FC Cincinnati learns playoff schedule: See the bracket here

FC Cincinnati learns playoff schedule: See the bracket here Advertisement Updated: 6:39 PM EST Nov 8, 2026 Editorial Standards ⓘ Kurt Knue FC Cincinnati learns playoff schedule: See the bracket here Updated: 6:39 PM EST Nov 8, 2026 Editorial Standards ⓘ Kurt Knue FC Cincinnati is returning to the MLS Cup playoffs for a fifth consecutive year this fall. The Orange and Blue earned their playoff berth last week with a 1-0 win over Philadelphia Union, allowing Cincinnati to finish with enough points to be among the top nine teams in the Eastern Conference. Advertisement However, the team's appearance in the playoffs seemed far from certain before this month: Cincinnati only barely managed to finish among MLS's top nine teams this season (finishing at ninth in the standings with 46 points and a 12-10-12 record), and as a result will have to play in a wild card game to qualify for the tournament's first official round. Major League Soccer As the last regular-season games came to an end on Saturday night, MLS confirmed that FC Cincinnati's wild card game will be played on Nov. 19 against Orlando City, a team that Cincinnati has had mixed results against this year. During the team's last matchup in August, the two Eastern Conference rivals ended in a 1-1 draw after a defensive-heavy game proved difficult for either team to find its bearings. However, in May, FC Cincinnati put up a much stronger performance against Orlando, rolling to an easy 6-2 victory that was aided by multiple goals from Evander and Kenji Mboma Dem. Since Orlando City narrowly placed above FC Cincinnati in the standings this week, Orlando will receive home advantage in the wild card game, where the winner will then go on to face this year's Supporters' Shield winner and league juggernaut in Nashville SC. Despite being one of soccer's newest franchises, Nashville is widely regarded as having put together one of the best squads in MLS history this season, an accomplishment that was capstoned on Saturday with Nashville earning an all-time league record of 77 points in the final standings. If Cincinnati advances past Orlando in their wild card game, their Round One matchup with Nashville will then turn into a best-of-three series, which almost certainly would prove to be the biggest upset for FC Cincinnati in franchise history if they manage to pull off the two needed wins against the MLS Cup favorite. However, past results against Nashville have not been promising: Cincinnati has already lost to the team both times that they have competed this season, which includes the teams' final game of the regular season that was played this weekend. During that game, Nashville rolled to a 2-0 victory as star striker Sam Surridge scored back-to-back goals in the second half against Cincinnati. However, this performance actually marked an improvement for Cincinnati: Nashville previously beat the Orange and Blue by a score of 4-0 in August, even as Surridge only managed to contribute to one of the team's goals in that particular game. MLS's Round One games have not yet been scheduled, but the league says that they expect them to be played between Nov. 20 and Dec. 2. Only one would be played at TQL Stadium, after FC Cincinnati finished with the lowest seed in the Eastern Conference. After that, if FC Cincinnati does manage to pull off the improbable and knock off Nashville from the bracket, they would then go on to face the winner of Chicago Fire vs. Charlotte FC. In the Eastern Conference Final, the winner would then proceed to play against the lone team remaining on the other side of the conference bracket. This could include any of the four teams of the New England Revolution, Philadelphia Union, Columbus Crew, or the defending MLS Cup champions, Inter Miami. Eventually, when all is said and done, the MLS Cup Final will be played on Dec. 18 between the Eastern and Western Conference champions. Despite coming close before, FC Cincinnati is still chasing its first-ever MLS Cup. Make WLWT a preferred source on Google Add Preferred Source Share Infinite Scroll Enabled Top Picks Coin flip settles a tie in a northern Kentucky election A shooting in the Polish city of Krakow killed 6 people. Here's what to know 'Little Rascals' star creates GoFundMe ahead of welcoming sixth child: 'No other choice' Police: Father left 6-year-old sleeping in line for Pokémon card release