Hell is not freezing over just yet. In fact, the Hell is Real rivalry is returning to the MLS Cup playoffs.
The Columbus Crew earned a No. 7 seed and will face off against No. 2 FC Cincinnati in a first-round, best-of-three playoff series. Game 1 is at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati on Oct. 27.
The Crew avoided a play-in game with a 3-1 win against the New York Red Bulls on the final day of the regular season, jumping from the No. 9 to the No. 7 spot and sealing another Hell is Real derby playoff series.
In 2023, the Crew advanced to the MLS Cup title game by defeating FC Cincinnati in the Eastern Conference finals. Columbus would go on to win their third MLS championship.
The in-state rivalry dates back to 2017, when the two teams met in the U.S. Open Cup for the first time.
With another matchup now in store, here’s what to know about the Hell is Real rivalry.
What is the MLS Hell is Real rivalry between the Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati?
Hell is Real refers to the rivalry between Ohio’s two MLS teams. The clubs are located about approximately 100 apart and connected by Interstate 71.
The rivalry has been embraced by both fanbases and their teams. The Crew have even introduced a spicy-themed menu exclusively for a Hell is Real match at Lower.com Field. Both teams will reference the rivalry name and origin in social media posts.
How did the Hell is Real derby get its name?
The name of the rivalry comes from a billboard on I-71 paid for by Kentucky real estate developer Jimmy Harston, who spent thousands of dollars on at least 20 different billboards with religious messages, including the Ten Commandments and “Hell is Real.”
The sign that gave rise to the rivalry’s name is located around 30 miles southwest of Columbus on I-71 in the town of Chenoweth. “Hell is Real” is in bold white text with the exception being the letter “H,” which is red. A few of the Ten Commandments are on the other side of the billboard.
Since its original installation in 2004, the sign has become a part of regional lore. Google Maps has even designated it a “cultural landmark.” (For the curious, its coordinates are 39.7375N, 83.347778W.)
The sign has been occasionally updated by Harston, most recently in 2023 after the billboard was defaced with a demon face by a street artist.
Ahead of a potential meeting in the 2016 U.S. Open Cup, the frontman of the Save the Crew movement, Morgan Hughes, connected with Cincinnati soccer fans Mike Burkel and Steven Williams to invent a “Cup” for the winner of the matchup.
Both Hughes and Burkel suggested the name “Hell is Real Cup,” which immediately stuck, even though the 2016 game never came to be.
When did the Hell is Real rivalry begin between the Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati?
The first Hell is Real matchup took place in June 2017, when Cincinnati competed in the United Soccer League, a second-tier U.S. soccer league. At Nippert Stadium, home of the Cincinnati Bearcats football stadium, the Crew faced their rival in the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup playoffs.
FC Cincinnati pulled off a shocking upset with a 1-0 win off a header from Djiby Fall in the 64th minute, despite it being the first time the club had played an MLS opponent. The Crew fans among the 30,160 in attendance exchanged some angry words with Crew coach Gregg Berhalter after the loss.
Cincinnati joined MLS in 2019, and during that season, the teams met again. That meeting at Historic Crew Stadium ended in a draw. In the second MLS meeting of the clubs in 2019, the Crew won 3-1 and referenced the rivalry name and famous sign on social media.
The Crew now have an 8-3-6 record (eight wins, three losses and six draws) in MLS games against FC Cincinnati.
The highest stakes game between the teams came in the 2023 Eastern Conference finals. The Crew won 3-2 in front of 25,513 fans at TQL Stadium. Columbus forward Diego Rossi equalized the match at 2-2 in the 86th minute, and striker Christian Ramirez sealed the deal with a goal in extra time. The Crew won the MLS Cup a week later.
In 2025, the teams played to a 1-1 draw at Lower.com Field in May before a July rematch. The Crew won that one 4-2 in Cincinnati despite giving up two goals in the first five minutes.
When is the Hell is Real rivalry in the 2025 MLS Playoffs?
The Hell is Rivalry will reignite in the first round of the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs. The best-of-three series starts at 6:45 p.m. on Oct. 27, with the first match at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.
What channel will the Columbus Crew-FC Cincinnati game be on?
TV: Fox Sports 1
Streaming: MLS Season Pass via Apple TV
This story was updated.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: What is the Hell is Real derby? Read about the Columbus Crew-FC Cincinnati rivalry & more
Reporting by Dan Aulbach, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
