COLUMBUS — The Columbus Crew have spent much of the 2026 season trying to find their footing, but Wednesday night they'll have an opportunity to finish at least one part of the year as champions. Columbus hosts St. Louis CITY SC in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, with kickoff scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.

The Crew haven't won the competition since 2002, when they defeated the LA Galaxy, 1-0, for the first major trophy in club history. Twenty-four years later, they're one victory away from doing it again, but they'll have to beat a St. Louis team that recently went 21 consecutive matches without a loss across all competitions.

The Crew Are Finding Their Form

Columbus enters the final having won five of its last six matches, including Sunday's 2-0 victory over FC Cincinnati. The Crew were outshot 24-4 in that match and spent much of the night defending, but goals from Gonzalo Tapia and Taha Habroune, along with eight saves from Patrick Schulte, were enough to secure a rivalry victory.

It wasn't a particularly convincing offensive performance, but Columbus made its opportunities count. The Crew will need that same efficiency Wednesday, although relying on four shots and an outstanding performance from their goalkeeper probably isn't the best plan against another strong opponent.

Columbus has also been effective throughout its Open Cup run, defeating Richmond, One Knoxville, New York City FC, and Orlando City to reach the final. Josef Martínez and Brais Méndez scored in the 2-1 semifinal victory over Orlando, continuing the contributions of players who joined the team during the season and have helped interim coach Laurent Courtois turn things around.

St. Louis Won't Be an Easy Opponent

St. Louis comes to Columbus after having its 21-match unbeaten streak across all competitions snapped Saturday in a 3-2 loss to Minnesota United. CITY SC led that match 2-0 before surrendering three unanswered goals, but one disappointing result doesn't erase what the club accomplished during its unbeaten run.

The visitors reached the Open Cup final with a 3-0 semifinal victory over Colorado, getting goals from Sangbin Jeong, Simon Becher, and former Crew midfielder Alex Ma?an. St. Louis has shown it can score and defend well, and Columbus will need to be more effective at controlling possession than it was against Cincinnati.

There's also an interesting connection between the two coaching staffs. St. Louis coach Yoann Damet previously worked in the Columbus Crew organization, overlapping with Courtois during 2023 and 2024. The two French coaches now find themselves competing for a championship after helping develop players within the same organization.

One Win Away From Another Trophy

Wednesday's winner will also earn a berth in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup, giving both clubs another reason to treat this match as an important opportunity.

For the Crew, winning would provide another championship moment in a season that hasn't always gone according to plan. Columbus has home-field advantage, recent momentum, and several players who have shown they can deliver in important matches, but St. Louis has demonstrated plenty of resilience of its own.

The Crew have worked their way back into form after a difficult stretch, and now they have a chance to put a trophy on the shelf. After 24 years without a U.S. Open Cup title, there probably isn't a much better way to reward that effort.

Match Information