FC Cincinnati and the Columbus Crew. It’s a rivalry that gained its name from a road sign on the interstate connecting the two cities, and a matchup that has blossomed into one of the best derbies in Major League Soccer.
But it’s never seen a stage like this: A best-of-three series to open the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs.
The first playoff edition of the Hell is Real Derby took on the 2023 Eastern Conference final, which provided one of the best playoff games in recent memory—a 3–2 comeback win for Columbus before they went on to win MLS Cup.
This time, the feistiness and storylines within a three-game series make it all the more enticing.






