Sporting Kansas City Hosts Columbus Crew in Home Opener

Sporting Kansas City begins its home schedule on Saturday, February 28, with a match against the Columbus Crew at Sporting Park, kicking off at 7:30 p.m. CT. The game will be streamed on Apple TV [1] and broadcast locally on Sports Radio 810 WHB.

Both Teams Seek First Win

Both Sporting Kansas City and the Columbus Crew are looking for their first win of the 2026 Major League Soccer season. Sporting fell 3-0 to the San Jose Earthquakes in their season opener, while Columbus suffered a 3-2 defeat against the Portland Timbers. [1]

Significant Roster Changes for Sporting KC

Sporting Kansas City underwent substantial changes during the offseason, with 13 players departing and 10 new players joining the team under the leadership of new President of Soccer Operations & GM David Lee and head coach Raphael Wicky. [1]

Crew Under New Leadership

The Columbus Crew also experienced a change in leadership, with Henrik Rydstrom taking over as head coach after Wilfried Nancy joined Celtic in Scotland. [1]

Sporting KC’s Home Opener Record

Sporting Kansas City boasts a strong record in home openers, with an all-time record of 16-4-10. At Sporting Park, their record is 5-2-8, with losses only coming against New York City FC in 2018 and the San Jose Earthquakes in 2025. [1]

New Faces Debut for Sporting

Six new players made their debut for Sporting Kansas City in the season opener against San Jose: Kwaku Agyabeng, Taylor Calheira, Calvin Harris, Wyatt Meyer, Jayden Reid, and Justin Reynolds. [1] Ethan Bartlow, Lasse Berg Johnsen, Stefan Cleveland, and Cielo Tschantret are yet to craft their debuts.

Recent History Between the Clubs

This will be the first matchup between Sporting Kansas City and the Columbus Crew in Kansas City in nearly four years. Their last meeting was on June 22, 2024, at Lower.com Field in Columbus, resulting in a 4-0 victory for the Crew, with Cucho Hernandez scoring a hat trick. [2] The last time Columbus visited Sporting Park was on April 23, 2022, ending in a 0-0 draw that was delayed 47 minutes due to inclement weather. [2]

All-Time Series Record

Sporting Kansas City leads the all-time regular-season series against the Columbus Crew 26-23-9, with a 14-9-4 record at home. [2]

Young and Domestic Roster

Sporting Kansas City’s 22-man roster features a young and domestically focused squad, with an average age of 24.1, ranking seventh youngest in MLS. [1] Seventeen players developed through MLS Academies, the NCAA college system, or both. [1]

Children’s Mercy Park, where Sporting KC plays its home matches, opened in 2011 and is considered one of the premier soccer stadiums in North America. [2]