It's Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs time, beginning with a star-studded Eastern Conference Wild Card showdown between Orlando City and FC Cincinnati on Nov. 19 (7:30 pm ET | Apple TV).
Here are five key storylines as Antoine Griezmann and the Lions host the Evander-led Orange & Blue at Inter.co Stadium.Â
The winner will face Supporters' Shield champions Nashville SC in a Round One Best-of-3 Series, moving one step closer to MLS Cup presented by Audi on Dec. 18.
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Anybody paying even the slightest attention to Orlando City in 2026 knows Griezmann's summertime arrival from LaLiga giants Atlético Madrid marked a clear turning point.
The Frenchman and 2018 FIFA World Cup winner injected life and swagger into a side that rose from the bottom of the standings to the playoff race, earning nine of their 13 wins this season after Griezmann's July debut.
Griezmann made MLS history along the way, producing 14g/8a in 18 appearances to emerge as an MLS Newcomer of the Year award candidate.
Like Orlando, Cincy have a game-changer they rely on in crunch time: Evander.
The Brazilian playmaker has been arguably the most impactful player in MLS not named Lionel Messi in recent years, featuring in the league's last two Best XIs (2024, '25) while earning three straight All-Star appearances (2024-26).
Evander is again in the Best XI conversation behind a club-best 31 goal contributions (14g/17a).
If the regular season was any indication, especially an eight-goal slugfest (6-2 Cincy win) between both sides in May, you can expect plenty of goals.
Orlando and Cincinnati ranked top-10 in MLS in both goals scored and conceded, with the Lions (78) and the Orange & Blue (75) placing second and third, respectively, in the latter category.
In addition to Griezmann, Orlando boast club-record leading scorer MartÃn Ojeda (16g/5a) and homegrown forward Justin Ellis (1g/11a), a rising star for the Lions and the US men's national team.
Meanwhile, Evander forms a dangerous one-two punch with Kévin Denkey. The Togolese international striker led Cincy with 17 goals in his second season since arriving on a club-record deal from Belgium's Cercle Brugge.
Perhaps no Orlando City player has benefited more from Griezmann's arrival than Ellis.
Already a highly-touted prospect, Ellis earned rave reviews from his new superstar teammate while developing instant chemistry with the French icon for one of the league's most intriguing partnerships.
Ellis has parlayed his club success into a memorable introduction to the senior international stage. The 19-year-old scored just four minutes into his USMNT debut in September and was one of eight MLS players called up for this month's Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal series vs. Haiti.
Who will make the difference on the Wild Card stage?
Maybe the answer lies with players who stepped onto the sport's biggest stage this summer at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Orlando boast three veterans from the tournament: goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau (Canada), winger Marco Pašalić (Croatia) and midfielder Braian Ojeda (Paraguay). That's in addition to Griezmann, who won the whole thing with France in 2018.
Cincinnati, for their part, are hoping to count on defender Miles Robinson, who's dealt with injuries down the stretch. The veteran center back played the full 90 minutes for the USMNT in their Group D finale vs. Türkiye.
