FC Cincinnati plays its final road game of the Major League Soccer regular season against the New York Red Bulls at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, N.J. on Saturday, Oct. 4. The team is in second place in the Eastern Conference and the MLS Supporters’ Shield standings, four points behind Philadelphia with two matches remaining. Defender Lukas Engel emphasized the importance of playing at home, saying it's massive not only to play at home but to end on a high and finish as high as possible. FC Cincinnati's 1-1 draw with Orlando City severely damaged the club's chances of winning the Supporters’ Shield for the second time in three seasons. The team controls its own destiny for most everything else as they battle for seeding and home-field advantage in the MLS Cup playoffs. A win against NYRB would clinch a top-four seed and home-field in the first round. Any lost points would put them at risk of falling in the conference standings and losing home-field in the MLS Cup final to other Western Conference clubs. The players want the TQL Stadium atmosphere, and Engel noted that it will give them confidence. FC Cincinnati is also eligible for spots in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup based on regular season points. The MLS Cup champion gets a spot, then the highest-ranked team in each conference in the Supporters’ Shield standings gets one, and there are two additional berths regardless of conference. Nashville and Vancouver won berths in the Champions Cup on Oct. 1 after claiming trophies. The Eastern Conference standings have Philadelphia in first place with 63 points, followed by FC Cincinnati with 59 points, and Miami and NYCFC tied for third with 56 points. The Western Conference standings have San Diego and Vancouver tied for first with 57 points, followed by Minnesota with 55 points, and LAFC with 53 points. FC Cincinnati needs to win both of its final games to have a chance at the Supporters’ Shield, and then needs Philadelphia not to win either of its final two matches, and for Vancouver to drop points in any of its final three matches. If FC Cincinnati wins both of its matches, they would be no worse than the No. 2 seed in the East, and would clinch home field in the MLS Cup final over everyone in the Western Conference except Vancouver. The team's success on the road this season, with a record of 10-4-2, won't necessarily be harmful to their chances of winning the MLS Cup, but the players want to play as many home games as possible. The first round of the MLS Cup playoffs is a best-of-three series that runs from Oct. 24 through Nov. 9, and the higher seed hosts Games 1 and 3. FC Cincinnati will have one game at TQL Stadium in that round no matter what. The team is focused on finishing the season strong and making a deep run in the playoffs.