Houston Dynamo vs. St. Louis CITY SC: Decision Day Injury Update, Kickoff and Stakes (Nov. 7, 2026)

Information checked: Friday, November 6, 2026, at 7:44 p.m. in Houston, Central Standard Time (CST, UTC−06:00); Saturday, November 7, at 01:44 UTC. This is a pregame update based on the latest official MLS and club information available at that check. The match has not started, so there is no final score or confirmed starting XI.

Houston Dynamo FC will host St. Louis CITY SC at Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. Houston CST (UTC−06:00), with a coveted top-four Western Conference finish in play. Kickoff is 7:00 p.m. New York EST (UTC−05:00), equivalent to 00:00 UTC on Sunday, November 8. Apple TV is the confirmed streaming destination.

The most important new team news is MLS's Matchday 35 availability report: Houston goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer is out with a back issue, while Marcelo Saracchi is questionable with a lower-body issue. St. Louis lists Carlo Holse out with a knee issue and Celio Pompeu out with a knee issue. Neither club has a suspension listed in that published matchday report. These designations are official pregame status information, not a substitute for the final team sheets.

Destaques

• Kickoff: Saturday, November 7, 6:00 p.m. Houston CST (UTC−06:00) at Shell Energy Stadium; Sunday, November 8, 00:00 UTC.
• New availability update: Maurer, Holse and Pompeu are listed out; Saracchi is questionable in the MLS Matchday 35 report.
• Playoff race: St. Louis is fourth and Houston fifth, each with 51 points. A Houston win secures a top-four finish; a St. Louis win or draw secures one for CITY SC.
• Broadcast and result: Watch on Apple TV. No final score, confirmed starting lineups or final seeding existed at the check time.

What is the latest Houston Dynamo vs. St. Louis CITY SC injury report?

The official MLS Matchday 35 Player Status Report identifies the following availability concerns for the November 7 fixture:

Questionable does not mean ruled out. Saracchi's participation remains uncertain until a later official update or team sheet. By the same token, a player who is absent from the report is not automatically confirmed fit or selected. The report does not list a Houston or St. Louis player as suspended, but the official lineup and matchday squad are still the definitive confirmation of who can take part.

For context, MLS's previous Matchday 34 availability page included some different status entries for these clubs. The Matchday 35 list above is the appropriate report for the Decision Day fixture; older injury classifications should not be copied forward as though they still apply. No starting lineup had been confirmed at the stated update time.

What time is Houston Dynamo vs. St. Louis CITY SC, and where is it played?

Both clubs confirm a 6:00 p.m. kickoff in Houston on Saturday, November 7, at Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, Texas. The Houston Dynamo match preview and St. Louis CITY SC match preview agree on the venue and local kickoff. MLS lists the Western Conference Decision Day window at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

U.S. daylight saving time ended November 1, 2026. Houston is therefore on Central Standard Time on matchday, not Central Daylight Time. The difference between the November 7 U.S. date and November 8 UTC date is a time-zone conversion of the same game.

How can fans watch Houston Dynamo vs. St. Louis CITY SC on Apple TV?

Apple TV will stream the game. The club previews and the official MLS match center identify the match, and MLS's 2026 schedule announcement says regular-season games are available on Apple TV. Viewers should check the specific event listing and subscription requirements in their location before kickoff.

The St. Louis club also lists KYKY Y98.1 FM for English-language radio and KXOK 102.9 FM for Spanish-language radio. The club identifies Callum Williams and Calen Carr for the English Apple TV commentary and Pablo Ramirez and Jesus Bracamontes for the Spanish commentary. Radio reception and stream availability may vary by market.

What are the playoff stakes for Houston and St. Louis on Decision Day?

Both clubs have already secured places in the 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs; the contest decides which team has the better route into Round One. MLS's Western Conference Decision Day breakdown shows St. Louis fourth and Houston fifth on tiebreakers, with both on 51 points before the finale. San Jose is third on 52 points, so results elsewhere may also affect the final ranking.

What happens if Houston wins?

A Houston victory guarantees the Dynamo a top-four Western Conference finish and Round One home-field advantage. Houston's own preview also notes that a win would bring the club to 54 points and 15 victories, matching its single-season records for both. That would be an achievement if it happens, not a record already set.

What if St. Louis wins or the game ends in a draw?

According to MLS's official hosting scenarios, St. Louis clinches a top-four finish with a win or draw. Houston can still finish in the top four after a draw, but only if San Jose loses at Minnesota and Houston wins the applicable tiebreaker over San Jose. A draw alone does not guarantee the Dynamo home-field advantage.

The top-four teams host Game 1 and, if necessary, Game 3 of the Round One best-of-three series. The final seed and opponent will not be settled until all relevant Decision Day games are complete.

What does recent form say about the teams?

Houston enters after a 3–1 defeat away to the Portland Timbers, ending its five-match unbeaten run. The St. Louis club's scouting report records Houston at 14 wins, 10 losses and nine draws overall, with an 8–3–5 home record. Guilherme leads the Dynamo with 16 goals and 10 assists, with Mateusz Bogusz contributing eight goals and five assists. These figures describe pre-match form and do not establish who will start or score.

St. Louis most recently lost 1–0 to San Diego FC. CITY SC defeated Houston 2–1 in their August league meeting, with Dante Polvara scoring the late winner. The teams also drew 2–2 after extra time in May's U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal before St. Louis advanced 4–2 in the penalty shootout. That shootout score was not a 4–2 victory during open play.

Houston's November 6 preview also identifies potential season landmarks for the home team, including a possible 14th clean sheet that would set a club single-season record. Those targets depend on Saturday's outcome. The match is a direct seeding contest rather than a knockout playoff game.

Who is refereeing the match, and what is planned at Shell Energy Stadium?

The Professional Referee Organization's published Matchday 35 assignments name Allen Chapman as referee, Kyle Atkins and Chris Elliott as assistant referees, Jair Marrufo as fourth official, Geoff Gamble as VAR and Mike Kampmeinert as assistant VAR. Assignments remain subject to change should an official replacement be announced.

Houston has designated the match Fan Appreciation Night. The club advertises a wearable-flag giveaway while supplies last, in-stadium activities and postgame fireworks. Fans going to Shell Energy Stadium should check club communications for entrance, ticket and transportation information rather than assuming the broadcast start time is a suitable arrival time.

When are the 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs after Decision Day?

MLS's published 2026 playoff calendar places the Wild Card matches on Thursday, November 19, not November 18. Round One runs November 20 through December 2, followed by the conference semifinals December 5–6, conference finals December 11–12, and MLS Cup on Friday, December 18. Postseason game dates and the two clubs' opponents will be determined after final standings and relevant scheduling announcements.

For the authoritative starting lineups, live match incidents and eventual final score, use the MLS Houston–St. Louis match center. No result should be published as final before the league or clubs confirm it.

FAQ: Houston Dynamo vs. St. Louis CITY SC

When is the Houston vs. St. Louis Decision Day kickoff?

Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. CST (UTC−06:00) in Houston, equivalent to 7:00 p.m. EST on November 7 and 00:00 UTC on November 8. The venue is Shell Energy Stadium.

Which players are officially out or questionable?

MLS lists Houston's Jimmy Maurer out and Marcelo Saracchi questionable; for St. Louis, Carlo Holse and Celio Pompeu are out. Final selections remain subject to confirmed matchday lineups.

Where can I watch the game, and has it finished?

Apple TV is the listed streaming service. At the update time above, the game had not begun and no final score was available. Consult the official MLS match center for verified matchday updates.