It's a week of introductions, so: This is the Match Thread published and updated on every New York City FC Matchday. It's first and foremost a comprehensive preview of the day's game, but then adds live updates at the top once the Starting XIs come out, and once the ball starts rolling. It's a subscriber-only feature, so consider signing up now if you like what you find below.
Update 11:25 pm ET: FULL TIME: New York City FC 4-4 FC Cincinnati
That game was all kinds of chaotic and memorable, but not necessarily for all the right reasons if you were watching and hoping to see New York City FC hold on for a much-needed home win against a MLS opponent. Get fully caught up on what went down at Yankee Stadium by reading our match report, here.
Andrew Leigh
Update 7:00 pm ET: Lineups out, with New York City unchanged from the team that lost 2-1 to Charlotte at Citi Field last weekend.
NYCFC has another game Saturday in Montréal shortly after playing Cincinnati, so some rotation seemed likely, but instead it's a second chance for the players who couldn't grab control of the game in Queens last weekend.
For Cincinnati, they don't have central defender Miles Robinson in the squad after he was listed as questionable with an injury, but they do have both Kévin Denkey and Tom Barlow starting up top with Evander creating behind them.
• Matchday 9: New York City FC vs FC Cincinnati
• Date and Kickoff Time: Wednesday, April 22, 7:40 pm ET
• Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
• Forecast: Cloudy, dry, a slight breeze but mild, 52F/11C
• Watch: Apple TV
• Apple Broadcast Team: Jessica Charman and Lori Lindsey (English), Bruno Vain and Andres Agulla (Spanish)
• New York City FC Radio: Glenn Crooks and Matty Lawrence (English), Roberto Abramowitz and Ariel Judas (Spanish)
• Officiating Crew: Sergii Boiko (referee), Lyes Arfa and Brian Dunn (assistant referees), Drew Fischer (fourth official), Lukasz Szpala (VAR), Matthew Rodman (assistant VAR)
• Kits: New York City will wear the light-blue Excelsior Kit; Cincinnati will wear the wavy orange-striped The Seven Hills Kit
FC Cincinnati comes to town as New York City FC wraps up its recent mini-tour of the Tri-State Area — last Tuesday in Mount Vernon for the US Open Cup, then Saturday in Queens, and now a Wednesday night showdown in the Bronx with an underperforming Cincinnati side.
New York City will attempt to put an end to a four-match winless streak, while their opponents at Yankee Stadium are winless in three matches, entering this game off back-to-back draws, the most recent a 3-3 with Chicago Fire FC which Cincinnati salvaged despite being down 3-1 as late as the 75th minute.
Neither team is at their peak as they meet for the first time this season, but New York City FC might like its chances, given Cincinnati's road record in 2026 stands at 0W-1D-3L with 12 goals conceded and a -8 goal differential through the club's first four away days, and given that Cincinnati has earned just one victory out of nine (1W-1D-7L) in all-time away matches at New York City.
New York City vs Cincinnati Head-to-Head
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 38 | 26 | 12 |
