After losing to the Philadelphia Union in the final road game of the Major League Soccer regular season, New York City FC entered Decision Day 2025 with the pressure to win. The Pigeons needed all three points to have a shot at fourth place in the Eastern Conference. But their fate is not entirely in their hands, for Charlotte FC has to draw or lose their match to fall in the standings.
To get the three points, NYCFC needs to beat Seattle Sounders FC. This will be their first meeting since 2022, when the teams met in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.