By Tony Álvarez
Monterrey takes on Nashville in Matchday 3 of Leagues Cup 2026, Wednesday at GEODIS Park in Nashville, Tennessee. Both teams need a win and favorable results to have a chance to advance to the next round of the tournament.
HEAD-TO-HEAD:
- 2nd meeting all-time; Nashville defeated Monterrey 2-0 in the semifinals of the 2023 Leagues Cup
- Record at Leagues Cup: Nashville (6-5), Monterrey (7-7)
LAST FIVE GAMES:
- Nashville:
- 2 Wins, 1 Draw, 2 Losses
- Monterrey:
- 3 Wins, 0 Draws, 2 Losses
MAIN STORYLINES:
- Both teams enter the match with a 1-1 record and three points in the tournament thus far.
- Monterrey head coach Matías Almeyda got his first ever Leagues Cup win in their last game vs Miami
- Hugo Cuypers is still tied for the MLS Golden Boot despite last playing for them in May and joining Monterrey in July. He enters the match looking for his 3rd straight game with a goal.
- Nashville SC has a 10-3-2 record at GEODIS Park across all competitions in 2026.
KEY FACTORS
- Monterrey:
- They enter this meeting with a renewed confidence following comeback win at Inter Miami.
- Diego Rossi scored in the win over Miami, and has now scored twice in five appearances since joining the team in July.
- Nashville:
- With their 4-1 win over Atlético San Luis they snapped a 3-game winless streak.
- Sam Surridge has scored in three of Nashville’s last five matches.
- Cristian Espinoza scored two goals against Atlético San Luis; his first brace since joining Nashville.
WHAT TO EXPECT?
Monterrey and Nashville SC must win to have a chance at a spot in the quarterfinals in their final match of Phase One, with the game scheduled for Wednesday at GEODIS Park at 8:00 p.m. ET on Apple TV.
This will be the second time they face each other after the MLS side’s 2-0 win in the semifinals of the 2023 edition.
Monterrey lost its first game to Orlando City SC 2-1 but made a comeback at Inter Miami CF, winning by the same score. Rayados is in seventh place among Liga MX teams in the Phase One standings, with three points, and needs a victory in regulation, along with a combination of results, to have a shot at the quarterfinals.
Nashville SC has won ten of 15 games at its home stadium this season. Its only defeats have come against Liga MX sides, against Tigres UANL in the Concacaf Champions Cup and, most recently, in the team’s opening match of this Leagues Cup tournament, a 1-0 loss to Club León. Nashville SC needs to win as it faces a similar qualifying scenario.
This game has all the ingredients for a matchup to remember as two of the favorites coming into the tournament find themselves on the ropes. Anything less than a win in regulation for either side will signal elimination.
Polymarket bettors are leaning toward Nashville in what shapes up to be a competitive matchup, giving the MLS side 45% of the market compared to 31% for Monterrey.
