Texas Derby, El Tráfico, and Cascadia Cup Clash Headline MLS Rivalry Week

Rivalry Week has returned to Major League Soccer, bringing with it a whirlwind of passion, grudges and high-stakes drama. Per MLSsoccer.com, the festivities kicked off Wednesday as St. Louis CITY SC hosted Sporting Kansas City in a fiery rematch of their 2023 playoff clash – a series the newcomers have yet to recover from.

Saturday's Matchday 14 offers a full slate of iconic derbies. The Canadian Classique sees CF Montréal and Toronto FC vying for pride amid transition, while the “Hell is Real” clash between Columbus and Cincinnati features attacking stars like Diego Rossi and Dániel Gazdag, plus a USMNT storyline with defender Miles Robinson.

In New York, NYCFC face the Red Bulls in a rivalry defined by imbalance: the Red Bulls lead the series, but NYCFC hold the ultimate trophy from their 2021 MLS Cup win. Out west, FC Dallas and Houston battle for El Capitán, the cannon at the heart of the Texas Derby, and the Rocky Mountain Cup pits Colorado against dominant Real Salt Lake.

The night ends with two of the fiercest matchups in MLS. In the Pacific Northwest, Portland and Seattle renew hostilities in a fixture fueled by decades of disdain and shared dominance. On Sunday, Inter Miami face Orlando in a Florida Derby buzzing with South American flair, before LA Galaxy – mired in their worst-ever title defense – take on LAFC in a high-pressure El Tráfico under the Carson lights.