MLS PREVIEW 12 Sep 2026: Messi's Availability Uncertain for Nashville, Five Fixtures Across the League

MLS plays five fixtures on 12 September 2026: Columbus Crew host New York Red Bulls, D.C. United host Atlanta United, FC Cincinnati host Charlotte FC, Inter Miami CF host Nashville SC and Orlando City host Toronto FC.

Columbus Crew, missing Rudy Camacho, Jamal Thiare, Sekou Bangoura and Wessam Abou Ali, lost 2-1 at D.C. United in midweek; interim head coach Laurent Courtois said there was "no excuse" for the defeat and is aiming to rediscover the team's clinical edge in the final ten games of the regular season. New York Red Bulls, under head coach Michael Bradley, are without Adri Mehmeti and the heavily doubtful Justin Che, along with Ronald Donkor and AJ Marcucci, and have won just once in their last nine games, most recently losing 2-0 to Los Angeles.

D.C. United, under Rene Weiler and missing Gabe Segal, beat Columbus Crew 2-1 in midweek. Atlanta United, missing Cooper Sanchez, Giuliano Galoppo and Steven Alzate, drew 2-2 at home with Inter Miami CF, a match that saw Gerardo "Tata" Martino face Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez for the first time since leaving Inter Miami at the end of 2024 — Messi went to the Atlanta bench to hug Martino before kickoff, and Martino embraced Suarez after the final whistle. Martino said of the reunion: "We experienced a really nice chapter in Miami. We were able to achieve important things for the club."

FC Cincinnati were beaten 5-0 away at Philadelphia Union, with Obinna Nwobodo sent off in the 16th minute and Bruno Damiani scoring a hat-trick; Nwobodo now serves a one-match suspension and Evander is also banned through yellow-card accumulation, ruling both out against Charlotte. Head coach Pat Noonan said losing the pair would affect the group but backed his squad depth, and called Cincinnati's discipline record a "collective concern." Cincinnati are further without Jahlane Forbes and Brandon Cambridge to thigh injuries, Matt Miazga long-term, Amir Daley with a broken collarbone and Alec Edgar, who is yet to feature this season. Charlotte FC, in strong recent form, beat CF Montreal 2-1 in a comeback win last time out; the club is without Archie Goodwin, replaced by Idan Toklomati, and David Schnegg is suspended.

Inter Miami CF drew 2-2 at home with Atlanta United, Messi assisting Casemiro's opening goal before Atlanta's Breel Embolo equalised from the penalty spot in the 87th minute; Messi featured for the second half of Miami's midweek Leagues Cup elimination loss to Club Leon just days after returning from Rosario following the death of his father, Jorge Messi, in early August. Head coach Guillermo Hoyos, who took over from Javier Mascherano in April 2026, did not confirm whether Messi will be available against Nashville, saying: "I think Leo's situation needs to keep developing little by little because there's a lot of pain there... I think silence, calm and peace are what's best, and for him to find his own moments." Miami are also without Sergio Reguilon, Gonzalo Lujan, Mateo Silvetti, Santiago Morales, Micael and Tadeo Allende through injury. Nashville SC, managed by BJ Callaghan and missing only Warren Madrigal, lost 2-1 to Toronto FC in midweek, conceding a stoppage-time winner.

Orlando City, missing head coach Oscar Pareja since he and the club mutually agreed to terminate his contract in March 2026 after three straight losses to start the season, are now under interim head coach Martin Perelman, who called the closing stretch "the most stressful, beautiful and important moment of the season, and we're ready to go." Orlando beat Atlanta United 3-2 away, Antoine Griezmann — signed from Atletico Madrid in March 2026 — scoring twice and Ivan Angulo adding a third; forward Daryl Dike has returned from loan spells at Barnsley and West Brom and could be paired with Griezmann up front, while goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau kept a clean sheet in an earlier match in honour of his late father. Toronto FC, unbeaten in their last seven MLS games, beat Nashville SC 2-1 through a stoppage-time Emilio Aristizabal winner after Daniel Salloi's equaliser; head coach Robin Fraser said "everything feels like a playoff game right now" and warned Orlando "is going to be just stinking hot."