Columbus Crew and Inter Miami chase different goals, but both need a win in MLS

Some games feel like a formality, others come with a little extra edge. This one belongs to the second group. Columbus Crew host Inter Miami on Thursday, September 24 at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, in another matchday of the 2026 MLS season, and while the standings tell very different stories for each club, both need the same thing: three points.

Kickoff is set for 8:00 p.m. (Argentina, Uruguay and Chile time) and 6:00 p.m. (Colombia, Peru and Ecuador time), with live coverage on Apple TV.

Why this one is worth watching

For Inter Miami, this is more than just another game on the calendar. The team sits in third place in the Eastern Conference and needs a positive result to keep pace in the race for the top spot just as the season starts winding down. A slip now could cost valuable ground at the worst possible time.

Columbus, meanwhile, is playing under a different kind of pressure. The Ohio club sits in 13th place and needs a win to start pulling away from the bottom of the table. It's not a comfortable spot to be in, which is why beating a heavyweight like Inter Miami would carry extra value, letting them claw back some ground in a conference where every point matters.

How both teams arrive

Columbus Crew come in with momentum after a 2-0 win over CF Montreal. That victory put the team's record at 7 wins, 5 draws and 14 losses, a mark that still leaves them far from where they want to be, but one that at least gives them some breathing room going forward.

Inter Miami, for its part, couldn't close out its last outing with a win, settling for a 2-2 draw with San Diego. Even so, the overall record remains strong: 12 wins, 10 draws and just 4 losses, numbers that explain why the team remains firmly among the East's best despite the recent stumble.

With that contrast in needs on the table, Thursday promises a game with plenty at stake for both sides: one team looking to stay on top, the other needing to start climbing out of the bottom.