Match Preview

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Futmetrix Verdict
32
Atlanta United FC
vs
New York City FC
Sat, Sep 26 • 23:30
⚡ Form 37
⚖️ Balance 94
🏆 Stakes 2
⭐ Stars 54
A low-stakes slog in the south.

Win Probability

  • Atlanta United FC 44%
  • Draw 26%
  • New York City FC 30%

Futmetrix AI estimate

A Slog in the South

Skip It Futmetrix Score: 32/100. With both sides languishing in the bottom half and struggling for consistency, this encounter promises more grit than glamour.

The Setup

September 26, 2026, brings a less-than-inspiring Major League Soccer clash to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta United FC sit way down in 14th place, desperately searching for an identity. New York City FC are marginally better in 9th, but neither team is setting the league alight. A dismal Form rating tells the story of two squads entirely devoid of momentum. The Stakes here are rock bottom, offering little broader consequence as the regular season winds down. What saves this fixture from total irrelevance is a tight Balance rating. The odds suggest a closely fought contest, though that might just mean they drag each other down to the same level. The pitch features a few Stars, but they remain isolated bright spots in an otherwise murky tactical landscape.

Key Battle

M. Almirón remains Atlanta's creative heartbeat, but he faces a tough evening trying to bypass J. Sands. The New York holding midfielder thrives in exactly this kind of scrappy, fragmented game. If Sands cuts off the central supply lines early, the home side's attack will completely stall.

Our Verdict

Expect a gritty 1-1 draw. Neither side has the attacking cohesion to truly dominate. They will trade blows in midfield, struggle for cutting edge in the final third, and ultimately settle for a point that does little to change their respective seasons.

Key Questions

Should I watch this match?

No. Our take is to skip this one entirely due to the remarkably low stakes and poor recent performances from both sides.

What's the predicted outcome?

A tight 1-1 draw. The close odds suggest a balanced but ultimately disjointed affair where neither attack can break free.

Where are Atlanta United FC and New York City FC in the league table?

New York City FC sit 9th with 32 points, while Atlanta United FC are struggling down in 14th place with just 23 points.

What is Atlanta United FC's current form?

Atlanta is enduring a miserable run, registering a dire DLDLW record in their last five league outings.

Who is the in-form player to watch?

Nicolás Fernández is the standout, boasting 1 goals in 2 matches and an impressive 8.0 average rating for the visitors.

What is the Futmetrix Score?

The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.

Season Statistics

14
League Position
10
26
Points
32
30
Goals Scored
39
43
Goals Conceded
34

Eastern Conference League Standings

League Standings

Pos Team P Pts GF GA GD Form
1 Nashville SC 26 57 53 21 +32 WNashville SC 3 - 0 Chicago Fire (20-09-2026)DInter Miami 2 - 2 Nashville SC (12-09-2026)LToronto FC 2 - 1 Nashville SC (09-09-2026)DNew York City FC 0 - 0 Nashville SC (04-09-2026)WNashville SC 4 - 0 FC Cincinnati (30-08-2026)
2 New England Revolution 26 46 45 33 +12 WNew England Revolution 4 - 2 Orlando City SC (19-09-2026)WChicago Fire 1 - 2 New England Revolution (13-09-2026)WNew York City FC 1 - 2 New England Revolution (10-09-2026)LLos Angeles Galaxy 2 - 1 New England Revolution (06-09-2026)WColumbus Crew 1 - 3 New England Revolution (30-08-2026)
3 Inter Miami 25 45 61 46 +15 DInter Miami 2 - 2 San Diego (20-09-2026)DInter Miami 2 - 2 Nashville SC (12-09-2026)DChicago Fire 1 - 1 Inter Miami (10-09-2026)DInter Miami 2 - 2 Atlanta United FC (05-09-2026)WInter Miami 7 - 1 CF Montreal (29-08-2026)
4 Charlotte 26 43 47 37 +10 WDC United 1 - 2 Charlotte (19-09-2026)DFC Cincinnati 3 - 3 Charlotte (12-09-2026)WCF Montreal 1 - 2 Charlotte (09-09-2026)DCharlotte 0 - 0 Houston Dynamo (05-09-2026)WAtlanta United FC 0 - 2 Charlotte (29-08-2026)
5 Chicago Fire 25 39 45 38 +7 LNashville SC 3 - 0 Chicago Fire (20-09-2026)LChicago Fire 1 - 2 New England Revolution (13-09-2026)DChicago Fire 1 - 1 Inter Miami (10-09-2026)DToronto FC 4 - 4 Chicago Fire (05-09-2026)DSeattle Sounders 2 - 2 Chicago Fire (29-08-2026)
6 Philadelphia Union 26 36 50 42 +8 WSporting Kansas City 3 - 4 Philadelphia Union (20-09-2026)WSan Diego 0 - 5 Philadelphia Union (14-09-2026)WPhiladelphia Union 5 - 0 FC Cincinnati (09-09-2026)WPhiladelphia Union 2 - 0 CF Montreal (05-09-2026)WNew York Red Bulls 1 - 3 Philadelphia Union (29-08-2026)
7 Orlando City SC 26 34 46 60 -14 LNew England Revolution 4 - 2 Orlando City SC (19-09-2026)WOrlando City SC 3 - 0 Toronto FC (12-09-2026)WAtlanta United FC 2 - 3 Orlando City SC (09-09-2026)WOrlando City SC 1 - 0 San Diego (05-09-2026)DMinnesota United FC 3 - 3 Orlando City SC (30-08-2026)
8 New York Red Bulls 26 33 34 48 -14 WNew York City FC 0 - 1 New York Red Bulls (18-09-2026)WColumbus Crew 0 - 1 New York Red Bulls (12-09-2026)LLos Angeles FC 2 - 0 New York Red Bulls (10-09-2026)DSeattle Sounders 0 - 0 New York Red Bulls (06-09-2026)LNew York Red Bulls 1 - 3 Philadelphia Union (29-08-2026)
9 FC Cincinnati 25 33 54 61 -7 DHouston Dynamo 2 - 2 FC Cincinnati (20-09-2026)DFC Cincinnati 3 - 3 Charlotte (12-09-2026)LPhiladelphia Union 5 - 0 FC Cincinnati (09-09-2026)LNashville SC 4 - 0 FC Cincinnati (30-08-2026)DFC Cincinnati 1 - 1 Seattle Sounders (22-08-2026)
10 New York City FC 26 32 39 34 +5 LNew York City FC 0 - 1 New York Red Bulls (18-09-2026)WReal Salt Lake 0 - 2 New York City FC (13-09-2026)LNew York City FC 1 - 2 New England Revolution (10-09-2026)DNew York City FC 0 - 0 Nashville SC (04-09-2026)DToronto FC 1 - 1 New York City FC (29-08-2026)
11 DC United 25 29 31 39 -8 LDC United 1 - 2 Charlotte (19-09-2026)DDC United 0 - 0 Atlanta United FC (12-09-2026)WDC United 2 - 1 Columbus Crew (09-09-2026)DDC United 0 - 0 Los Angeles FC (29-08-2026)LCharlotte 3 - 1 DC United (22-08-2026)
12 Toronto FC 26 29 39 49 -10 LSt. Louis City 3 - 1 Toronto FC (20-09-2026)LOrlando City SC 3 - 0 Toronto FC (12-09-2026)WToronto FC 2 - 1 Nashville SC (09-09-2026)DToronto FC 4 - 4 Chicago Fire (05-09-2026)DToronto FC 1 - 1 New York City FC (29-08-2026)
13 Columbus Crew 26 26 37 42 -5 WCF Montreal 0 - 2 Columbus Crew (19-09-2026)LColumbus Crew 0 - 1 New York Red Bulls (12-09-2026)LDC United 2 - 1 Columbus Crew (09-09-2026)WColumbus Crew 3 - 0 Colorado Rapids (05-09-2026)LColumbus Crew 1 - 3 New England Revolution (30-08-2026)
14 Atlanta United FC 26 26 30 43 -13 WPortland Timbers 0 - 1 Atlanta United FC (20-09-2026)DDC United 0 - 0 Atlanta United FC (12-09-2026)LAtlanta United FC 2 - 3 Orlando City SC (09-09-2026)DInter Miami 2 - 2 Atlanta United FC (05-09-2026)LAtlanta United FC 0 - 2 Charlotte (29-08-2026)
15 CF Montreal 26 21 31 53 -22 LCF Montreal 0 - 2 Columbus Crew (19-09-2026)LColorado Rapids 1 - 0 CF Montreal (13-09-2026)LCF Montreal 1 - 2 Charlotte (09-09-2026)LPhiladelphia Union 2 - 0 CF Montreal (05-09-2026)LInter Miami 7 - 1 CF Montreal (29-08-2026)

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