- Nashville are top of MLS 2026 with 43 points from 19 games and are unbeaten at home this term (W9, D1).
- Columbus Crew are 24th in MLS 2026 with 20 points from 19 matches, 23 points behind Nashville.
Nashville’s home ground is a fortress
Nashville SC and Columbus Crew should provide a fascinating fixture on Sunday at Geodis Park, USA, as two contrasting sides with very different records do battle. The Black & Gold are in poor form overall this season, while the Boys in Gold are the runaway leaders in MLS 2026.
Nashville arrive off the back of a 4-1 home win over Inter Miami in MLS 2026, which was immediately followed by a disappointing 2-1 away defeat to CF Rayados de Monterrey in the Leagues Cup. Nashville have won two, drawn one and lost two of their last five matches, a form streak that would usually have them on the edge of a slump - but the Boys in Gold are such an unpredictable and dangerous outfit that you simply can't bet against them.
Columbus, on the other hand, have been in excellent form of late, posting three wins, one draw and a defeat from their last five games. However, the Black & Gold are a long way out of the pace in MLS 2026 and don't look like catching up to the leaders anytime soon.
Nashville have the spearhead Columbus are missing
Columbus boss Laurent Courtois has made his mark on the team in recent months, creating a more structured, possession-first side with a calmer look. However, they still need more cutting edge away from home, having shipped 22 goals on their travels this season. Nashville have a spearhead in Sam Surridge, who's hit 12 goals in 13 MLS 2026 games, and that extra weapon could swing it for the hosts.
BJ Callaghan's team are playing flexible, possession-first football with high fullbacks and a collective press that keeps teams pinned back. Their fluid front line will really test the new-look Crew, who have struggled to match Nashville's intensity and fluidity in the final third in recent seasons.
A Nashville win and over 1.5 goals fits this fixture well, given the hosts' home stats. The odds make Nashville the clear favourites at 4/5, with Columbus 359/100 and the draw 287/100. However, we're giving Columbus a chance here based on their form, the even head-to-head and the facts that Nashville can be frustratingly inconsistent and that Columbus are a new, more dangerous unit.
