With three games left, Toronto FC essentially in must-win mode against D.C. United

TORONTO – Toronto FC is running out of time to make a push for a post-season spot in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference. 

The Reds will close out their home schedule Wednesday against D.C. United ahead of a two-game road swing that will cap their regular season. 

Must-win territory has essentially arrived for a squad that enters play at BMO Field three points outside the cutline.

“It’s a final for us, basically,” Toronto FC forward Josh Sargent said Tuesday. “We’ve got to push as hard as we can from the very beginning and just be ready for the challenge because it’s not going to be easy.”

Sargent and Daniel Salloi – with his team-leading ninth goal – scored for Toronto last week in a deflating 4-2 loss to Columbus. The defeat sapped momentum from a squad that was unbeaten in its three previous games, including a key road win over the New York Red Bulls. 

Toronto (8-11-12) is 11th in the East with 36 points this season, three more than 13th-place United. The Red Bulls are clinging to a one-point edge on the Crew for the ninth and final playoff position in the East.

Toronto will visit Atlanta (14th in East) on Sunday ahead of a Nov. 7 season finale against the Philadelphia Union (sixth in East).

“This club still has ambitions,” Sargent said. “We set goals for ourselves at the beginning of the season. And again, it is not easy. There is pressure and we know what we have to do.”

United, meanwhile, is looking to end a three-game losing skid. The visitors defeated Toronto 2-1 in the last meeting between the teams on July 25.

Tai Baribo scored a late winner from the penalty spot in that matchup at Audi Field. He leads the squad with 16 goals this season. 

“They’re a physical team,” said Toronto head coach Robin Fraser. “They have a lot of really honest players. They work hard, they are difficult to break down and they’re excellent on set pieces.”

Toronto has won three of its last four home meetings against United. D.C. has a 19-13-13 advantage in all-time matchups. 

The Reds currently have a six per cent chance of reaching the playoffs, per the PlayoffStatus website.

“We’ve been in this situation it feels like for a bit now (where) we’ve had a lot of important games … we know how important tomorrow is,” Sargent said. “We’re going to play as hard as we can to get the result we need.”

The Red Bulls and Columbus have some challenging opponents over their next three games.  

The Crew will play Dallas (second in West), D.C. United (13th in East) and Chicago (fourth in East). The Red Bulls will play New England (tied for second in East), Nashville (first in East) and Atlanta (14th in East).

Discussion about so-called must-win games has been a regular talking point at the TFC training ground in recent weeks. With three games to play, it really feels like it now. 

“They have to trust each other,” Fraser said of his players. “They have to come with the right mentality, they have to begin the game with a necessary amount of urgency but not desperation.”

Toronto has a 5-2-9 home record this season, while United has a 2-6-7 road mark. 

“If you do things correctly and come out on the right side of it, it is an unbelievable boost to your confidence and a source of pride,” Fraser said.

There will be some pigskin flavour at the lakefront stadium on fan appreciation night. The match has been dubbed “Football Meets Football” by the host side.

TFC legend and Buffalo Bills limited partner Jozy Altidore will be on site and the first 5,000 fans in attendance will receive a TFC/Bills toque. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2026.