New York City FC Hosts Toronto FC in MLS Showdown at Yankee Stadium

NEW YORK, NY – New York City FC is set to face Toronto FC on Thursday at Yankee Stadium, trying to secure consecutive wins for the first time this MLS regular season. The match begins at 12:30 a.m. UK time, following NYCFC’s recent 1-0 loss to CF Montreal.

New York City FC, known as the Pigeons, is currently clinging to the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. They hold just a three-point lead over Charlotte FC as they prepare for matchday 20 of the season. Consistency has been a challenge for NYCFC, which has not managed to win more than two matches in a row this year.

Despite their inconsistency, NYCFC has performed well at home, winning seven home matches this season — tied for the most in MLS this year. Four of these victories took place at Yankee Stadium, although they have often found themselves trailing after conceding the opening goal in five home games.

Toronto FC enters the match on a positive note after a 3-0 win over the Portland Timbers. This marked only their second victory of the year. However, they remain in 13th place in the Eastern Conference, 11 points below the playoff cutoff. They are also seeking their first consecutive league victories since July to August 2024.

Missing from the field will be prominent names: NYCFC will be without Jacob Arroyave due to a knee injury. Toronto will also miss key players with lower-body issues and a few players called away for the Gold Cup.

Historically, NYCFC has an edge in this matchup, having won the last five meetings with Toronto in all competitions. Last season, they secured a 2-1 come-from-behind victory against the Reds at Yankee Stadium.

Looking ahead, head coach Nick Cushing’s men will hope to use their home advantage against a Toronto team that has struggled on the road, last winning away against a New York club nearly five years ago. If NYCFC continues to demonstrate their home dominance against inconsistencies from TFC, they may well solidify their playoff positioning with a crucial win this Thursday.