If you’ve spent any time at Stade Saputo when the Ohioans roll into town, you know it’s never just "another game." Honestly, the Montréal vs Columbus Crew matchup has morphed into one of those sneaky-good MLS fixtures that consistently delivers high-level drama without needing the marketing hype of a coastal derby.
It's personal.
Think back to the Wilfried Nancy era. That’s where the real spice started. When Nancy left Montréal under a cloud of frustration with the front office—specifically with ownership—and immediately turned Columbus into a tactical powerhouse, it felt like a jilted ex-partner becoming a millionaire overnight. Every time these two meet now, the tactical ghosts of the past are still running around the pitch.
Even though Nancy has recently departed for the Scottish Premiership to manage Celtic, his DNA is all over the Crew's roster. Meanwhile, Montréal is still trying to find a permanent identity in a post-Laurent Courtois world. It’s a fascinating contrast in club stability.
🔗 Read more: Mexico vs United States Game: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes
The Tactical Chess Match: Why Columbus Usually Has the Edge
Let’s be real: Columbus has historically been the "smarter" team in this pairing. Their commitment to a very specific, possession-based 3-4-2-1 system (or a box-midfield 3-4-3) has made them a nightmare for Montréal’s defenders.
In their most recent 2025 meetings, we saw a clear pattern. Columbus loves to suffocate the ball. During their 2-1 win in April 2025, the Crew held over 55% possession and basically lived in Montréal’s defensive third. They don't just pass to pass; they wait for you to get impatient. They bait the Montréal press, wait for a wing-back to jump out of position, and then boom—Jacen Russell-Rowe or Patrick Owusu is in behind.
Montréal, on the other hand, plays better when things are chaotic.
They are at their best at home, where the tight confines of Stade Saputo allow them to play a high-energy, "disruptor" style of soccer. When they held Columbus to a 1-1 draw in May 2025, it wasn't because they outplayed them technically. They out-ran them. They turned the game into a track meet, which is exactly how you beat a team that wants to play chess.
Head-to-Head: By the Numbers
Looking at the all-time record, the Crew has the upper hand, but it’s closer than the "Big Market" pundits like to admit.
- Columbus Wins: 16
- Montréal Wins: 10
- Draws: 7
The goals-per-game average in this fixture is usually high, hovering around 2.8. You rarely see a boring 0-0 between these two, although they did give us a scoreless stalemate in early 2024. Most of the time, it's a 2-1 or 3-2 type of afternoon.
💡 You might also like: UCLA USC Game Time: Why the Big Ten Saturday Night Shift Changed Everything
The "Nancy Factor" and the Coaching Carousel
You can't talk about Montréal vs Columbus Crew without mentioning the coaching pipeline. It's almost comical at this point.
Laurent Courtois, who led Montréal through the 2024 and 2025 seasons, was actually the head coach of Columbus Crew 2 before moving north. He brought that "Crew way" to Québec, trying to instill the same patient build-up play. But as of January 2026, the landscape has shifted again.
Columbus has moved into the Henrik Rydström era. Rydström, known for his "relationism" tactics in Sweden, is a massive hire for the Crew. He’s taking a team that was already great at keeping the ball and making them even more fluid.
Montréal? They are in another transitional phase. After some internal shuffling where technical staff like Kobié Johnson and David Sauvry departed, the club is once again leaning on the Saputo family's sporting direction. This lack of continuity is usually what bites them when they face a well-oiled machine like Columbus.
Key Players to Watch in the 2026 Matchups
If you're heading to the stadium or tuning in on Apple TV, keep your eyes on these specific battles.
1. The Resilient Rudy Camacho
Camacho is the ultimate "traitor" in this rivalry—but in the best way possible. After winning two Canadian Championships with Montréal, he moved to Columbus and became their defensive rock. Even at 34, he recently re-signed through the 2026 season. He knows every single tendency of Montréal’s attackers.
2. The Canadian Connection: Jacen Russell-Rowe
It’s always a bit ironic when a Canadian international destroys the Canadian team. Russell-Rowe has a knack for scoring against Montréal. His equalizer at Stade Saputo in May 2025 was a masterclass in pouncing on a defensive error.
3. Montréal’s Youth Movement
Because Montréal doesn't spend like Columbus, they rely on guys like Jules-Anthony Vilsaint or homegrown talents to provide the spark. When Montréal wins, it's usually because one of these kids has a "game of their life" performance and catches the Crew's backline sleeping during a transition.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Matchup
People assume that because Columbus is a "bigger" club in terms of recent trophies, they just steamroll Montréal. That’s not true.
The Crew actually finds Stade Saputo to be one of the most difficult places to play in the Eastern Conference. The atmosphere is hostile, the grass is usually fast, and the travel is just enough to mess with a team's rhythm. In the last six meetings in Montréal, the Crew has only walked away with all three points twice.
It's a "trap game" for Columbus every single year.
Practical Tips for Fans and Bettors
If you’re looking at the betting lines or just trying to sound smart at the pub, keep these three things in mind:
- The "Over" is a safe bet: Historically, these teams trade goals. Neither defense is particularly good at sitting back and soaking up pressure for 90 minutes.
- Check the Travel Schedule: If Columbus is coming off a midweek CONCACAF Champions Cup game (which they often are), they tend to rotate heavily against Montréal.
- The First 15 Minutes: Montréal scores a disproportionate amount of their goals against the Crew in the opening stages of the game. If they don't score early, the Crew's superior conditioning usually takes over in the second half.
Looking Ahead: The 2026 Calendar
The next major clash is set for August 19, 2026, at Lower.com Field.
📖 Related: NC State Wolfpack: Why This Program Is The Most Relatable Rollercoaster In College Sports
For Montréal, that game will be a massive litmus test for their new tactical setup. For Columbus, it's about maintaining dominance in the East under Rydström. Expect a high-possession game from the Crew and a lot of "bend but don't break" defending from the visitors.
If you're planning to attend, keep an eye on the injury reports for Darlington Nagbe. He is the heartbeat of the Crew's midfield. When he doesn't play, Montréal’s "chaos" style actually has a chance to succeed. Without Nagbe to calm things down, the Crew can look surprisingly human.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
- Monitor the Secondary Market: Tickets for the August 19 match in Columbus usually spike in price two weeks before kickoff as local fans gear up for the playoff push.
- Watch the Tactical Shift: Pay attention to how Henrik Rydström handles the Montréal counter-attack in the first 20 minutes; it will tell you everything you need to know about the final score.
- Check International Call-ups: Both teams have heavy representation in the Canadian and US national teams. If a match falls during a FIFA window, the "B-team" versions of these squads produce much more unpredictable results.