Nashville SC set the MLS single-season points record with 77 points after 2-0 win at FC Cincinnati

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Nashville SC have set the MLS single-season points record, finishing their 2026 campaign with 77 points after a 2-0 win at FC Cincinnati on Decision Day, according to MLSsoccer.com’s recap of the league announcement. The achievement caps what MLSsoccer.com describes as a record-setting regular season under head coach B.J. Callaghan, Nashville’s second full season in the role.

MLSsoccer.com reports that the club’s total of 77 points is the new high-water mark for the league’s regular-season point totals, and that Nashville’s run included their first-ever Supporters’ Shield title. With the Supporters’ Shield secured, Nashville also receives hosting priority through MLS Cup presented by Audi, should the club reach the Dec. 18 final.

Looking ahead to the Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs, MLSsoccer.com states that Nashville will face the Eastern Conference Wild Card winner—either Orlando City or FC Cincinnati—in Round One. That pairing is determined by which team advances from the Wild Card slot in the Eastern Conference following the regular season’s conclusion.

MLSsoccer.com also provides context on the squad used to build the record-point total. The club is described as featuring one of the league’s deepest rosters, led by a Designated Player trio that includes captain Hany Mukhtar, striker Sam Surridge, and winger Cristian Espinoza.

In that trio’s breakdown, MLSsoccer.com lists Mukhtar with 17 goals and eight assists, Surridge with 21 goals and two assists, and Espinoza with four goals and 15 assists. MLSsoccer.com also highlights the defensive side of Nashville’s season, stating the club allowed a league-low 25 goals and is described as the best defense in MLS.

MLSsoccer.com reports that U.S. international goalkeeper Brian Schwake led all goalkeepers with a joint-league-record 16 clean sheets. It also names Maxwell Woledzi and Jeisson Palacios as the center-back pairing for Nashville’s back line.

Additional personnel recognitions cited by MLSsoccer.com include Andy Nájjar being named an MLS All-Star in 2026. The recap also states that fullback Reed Baker-Whiting earned his first call-up to the United States men’s national team ahead of this month’s Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals.

MLSsoccer.com further lists other key members of Callaghan’s roster as FIFA 2026 World Cup veteran Ahmed Qasem (Iraq), midfielder Matthew Corcoran, and midfielder Patrick Yazbek. The club’s sustained performance across multiple roles and positions is presented in the league’s recap as part of the foundation for both the points record and the Supporters’ Shield.

Beyond the playoffs, MLSsoccer.com states that Nashville’s record-setting regular season has also secured the club a spot in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup. The recap frames the qualification as a direct consequence of Nashville’s performance through the 2026 campaign.

MLSsoccer.com closes by describing Nashville’s recent continental momentum, saying the Coyotes are coming off a best-ever CCC campaign in 2026 that reached the tournament semifinals. The recap adds that Nashville became the first MLS team to win at Mexico’s Estadio Azteca, defeating Liga MX powerhouse Club América 1-0 in the quarterfinals, an outcome presented as part of the broader context for the club entering postseason and regional competition.

With Nashville now holding the MLS regular-season points record at 77 and set to begin the Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs against the Eastern Wild Card winner, the record total also reinforces the club’s immediate incentive to capitalize on Supporters’ Shield hosting priority through MLS Cup presented by Audi, including the Dec. 18 final date referenced by MLSsoccer.com. The next phase of the season begins with Round One, where the opponent will be confirmed as either Orlando City or FC Cincinnati.