The Crew had little time to dwell on their 2-1 loss to New York City FC from July 22, as their focus quickly shifted to the first Hell is Real matchup of 2026.
Even before FC Cincinnati officially joined MLS in 2018, the two Ohio-based clubs had begun building a heated rivalry. The Crew were defeated 1-0 in their first meeting during the 2017 U.S. Open Cup, despite Cincinnati being a USL team.
The Crew have built a 9-5-6 record against Cincinnati since 2019, but their most recent matchup in the first round of the 2025 MLS Cup resulted in a season-ending 2-1 loss for Columbus.
"Every time, it's an intense game," Crew midfielder Dylan Chambost said. "Our fans are waiting for this game, and of course, we know that they beat us in the playoffs last
season, and we didn't forget."
Going into the first of two Hell is Real games scheduled for the regular season, the Crew are the underdog, sitting with a 4-8-4 record and already undergoing a coaching change from Henrik Rydstrom to Laurent Courtois in May. Cincinnati is led by Pat Noonan, who is in his sixth season as head coach, and is 6-5-5.
"I know it's a pretty big deal," Courtois said. "You don't want to get overwhelmed by the emotions and fall into a game that disrupts your goals and objectives. But at the same time, you have to match the intensity."
The Crew have scored just 22 goals this season, while Cincinnati has recorded 40, 10 coming from All-Star midfielder Evander Da Silva Ferreira.
When does Columbus Crew vs FC Cincinnati kick off?
05:42 PM ET, July 25 2026, Brianna Mac KayDate: July 25
Time: 7:15 p.m.
Location: ScottsMiracle-Gro Field
bmackay@dispatch.com
@brimackay15
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Coming up: Columbus Crew face FC Cincinnati in first Hell is Real of 2026
