MLS clubs battle it out for domestic trophies on Wednesday night before a key weekend of regular-season action.
MLS Clubs New and Old Clash in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final
Wednesday night marks the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final in which an MLS original club, the Columbus Crew, will host the second-newest club, St. Louis CITY SC (8 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network). Columbus will be seeking their second U.S. Open Cup title (2002), whereas St. Louis is hoping to secure their first trophy in club history.
It will be almost 24 years since the Crew won their first U.S. Open Cup title, and the MLS original side is aiming to secure their third major trophy in the last four seasons. Boosted by summer Designated Player acquisitions Brais Méndez and Santiago RodrÃguez, the Crew have looked like a different team since the World Cup break. The player who has taken arguably the biggest leap is 20-year-old Homegrown midfielder Taha Habroune, who has blossomed in the second half of the MLS season.
For St. Louis CITY SC, the final is all about making history. St. Louis would claim their first trophy since joining the league as an expansion side in 2023. St. Louis’ rich history of soccer spans decades, and out of the 110 U.S. Open Cup titles awarded, 10 have been won by St. Louis-based clubs, with the most recent being Busch Soccer Club in 1988.
St. Louis aims to tap into their city’s rich soccer roots to bring a trophy back home, while Columbus aims for even more success in front of their home supporters in what should be a fantastic U.S. Open Cup Final.
CF Montréal Chasing Canadian Championship Glory
The other final on Wednesday will feature CF Montréal chasing their first trophy since 2021 when they host Forge FC in the 2026 Canadian Championship (7 p.m. ET, FS2).
Since joining MLS in 2012, CF Montréal have taken home four different Canadian Championship titles, with an additional one in 2008 prior to joining MLS. With a win against Forge FC, a fifth title since joining MLS would tie Montréal with Vancouver Whitecaps FC for the second-most Canadian Championship titles won by an MLS club, behind only Toronto FC (eight).
Not only would the win sweeten the 2026 regular season, but it would also punch a ticket to the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup, marking their first berth since the 2022 edition. If Prince Owusu is unable to play due to injury, Montréal will rely on Chilean legend Alexis Sánchez to try and find the back of the net to take home their first Canadian Championship since 2021.
Big Playoff Implications for Sunday’s El Tráfico
Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire heads out to Los Angeles this week as LAFC host the LA Galaxy in the final El Tráfico of the 2026 regular season (9 p.m. ET, MLS on Apple TV).
This edition features significant Western Conference playoff implications, especially for the visitors, the LA Galaxy. The Galaxy have only three games remaining, and a win against LAFC would increase their Audi MLS Cup Playoff chances to approximately 90%. However, if LAFC were to take down their rivals, the playoff picture would become cloudier for the Galaxy, with their postseason chances dropping to nearly 50% with only two games left.
For the home side, LAFC are unbeaten in seven of their last eight regular-season home matches and have taken 65% of their points from home games in 2026. Therefore, chasing a top-four seed in the Western Conference is crucial, and a rivalry victory would help LAFC reenter the top-four conversation in the Western Conference.
El Tráfico never disappoints, and with major playoff positioning on the line, Sunday’s version will have significant fireworks.
Could This Be the Best 22 Under 22 List Ever?
Later today, MLS will announce the 2026 22 Under 22 class, recognizing the top 22 players under the age of 22, raising one big question: Is this the best class ever?
When looking at MLS in 2026, the number of young superstars shining throughout the league is already at historic levels. MLS has already hit record totals for minutes played, goals, and goal contributions from teenagers, with many of those breakout stars likely to be featured on the list.
In previous iterations, we’ve seen international players top the rankings, including Diego Gómez (2024) and Alan Velasco (2023), but could another Homegrown star claim the top spot in 2026? Domestic names that could top the list include Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia Union), Julian Hall (Red Bull New York), and even Justin Ellis (Orlando City SC). The annual 22 Under 22 class highlights the best young stars in the league, but this edition might be the deepest yet.
