36 conceded for a goal difference of -8. At Audi Field they have played 11 times, recording 3 wins, 4 draws and 4 losses, scoring 15 and conceding 22. Their recent league form is mixed, with a five-game sequence of DLLDD, underlining their struggle to turn draws into victories.

Columbus Crew arrive in Washington sitting just behind their hosts in the same conference, in 13th place in the Eastern Conference. They have collected 23 points from 23 matches, with a record of 6 wins, 5 draws and 12 defeats. The Crew have scored 34 goals and conceded 39, giving them a goal difference of -5. Away from home they have found life difficult: in 11 road games they have managed 1 win, 3 draws and 7 losses, scoring 17 and conceding 25. Their current five-game form line of WLLLL shows one win followed by four straight defeats, highlighting the importance of a response in this fixture.

From a broader season-statistics perspective, DC United have registered 5 clean sheets and have failed to score in 7 matches, while Columbus Crew have managed 4 clean sheets and failed to score only 3 times. DC United have been reliable from the penalty spot, converting 4 out of 4 penalties, while Columbus have scored 3 of their 4 spot-kicks. DC United have mainly lined up in a 4-4-2, using that formation 19 times, whereas Columbus Crew have also favoured a 4-4-2, deploying it in 17 matches.

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)
  • 2023-03-05: Columbus Crew 2–0 DC United (Major League Soccer)
  • 2022-07-14: DC United 2–2 Columbus Crew (Major League Soccer)
  • 2022-04-30: Columbus Crew 3–0 DC United (Major League Soccer)
  • 2021-10-31: DC United 1–3 Columbus Crew (Major League Soccer)
  • 2021-08-04: Columbus Crew 2–4 DC United (Major League Soccer)

The head-to-head record in recent seasons has favoured Columbus Crew, with several multi-goal victories both home and away, including 3–0 and 3–1 wins, and a 2–0 success in Washington. DC United’s standout result in this period was a 4–2 away win at Lower.com Field in 2021. Draws have also been a feature of this fixture, with three 2–2 or 1–1 stalemates showing that meetings can be tight despite the Crew’s overall edge.

Team news & absences

DC United will be without G. Segal, who is listed as a Missing Fixture due to a Leg Injury. Defender K. Rowles is Questionable with a Thigh Injury, leaving his involvement uncertain ahead of kick-off.

Columbus Crew have several confirmed absentees. W. Abou Ali (Missing Fixture, Knee Injury), S. Bangoura (Missing Fixture, Ankle Injury) and R. Camacho (Missing Fixture, Foot Injury) are all ruled out. Forward J. Thiare is listed as Questionable with a Leg Injury, which could impact the visitors’ attacking options.

Key players to watch

  • T. Baribo (DC United) — 12 goals in 17 appearances, including 3 penalties scored, making him a major attacking threat for the hosts.

Prediction

The DC United vs Columbus Crew prediction model leans slightly towards the visitors avoiding defeat. The forecast gives DC United a 10% chance of victory, with both the draw and a Columbus Crew win at 45% each. The advice is a “Double chance: draw or Columbus Crew”, reflecting Columbus’ stronger recent record in this matchup despite their poor away form and current losing streak. With both teams close in the Eastern Conference standings and carrying injuries, a tight, low-margin contest at Audi Field looks likely.

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