DC United vs Columbus Crew preview: match details, predictions & more

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 improve their position in the conference standings. This DC United vs Columbus Crew preview looks at the key details, form, head-to-head record and a data-led prediction.

DC United come into this fixture sitting 12th in the Eastern Conference, just two points ahead of 13th-placed Columbus Crew. With the hosts on a run of draws and the visitors trying to stop a sequence of defeats, this meeting at Audi Field has clear significance in the battle for better positioning as the 2026 Regular Season - 24 round unfolds.

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 are currently 12th in the Eastern Conference with 25 points from 22 matches. Their overall record stands at 5 wins, 10 draws and 7 losses, with 28 goals scored and 36 conceded, giving a goal difference of -8. At Audi Field, they have played 11 times, winning 3, drawing 4 and losing 4, scoring 15 and conceding 22. Away from home they have 2 wins, 6 draws and 3 defeats from 11 matches, with 13 goals for and 14 against. Their recent league form is DLLDD, underlining a run dominated by draws and without a win in the last five.

Columbus Crew sit just behind in 13th place in the Eastern Conference on 23 points after 23 matches. Their record is 6 wins, 5 draws and 12 losses, with 34 goals scored and 39 conceded, for a goal difference of -5. At home they have been stronger, with 5 wins, 2 draws and 5 defeats (17 goals for, 14 against), but their away form has struggled: 1 win, 3 draws and 7 losses from 11 road games, scoring 17 and conceding 25. Their latest form line of WLLLL shows one win followed by a sequence of defeats, highlighting their inconsistency coming into this trip to Washington.

From the season statistics, DC United have kept 5 clean sheets (2 at home, 3 away) but have failed to score in 7 matches. Columbus Crew have recorded 4 clean sheets, all at home, and have failed to score 3 times. DC United have successfully converted all 4 penalties awarded to them so far, while Columbus Crew have scored 3 of their 4 spot-kicks. DC United have mainly lined up in a 4-4-2 formation (19 matches), while Columbus Crew have also favoured 4-4-2 (17 matches), hinting at a potentially direct tactical battle.

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 leans towards Columbus Crew. In these five listed meetings, Columbus have won three times, DC United are yet to win, and two games have finished level. Notably, Columbus have taken full points on their last two visits to Audi Field, winning 2–1 in 2025 and 2–0 in 2023, while DC United have had to settle for draws in their most recent positive results in this fixture.

Team news & absences

For DC United, G. Segal is listed as Missing Fixture with a Leg Injury, ruling him out of this clash. K. Rowles is marked as Questionable due to a Thigh Injury, making his involvement uncertain for this next DC United match.

Columbus Crew have several confirmed absentees. W. Abou Ali (Knee Injury), S. Bangoura (Ankle Injury) and R. Camacho (Foot Injury) are all listed as Missing Fixture. In addition, J. Thiare is Questionable with a Leg Injury, giving the visitors some concerns in their squad options.

Key players to watch

• T. Baribo (DC United) — 12 goals in the 2026 Major League Soccer season, providing a major attacking threat for the hosts.

Prediction

The data model for this DC United vs Columbus Crew prediction leans slightly towards the visitors avoiding defeat. The forecast gives 10% probability to a DC United win, with both the draw and a Columbus Crew victory rated at 45% each. The advised tip is a “Double chance: draw or Columbus Crew”, reflecting Columbus’ stronger recent head-to-head record and the hosts’ run of draws, even though both sides have struggled for consistent form in the Eastern Conference.