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New York Red Bulls vs Nashville SC preview: key match details

The next New York Red Bulls match sees them host high-flying Nashville SC in Major League Soccer on 19 August 2026. The clash at Sports Illustrated Stadium, Harrison is scheduled to kick off at 23:30 UTC and is part of the Regular Season - 20 round. This New York Red Bulls vs Nashville SC preview looks at kick-off time, venue, standings, form, head to head and the latest team news.

When fans ask when New York Red Bulls play next, the answer is a home test against the current Eastern Conference leaders. Red Bulls come into this fixture sitting 8th in the conference, chasing play-off security, while Nashville arrive in 1st place and looking to extend their strong campaign. With both teams carrying contrasting recent form but a competitive head-to-head history, this could be a key marker in the MLS season.

Match details: date, kick-off & venue

  • Competition: Major League Soccer, Regular Season - 20
  • Date / Kick-off: 2026-08-19T23:30:00Z
  • Venue: Sports Illustrated Stadium, Harrison
  • Status: Not Started

Standings & form

New York Red Bulls sit 8th in the Eastern Conference on 25 points after 19 matches (7 wins, 4 draws, 8 defeats). They have scored 30 and conceded 41, for a goal difference of -11, and their recent form string reads LWLLW. At home, Red Bulls have played 9 times, winning 4, drawing 2 and losing 3, with 16 goals scored and 18 conceded.

Nashville SC arrive as 1st in the Eastern Conference, with 43 points from 19 games. Their record stands at 13 wins, 4 draws and just 2 losses, with 39 goals scored and 15 conceded, giving a goal difference of +24. Their form line is a strong WDLWW. Away from home, Nashville have played 9, winning 4, drawing 3 and losing 2, scoring 10 and conceding only 5.

Season statistics underline the contrast between the sides. New York Red Bulls have managed just 1 clean sheet in 19 league matches and have failed to score 4 times. Nashville, by comparison, have kept 8 clean sheets and also failed to score in 4 games. Nashville have shown flexibility in shape, using 4-4-2, 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 across the campaign. Discipline could be worth monitoring: both teams show a tendency to pick up yellow cards late in matches, with a large share of their cautions arriving between minutes 76–90.

Head-to-head

  • 2025-05-15: Nashville SC 2–1 New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer)
  • 2025-03-02: New York Red Bulls 2–0 Nashville SC (Major League Soccer)
  • 2024-06-15: New York Red Bulls 0–0 Nashville SC (Major League Soccer)
  • 2024-02-24: Nashville SC 0–0 New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer)
  • 2023-10-22: Nashville SC 0–1 New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer)

The recent head to head record in MLS between New York Red Bulls and Nashville SC has been tight. Across these five league meetings, Red Bulls have recorded two wins (2–0 at home in March 2025 and 1–0 away in October 2023), Nashville have one victory (2–1 at home in May 2025), and there have been two goalless draws in 2024. Low-scoring games have been a theme, with three of the five fixtures finishing 1–0 or 0–0.

Team news & absences

For New York Red Bulls, goalkeeper A. Marcucci is listed as a Missing Fixture due to a knee injury. Attacker R. Mosquera is marked as Questionable with a thigh injury, so his involvement remains uncertain.

Nashville SC will be without P. Yazbek, who is ruled out as a Missing Fixture because of a muscle injury. Forward W. Madrigal is Questionable with a lower-body injury, and will need to be assessed closer to kick-off.

Key players to watch

  • S. Surridge (Nashville SC) — 12 goals so far in the 2026 MLS season, making him a major attacking threat for the visitors.
  • J. Hall (New York Red Bulls) — 9 goals and 3 assists, leading the Red Bulls’ scoring charts and central to their attacking hopes.
  • C. Espinoza (Nashville SC) — 3 goals and 7 assists, a key creative outlet who can unlock defenses from wide or advanced positions.
  • C. Cowell (New York Red Bulls) — 2 goals and 5 assists, offering pace and delivery from the flank for the home side.

Prediction

The model for this New York Red Bulls vs Nashville SC prediction leans towards the visitors avoiding defeat. The forecast gives 10% chance to a home win, with both a draw and an away win rated at 45% each. The specific advice is a “Double chance: draw or Nashville SC”, reflecting Nashville’s stronger league position, superior defensive record and more consistent recent form.

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