Nashville SC targets MLS single-season points record on Decision Day against FC Cincinnati

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Nashville SC will try to take sole possession of Major League Soccer’s single-season points record on Decision Day when the club visits FC Cincinnati for the regular-season finale on Saturday at 4 pm ET on Apple TV. The Coyotes can surpass the league mark of 74 points that is currently shared with Inter Miami CF (2024) if they earn at least a draw in Cincinnati, keeping their regular-season run on a historic pace.

In advance of the trip to TQL Stadium, Nashville head coach B.J. Callaghan said the team’s focus has been on sustained performance across different match contexts. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Callaghan said, “We’ve tried to aspire to be able to compete with the elite teams of this area,” adding that the objective is “putting in consistent performances, regardless of context, regardless of circumstances” and seeking “to be able to put the most complete 90 minutes together.” He also pointed to the stakes for both sides, saying, “We know we’re going up against a really good team that’s playing for a lot in this match. And so are we.”

If Nashville holds the line in Cincinnati with a win or a draw, it would become the best regular-season club in league history in points terms. The record challenge arrives after a season that, according to MLSsoccer.com, has already produced multiple franchise and league-first milestones, beginning with the Supporters’ Shield.

Nashville secured its first Supporters’ Shield title during the 2026 season and did so decisively, setting a new MLS record in the process. The Coyotes established a league mark of 15 home wins while remaining undefeated overall at GEODIS Park with a 15W-0L-2D record, and they also recorded what MLSsoccer.com described as the best-ever start through the first 21 games, reaching 49 points in that span.

The Coyotes’ attacking production has been driven, in the league’s account, by the Designated Player trio of Hany Mukhtar, Sam Surridge and Cristian Espinoza. MLSsoccer.com notes that Mukhtar made history in his own right by becoming the first MLS player to reach at least 25 goal contributions in five different seasons. Mukhtar addressed the team’s consistency and mindset, telling reporters, “We know we can score goals in two, three minutes. So, we always have to keep pushing and keep fighting,” while also emphasizing group cohesion with, “The group has the spirit. We don’t give up, and that is the mentality.”

Nashville’s bid for a points record is backed by defensive performance as well. The Coyotes have conceded just 25 goals in the league, which MLSsoccer.com characterizes as a league-low total. The back line is led by the All-Star duo of fullback Andy Najar and US men’s national team goalkeeper Brian Schwake, with Maxwell Woledzi and Jeisson Palacios forming one of the league’s center-back pairings, as described by the league’s preview.

MLSsoccer.com also highlights a parallel milestone that would be on the table if Nashville earns a clean sheet against FC Cincinnati. Should the Coyotes shut out their opponent on Saturday, they would break the 2022 Philadelphia Union record for the fewest goals allowed—26—over a 34-game MLS season. That possibility adds another layer to what the league frames as an historic run into postseason positioning.

While Decision Day is often about settling playoff matchups and seeding, Nashville’s season has still left additional scheduling implications to be determined. MLSsoccer.com notes that, although the East’s Audi MLS Cup Playoffs teams may already be set, there remains seeding to play for on Decision Day, including implications for how the postseason bracket unfolds.

Looking beyond the regular-season finale, Nashville is positioned as the No. 1 seed in the standings, which means it would receive home-field advantage at GEODIS Park throughout the playoffs. According to MLSsoccer.com, that advantage would extend through MLS Cup 2026 presented by Audi should the Coyotes reach the Dec. 18 final.

The league also ties postseason aspirations to a potentially rare double. MLSsoccer.com reports that winning the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy would make Nashville the ninth team and seventh club in MLS history to win both the Supporters’ Shield and the MLS Cup, and the first such team since LAFC accomplished the feat in 2022.

In that same context, Callaghan described the break the club will have after the regular season ends, as well as the next step in the playoff calendar. MLSsoccer.com reports the Coyotes will have a two-week span before beginning Round One Best-of-3 series play against the Eastern Conference Wild Card winners, and Callaghan said the downtime will allow the team “to spend a little bit of time really focusing on ourselves,” adding that it is “a great opportunity to continue to improve so that the best version of ourselves starts in that new season, which is the playoffs.”