Copa Tejas heats up as Austin FC host FC Dallas on Sunday Night Soccer

Copa Tejas takes center stage this weekend, as Austin FC host rivals FC Dallas on Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire.

How to watch & stream

• Apple TV

When

• Sunday, Aug. 16 | 8:30 pm ET/5:30 pm PT

Where

• Q2 Stadium | Austin, Texas

Standings

• 14th in Western Conference
• 17 points (4W-9L-5D)

Last game

Austin turned heads during Leagues Cup 2026, earning two wins and a draw. After cruising past Tijuana (2-0) Puebla (3-0) to open the tournament, they defeated Club América 6-5 in PKs, following a 1-1 draw. Myrto Uzuni netted the goal that sent them into the quarterfinals.

They'll look to transfer that good form to MLS play, where they've lost five of their last six contests.

Players to watch

• Myrto Uzuni: The Albanian Designated Player has a team-high 6g/5a in MLS play and is on fire at the moment, netting four goals during Leagues Cup.
• Facundo Torres: The Uruguayan international is in his first season with the Verde & Black, and has one goal to go along with a team-best six assists.
• Christian Ramírez: Despite starting just eight MLS games this year, Ramírez hasn't lost his goalscoring touch, with five tallies.
• Brad Stuver: Austin's long-time standout in goal, Stuver was an All-Star in 2025 and leads the league this season with 89 saves.

Need to know

It's becoming make-or-break time for Austin FC, who are led by interim head coach Davy Arnaud and currently sit second-to-last in the Western Conference.

That said, the Verde & Black are only seven points off the Wild Card places, meaning a few wins in a row could get them right back in postseason contention.

Following the conclusion of the 2026 MLS season, legendary former Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtin, who was hired in June, will take over at the helm.

Standings

• 6th Western Conference
• 27 points (7W-5L-6D)

Last game

Like their Texas counterparts, Dallas have also enjoyed a strong Leagues Cup campaign, picking up two victories. However, they were eliminated from the competition in their third match, suffering a 3-1 road loss to LIGA MX powerhouse Toluca. Petar Musa scored the squad's lone goal.

In league play, Dallas drew LA Galaxy, 0-0, in their last match.

Players to watch

• Petar Musa: The Croatian international represented his country at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and is currently tied atop the MLS Golden Boot race with 13 goals.
• Logan Farrington: Musa's partner up top, the 24-year-old striker is second on the team with 10 goal contributions (6g/4a) this season. 
• Kaick: The 20-year-old Brazilian patrols the center of the pitch and has developed into a key piece of Dallas' midfield.
• Osaze Urhoghide: Urhoghide has emerged as a standout in Dallas' backline this season, starting all 15 matches he's been available for and adding 1g/2a.

Need to know

Sunday night marks the first Copa Tejas clash between these two rivals. Created in 2021, Copa Tejas is a competition that pits all three Texas clubs against one another in a round-robin format, with the team finishing with the highest point total crowned the winner. 

Both Austin and Dallas have won the title twice, meaning Sunday's match could prove critical for which club is first to claim their third title.

Despite being the away team, Dallas are the favorites heading into Sunday Night Soccer, with 41% of the bets going in their favor. Austin aren't far behind, at 34%. 

Market insights shared are current as of Thursday, Aug. 13 at 1 pm ET.