Columbus Crew vs CF Montreal preview: match date, venue & prediction

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

Both sides are looking to climb the Eastern Conference standings. Columbus Crew come into this home game in 11th place and need points to push up the table, while CF Montreal sit 14th and are trying to close the gap on their conference rivals. With only three points separating the teams, this meeting could have a significant impact on their positions as the MLS season moves past the midway stage.

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 are currently 11th in the Eastern Conference on 20 points after 19 matches. Their overall record stands at 5 wins, 5 draws and 9 defeats, with 27 goals scored and 31 conceded, giving a goal difference of -4. At home, Columbus have been more solid, taking advantage of ScottsMiracle-Gro Field with 4 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses from 9 home fixtures, scoring 12 and conceding 9. Away from home they have struggled, with just 1 win, 3 draws and 6 defeats, scoring 15 and conceding 22. Their recent form line in MLS reads LDWLW, suggesting inconsistency but with enough wins to keep them in touch with the teams above.

CF Montreal arrive in Ohio sitting 14th in the Eastern Conference on 17 points from their 19 league matches. Their overall record is 4 wins, 5 draws and 10 losses, with 25 goals scored and 36 conceded for a goal difference of -11. At home they have been relatively competitive, with 3 wins, 4 draws and 3 defeats (13 goals for, 11 against), but their away form has been a major issue: just 1 win, 1 draw and 7 losses in 9 road games, conceding 25 goals and scoring 12. Their latest form string of DDLLD underlines a team finding wins hard to come by, particularly as they travel for this one.

From the season statistics, Columbus Crew have kept 3 clean sheets in MLS so far, all of them at home, and have failed to score in 3 league games. CF Montreal have managed 4 clean sheets (3 at home, 1 away) but have failed to score in 7 matches, highlighting their attacking inconsistency, especially on the road. Columbus have used the 4-4-2 shape most frequently, while Montreal have mainly lined up in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1.

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 between Columbus Crew and CF Montreal in these ten MLS meetings shows a clear edge for the Ohio side, especially in recent seasons. Columbus have taken multiple home wins by 2–1 and have also produced high-scoring away victories such as the 4–2 success in Montreal in September 2023 and the 3–1 win in May 2024. CF Montreal’s notable results include a 2–2 draw at home in 2022 and a 1–2 away win in Columbus in August 2022, but overall the Crew have generally had the better of this fixture, particularly at home.

Team news & absences

Both teams have several confirmed absentees for this Major League Soccer clash, which could influence line-up choices and tactics.

For Columbus Crew, three players are listed as missing for this fixture:

• W. Abou Ali – Knee Injury (Missing Fixture)
• S. Bangoura – Ankle Injury (Missing Fixture)
• J. Thiare – Leg Injury (Missing Fixture)

CF Montreal will also be without several squad members:

• F. Amaya – Lower-Body Injury (Missing Fixture)
• W. Carmona – Knee Injury (Missing Fixture)
• B. Hidalgo – Groin Injury (Missing Fixture)
• E. Morales – Toe Injury (Missing Fixture)
• A. Sanchez – Inactive (Missing Fixture)

These injuries and absences form a key part of the team news heading into Columbus Crew vs CF Montreal, with both coaches needing to adjust their plans accordingly.

Key players to watch

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

Prediction

The data-driven model for this Columbus Crew vs CF Montreal prediction leans towards the home side avoiding defeat. The forecast gives Columbus Crew a 45% chance of winning, the draw also at 45%, and CF Montreal at 10%. The advice is a clear “Double chance: Columbus Crew or draw”, reflecting Columbus’ stronger home record, Montreal’s poor away form, and the Crew’s favourable recent head to head record at home.