Columbus Crew vs CF Montreal match preview: kick-off, venue & predictions

The next Columbus Crew match sees them host CF Montreal in the Major League Soccer 2026 Regular Season - 20 at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus. The fixture is scheduled to kick off on 2026-08-19 at 23:30 UTC, with the status listed as Not Started. This Columbus Crew vs CF Montreal preview looks at kick-off time, venue, standings, form, head to head and prediction.

Both sides are looking to climb the Eastern Conference standings. Columbus Crew sit 11th with 20 points from 19 matches, while CF Montreal are 14th on 17 points from the same number of games. With just three points between them, this match could be important in the battle to move up the conference table.

Match details: date, kick-off & venue

Competition: Major League Soccer, Regular Season - 20
Date / Kick-off: 2026-08-19, 23:30 UTC
Venue: ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, Columbus
Status: Not Started (Fixture has not started yet)

Standings & form

Columbus Crew come into this home game 11th in the Eastern Conference on 20 points after 19 matches (5 wins, 5 draws, 9 defeats). They have scored 27 goals and conceded 31, for a goal difference of -4. At ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, their record is stronger: 4 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses from 9 home games, with 12 goals scored and 9 conceded. Their recent league form is mixed, shown by the sequence LDWLW.

CF Montreal sit 14th in the Eastern Conference with 17 points from 19 matches (4 wins, 5 draws, 10 losses). They have scored 25 and conceded 36, giving a goal difference of -11. Away from home they have struggled, with just 1 win, 1 draw and 7 defeats in 9 away fixtures, scoring 12 and conceding 25 on the road. Their recent form string of DDLLD underlines a run without a win.

From the season statistics, Columbus Crew have kept 3 clean sheets so far, all at home, and have failed to score in 3 league matches. CF Montreal have recorded 4 clean sheets (3 at home, 1 away) but have failed to score 7 times, including 4 away games. Columbus have used a variety of systems, most often lining up in a 4-4-2, while Montreal have mainly favoured a 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1. Discipline-wise, both teams have accumulated a notable number of yellow cards across matches, with Montreal also picking up red cards in a couple of time ranges.

Head-to-head

2025-05-14: CF Montreal 1–1 Columbus Crew (Major League Soccer)
2025-04-05: Columbus Crew 2–1 CF Montreal (Major League Soccer)
2024-05-15: CF Montreal 1–3 Columbus Crew (Major League Soccer)
2024-04-27: Columbus Crew 0–0 CF Montreal (Major League Soccer)
2023-10-22: Columbus Crew 2–1 CF Montreal (Major League Soccer)
2023-09-02: CF Montreal 2–4 Columbus Crew (Major League Soccer)
2022-09-09: CF Montreal 2–2 Columbus Crew (Major League Soccer)
2022-08-03: Columbus Crew 1–2 CF Montreal (Major League Soccer)
2021-09-25: Columbus Crew 2–1 CF Montreal (Major League Soccer)
2021-05-01: CF Montreal 0–0 Columbus Crew (Major League Soccer)

The head-to-head record over these ten MLS meetings shows a generally positive picture for Columbus Crew, particularly at home, where they have recorded several wins by single-goal margins. CF Montreal have managed notable results of their own, including a 2–1 away victory in 2022 and a series of draws, but recent encounters have often tilted towards Columbus, especially in high-scoring contests in Montreal.

Team news & absences

For Columbus Crew, three players are listed as missing for this fixture: W. Abou Ali (Knee Injury), S. Bangoura (Ankle Injury) and J. Thiare (Leg Injury).

CF Montreal will be without several names as well. F. Amaya is out with a Lower-Body Injury, W. Carmona has a Knee Injury, B. Hidalgo is sidelined by a Groin Injury, E. Morales has a Toe Injury, and A. Sanchez is listed as Inactive.

Key players to watch

P. Owusu (CF Montreal) — 11 goals and 6 assists in Major League Soccer 2026, making him a central attacking threat for the visitors.

Prediction

The data-driven Columbus Crew vs CF Montreal prediction model leans towards the hosts avoiding defeat. The forecast gives 45% home win, 45% draw and 10% away win, with the advice of “Double chance : Columbus Crew or draw”. That reflects Columbus’ stronger home record and Montreal’s difficulties on the road, even though both teams have had inconsistent seasons so far.