By Billy McGee
May 21, 2026
Photo: Charlotte FC
Charlotte FC is heading into their final match before the World Cup break with a home game against the New England Revolution. The club has an opportunity to head into the break on a positive note after a poor run of form that saw them earn just four points out of a possible 18, beginning with a 4-1 loss to Orlando City SC.
The Crown’s most recent match saw them begin to course-correct with a 3-1 win over a significantly depleted Toronto FC side that was missing both designated players, Djordje Mihailovic and Josh Sargent, as well as other notable players such as José Cifuentes and Richie Laryea. The win wasn’t without its struggles, though, as Charlotte’s first goal — scored by Wilfried Zaha in the 19th minute — was quickly answered by Toronto, who equalized in the 22nd minute. Toronto appeared to take the lead on a set-piece goal in the 27th minute, but after a VAR review, it was disallowed after officials determined that a player had set a pick, blocking Idan Toklomati from the play.
Charlotte was able to retake their lead in the 35th minute with a long-distance strike from David Schnegg, his first MLS goal of the season. They continued to threaten for the remainder of the half, with a Zaha shot saved at point-blank range, Kerwin Vargas ruled offside in the build-up to what would’ve been a Toklomati goal, and Vargas missing a shot just wide left, right before the halftime whistle.
Charlotte took a 2-1 lead into halftime with Vargas assisting both first-half goals. They struggled to put the game away in the second half and were less threatening in the attack, registering just five shots and one shot on target before winning a penalty that led to Pep Biel’s 84th-minute goal to extend the lead to 3-1.
The match on Saturday against New England Revolution will be a challenge for Dean Smith’s side, as the two teams have already met once this year in a 1-0 road loss for Charlotte, where the Crown managed just seven total shots and only 43.1% possession. After starting the season with just one win in their first four games, New England has won seven of its last nine and climbed to third place in the Eastern Conference.
When the two teams faced each other earlier this month, it was a tight 0-0 match, with Charlotte creating a few quality chances and holding strong defensively until a late penalty for New England Revolution gave them the lead in the seventh minute of stoppage time. In the Revolution’s attack, Charlotte will have to be mindful of Luca Langoni and Carles Gil, who both scored in each of their two most recent wins against Minnesota United FC and Philadelphia Union. New England’s defense will also be a major concern for Charlotte, as it ranks among the best in the league in goals allowed, conceding just 17 goals, the third-best mark in the Eastern Conference.
The game will be a challenging one for Charlotte given New England’s recent form, but they will again lean on the energy of the home crowd. The Crown showed on the road that they are capable of handling the Revolution’s attack, not allowing any open-play goals in that meeting. Vargas will be crucial to Charlotte’s performance; if he can get involved against New England in a similar way to how he did against Toronto, it will give the attack another outlet alongside Pep Biel and Wilfried Zaha, capable of creating chances and contributing both goals and assists.
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— Charlotte FC (@CharlotteFC) May 20, 2026
A win or a draw would bring Charlotte to three games unbeaten, and given the current form of both teams, either result could be viewed as a positive heading into a lengthy break for the World Cup, where the Crown won’t play again until they host Atlanta United on July 22.
The match against New England is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, May 23 at Bank of America Stadium and will be available to watch on Apple TV. The first fans in attendance will also receive a Tim Ream bobblehead.
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