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New York Red Bulls vs Philadelphia Union preview: next match details

The next New York Red Bulls match sees them host rivals Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer on 29 August 2026. This Eastern Conference clash is part of the Regular Season - 22 round and will be played at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, with kick-off scheduled for 23:30 UTC. For fans wondering when New York Red Bulls play next, this home date against Philadelphia is a key fixture in their push to stay in the MLS play-off picture.

This New York Red Bulls vs Philadelphia Union preview focuses on two sides separated by five points in the Eastern Conference standings. Red Bulls come in sitting eighth, currently in a promotion play-off position, but with inconsistent form. Philadelphia, 13th in the conference, have found momentum recently and are looking to close the gap on the teams above them. With recent head-to-head meetings largely going the Union’s way, this rivalry match carries extra weight for both clubs’ seasons.

Match details: date, kick-off & venue

  • Competition: Major League Soccer, Regular Season - 22
  • Date / Kick-off: 2026-08-29, 23:30 UTC
  • Venue: Sports Illustrated Stadium, Harrison
  • Status: Not Started (Fixture has not started yet)

Standings & form

New York Red Bulls sit 8th in the Eastern Conference with 26 points from 21 matches (7 wins, 5 draws, 9 defeats). They have scored 31 and conceded 43, for a goal difference of -12. At home, Red Bulls have played 11 times, winning 4, drawing 3 and losing 4, with 17 goals for and 20 against. Their recent form line in the league reads DLLWL, underlining their inconsistency as they try to protect a spot that currently carries a “Promotion - MLS (Play Offs: 1/16-finals)” description.

Philadelphia Union arrive in Harrison in 13th place in the Eastern Conference on 21 points after 21 games (5 wins, 6 draws, 10 losses). They have also scored 31 but conceded 38, giving a goal difference of -7. Away from home, Union have struggled: 11 road matches have produced 2 wins, 2 draws and 7 defeats, with 19 goals scored and 27 conceded. However, their current form string of DDWWW shows a strong upturn, with an unbeaten run featuring three consecutive victories before two draws.

From the season statistics, New York Red Bulls have managed just 1 clean sheet in 21 league fixtures and have failed to score 5 times. They have converted their only penalty of the campaign (1 scored from 1). Discipline-wise, Red Bulls have picked up a notable cluster of yellow cards late in games, with 16 yellow cards between minutes 76–90 and 7 between 91–105, plus 2 red cards overall.

Philadelphia Union have kept 3 clean sheets so far and, like Red Bulls, have failed to score in 5 matches. From the spot they have taken 4 penalties, scoring 3 and missing 1. Tactically, they have shown continuity, using a 4-4-2 formation in all 21 league games. On the discipline front, Union have accumulated yellow cards fairly evenly across the match, with 10 between minutes 31–45 and 9 between 76–90, and have received 4 red cards across different time ranges.

Head-to-head

  • 2026-07-22: Philadelphia Union 3–1 New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer)
  • 2025-08-16: New York Red Bulls 1–0 Philadelphia Union (Major League Soccer)
  • 2025-08-13: Philadelphia Union 3–2 New York Red Bulls (US Open Cup)
  • 2025-07-12: Philadelphia Union 2–0 New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer)
  • 2024-08-31: New York Red Bulls 0–2 Philadelphia Union (Major League Soccer)
  • 2024-07-06: Philadelphia Union 0–0 New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer)
  • 2023-09-03: Philadelphia Union 4–1 New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer)
  • 2023-08-09: Philadelphia Union 1–1 New York Red Bulls (Leagues Cup)
  • 2023-05-06: New York Red Bulls 0–1 Philadelphia Union (Major League Soccer)
  • 2022-09-03: New York Red Bulls 0–2 Philadelphia Union (Major League Soccer)

The head-to-head record in recent seasons has heavily favoured Philadelphia Union. They have recorded multiple wins both home and away, including the most recent league meeting, a 3–1 home victory on 22 July 2026. New York Red Bulls did claim a 1–0 home success in August 2025, but that is their only win in the list above, with Union otherwise dominant and several multi-goal victories, particularly at Subaru Park. Draws have been relatively rare, with goalless and 1–1 scorelines appearing just twice in these ten fixtures.

Team news & absences

For New York Red Bulls, goalkeeper A. Marcucci is listed as Missing Fixture due to a Knee Injury, ruling him out of this match. Two attacking options are currently doubtful: C. Cowell is Questionable with an Injury, while R. Mosquera is also Questionable because of a Thigh Injury. These potential absences could impact Red Bulls’ rotation and bench depth for this home fixture.

Key players to watch

  • M. Iloski (Philadelphia Union) — 10 goals and 2 assists in Major League Soccer 2026 make him a central attacking threat. With 57 shots (28 on target) and a strong creative output of 46 key passes, he is likely to be at the heart of Union’s attacking play in Harrison.

Prediction

The data-driven New York Red Bulls vs Philadelphia Union prediction leans towards the visitors avoiding defeat. The model gives Philadelphia Union a 45% chance of victory, with a 45% probability of a draw and just 10% for a Red Bulls win. The advised tip is a “Double chance: draw or Philadelphia Union”, reflecting Union’s stronger recent form and superior head-to-head record, even though Red Bulls have home advantage and are currently higher in the Eastern Conference standings.

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