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

The next New York Red Bulls match sees them host high-flying Nashville SC in Major League Soccer Regular Season - 20. This New York Red Bulls vs Nashville SC preview looks ahead to the Eastern Conference clash scheduled for 19 August 2026 at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, with kick-off at 23:30 UTC. The fixture is marked as Not Started, with the game yet to get underway.

When fans ask when New York Red Bulls play next, the answer is a home test against the current Eastern Conference pace-setters. Red Bulls come into this round sitting 8th in the Eastern Conference, chasing consistency and play-off security, while Nashville SC arrive as 1st in the Eastern Conference after an impressive campaign so far. With both sides in the play-off positions and Nashville pushing from a strong platform, this matchup could have a significant impact on the conference standings.

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 losses). They have scored 30 and conceded 41, for a goal difference of -11. At home, Red Bulls have played 9 times, winning 4, drawing 2 and losing 3, with 16 goals for and 18 against. Their recent conference form reads LWLLW, underlining an up-and-down run coming into this Nashville SC encounter.

Nashville SC travel to Harrison as 1st in the Eastern Conference with 43 points from their 19 games (13 wins, 4 draws, 2 defeats). They have scored 39 and conceded just 15, giving them a goal difference of +24. Away from home, Nashville have played 9, winning 4, drawing 3 and losing 2, with 10 goals scored and 5 conceded. Their current form line of WDLWW reflects a strong stretch, keeping them at the top end of the conference and making this road trip another chance to consolidate their position.

Season statistics add further context. New York Red Bulls have managed only 1 clean sheet in 19 league games and have failed to score 4 times. They have been awarded 1 penalty this season and converted it. Discipline-wise, they have accumulated a notable number of yellow cards late in games, with a concentration between minutes 76–90. Nashville SC, meanwhile, boast 8 clean sheets (3 at home, 5 away) and have also failed to score 4 times. They have been perfect from the spot, converting 3 penalties from 3. Nashville have predominantly lined up in 4-4-2, 4-3-3, and 4-2-3-1 systems, showing tactical flexibility.

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)
  • 2023-03-05: New York Red Bulls 0–0 Nashville SC (Major League Soccer)
  • 2023-01-21: New York Red Bulls 1–0 Nashville SC (Friendlies Clubs)
  • 2023-01-21: Nashville SC 0–1 New York Red Bulls (Friendlies Clubs)
  • 2021-11-07: Nashville SC 1–1 New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer)
  • 2021-06-19: New York Red Bulls 2–0 Nashville SC (Major League Soccer)

The head-to-head record between New York Red Bulls and Nashville SC has been tight and often low-scoring. Across the listed competitive MLS meetings, Red Bulls have recorded several wins both home and away, including a 2–0 home success on 2025-03-02 and a 1–0 away victory on 2023-10-22. Nashville’s most recent league win in this series came on 2025-05-15 with a 2–1 home result. Multiple draws, including goalless encounters in 2024 and 2023, suggest that margins are usually fine when these sides meet, adding intrigue to this latest showdown in Harrison.

Team news & absences

New York Red Bulls will be without A. Marcucci, who is listed as Missing Fixture due to a Knee Injury. R. Mosquera is Questionable with a Thigh Injury, leaving his involvement uncertain for this match.

For Nashville SC, P. Yazbek is ruled out as Missing Fixture with a Muscle Injury. In addition, W. Madrigal is marked as Questionable because of a Lower-Body Injury, and his status will need to be monitored closer to kick-off.

Key players to watch

  • S. Surridge (Nashville SC) — 12 goals in Major League Soccer 2026, a prolific attacking threat and a focal point for the visitors’ forward line.
  • J. Hall (New York Red Bulls) — 9 goals and 3 assists, leading the Red Bulls’ scoring charts and central to their attacking hopes at Sports Illustrated Stadium.
  • C. Espinoza (Nashville SC) — 3 goals and 7 assists, a key creative outlet who can unlock defenses and provide service for Surridge.
  • C. Cowell (New York Red Bulls) — 2 goals and 5 assists, offering pace and delivery from attacking areas to complement Hall.

Prediction

The data-driven New York Red Bulls vs Nashville SC prediction leans towards the visitors avoiding defeat. The model’s percentages give Red Bulls a 10% chance of victory, with a 45% probability for a draw and 45% for a Nashville SC win. The stated betting advice is: “Double chance : draw or Nashville SC”, reflecting Nashville’s strong league form, defensive record and clean-sheet numbers, set against Red Bulls’ more inconsistent campaign. While the hosts have a competitive head-to-head history and home advantage, the underlying metrics and current standings suggest Nashville are favoured to take at least a point from Harrison.

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