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FC Cincinnati vs Seattle Sounders preview: match details & prediction
The next FC Cincinnati match sees them host Seattle Sounders in the Major League Soccer Regular Season on 22 August 2026. This FC Cincinnati vs Seattle Sounders preview focuses on a key cross-conference clash at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, with kick-off scheduled for 23:30 UTC. With Cincinnati pushing in the Eastern Conference and Seattle struggling for form in the West, there is plenty riding on this encounter.
When FC Cincinnati play next, they will do so as one of the stronger sides in the East so far, sitting in the promotion playoff positions, while Seattle arrive on a worrying run of defeats. The home side’s powerful attacking record and strong home form contrast sharply with a Sounders team that has lost momentum and is also dealing with a lengthy injury list. This FC Cincinnati vs Seattle Sounders preview looks at the latest standings, form, head to head, team news and a data-led FC Cincinnati vs Seattle Sounders prediction.
Match details: date, kick-off & venue
- Competition: Major League Soccer, Regular Season - 21
- Date / Kick-off: 2026-08-22T23:30:00Z
- Venue: TQL Stadium, Cincinnati
- Status: Not Started (Fixture has not started yet)
Standings & form
FC Cincinnati come into this game 5th in the Eastern Conference on 30 points after 20 matches. Their overall record stands at 8 wins, 6 draws and 6 defeats, with a goal difference of +2 (48 goals scored, 46 conceded). At home, Cincinnati have been particularly strong: 7 wins, 1 draw and just 2 losses from 10 matches at TQL Stadium, scoring 30 and conceding 20. Away from home they have struggled more, with 1 win, 5 draws and 4 defeats (18 scored, 26 conceded). Their recent league form string is WDWLW, underlining a generally positive trend.
Seattle Sounders travel to Ohio sitting 12th in the Western Conference with 24 points from 19 matches. Their record is 7 wins, 3 draws and 9 losses, with a goal difference of -5 (21 scored, 26 conceded). At home they are 4-1-4 (14 for, 16 against), while on the road they have managed 3 wins, 2 draws and 5 defeats, scoring 7 and conceding 10. Crucially, their current form line is a worrying LLLLL, reflecting five straight losses in the league.
From the broader season statistics, FC Cincinnati have kept 2 clean sheets so far and have failed to score only twice in 20 league fixtures, underlining their attacking consistency. They have also converted all 5 penalties awarded to them. Seattle, by contrast, have produced 5 clean sheets but have failed to score in 5 matches, and their recent slump is highlighted by a long losing streak. Discipline could be worth monitoring: Cincinnati’s yellow cards are heavily concentrated late in games, with 32.61% of their cautions coming between minutes 76–90, while Seattle’s bookings peak between 46–60 minutes (33.33%).
Head-to-head
- 2023-03-12: FC Cincinnati 1–0 Seattle Sounders (Major League Soccer, Regular Season - 5)
- 2022-09-28: Seattle Sounders 1–1 FC Cincinnati (Major League Soccer, Regular Season - 45)
- 2019-03-03: Seattle Sounders 4–1 FC Cincinnati (Major League Soccer, Regular Season - 2)
The three recorded MLS meetings between these sides show a balanced picture overall. FC Cincinnati edged the most recent encounter at TQL Stadium in March 2023 with a 1–0 home win. The previous season in Seattle ended 1–1, while the earliest clash in 2019 saw Seattle Sounders claim a convincing 4–1 victory at home. With one win each and one draw in these fixtures, neither club has dominated the head to head, though Cincinnati will take confidence from having won the latest meeting at the same venue as this upcoming match.
Team news & absences
Seattle Sounders face significant selection issues ahead of their trip to Cincinnati. They are set to be without P. Arriola (Calf Injury), Y. Gomez Andrade (Muscle Injury), J. Morris (Muscle Injury), N. Petkovic (Knee Injury) and P. de La Vega (Calf Injury), all listed as Missing Fixture for this game.
In addition, several key names are rated Questionable: H. Dotson (Muscle Injury), J. Ferreira (Injury) and C. Roldan (Calf Injury) are all doubts for the Sounders. No absences are listed for FC Cincinnati in the available data.
Key players to watch
- K. Denkey (FC Cincinnati) — 11 goals and 2 assists in 19 league appearances underline his importance as a leading attacking threat for the hosts.
- Evander (FC Cincinnati) — Another standout performer with 11 goals and 8 assists, plus a strong creative output reflected in 49 key passes and 50 shots, making him a central figure in Cincinnati’s attacking play.
Prediction
The prediction model leans towards the home side, with the FC Cincinnati vs Seattle Sounders prediction pointing to FC Cincinnati as the likely winner. The data gives Cincinnati a 45% chance of victory, the draw also at 45%, and a 10% probability of an away win for Seattle. The advice from the model is clear: “Winner : FC Cincinnati”.
This aligns with the contrasting form lines — Cincinnati’s solid recent results and strong home record against Seattle’s five straight league defeats — and with the Sounders’ extensive injury list ahead of their visit to TQL Stadium.
