Seattle Sounders vs New York Red Bulls match preview: kick-off, venue & predictions

The next Seattle Sounders match sees them host New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer on 6 September 2026 at Lumen Field in Seattle. The fixture is part of the Regular Season - 23 round and is scheduled to kick off at 00:30 UTC. For fans wondering when Seattle Sounders play next, this home date against an Eastern Conference opponent is a key opportunity to reset their season.

This Seattle Sounders vs New York Red Bulls preview comes with both teams locked on 26 points in their respective conferences, but arriving in contrasting form. Seattle are trying to halt a poor run that has dragged them down the Western standings, while New York Red Bulls are clinging to a promotion play-off spot in the East. With both sides needing points to stay in the postseason picture, this cross-conference clash at Lumen Field has plenty riding on it.

Match details: date, kick-off & venue

Competition: Major League Soccer, Regular Season - 23
Date / Kick-off: 2026-09-06, 00:30 UTC
Venue: Lumen Field, Seattle
Status: Not Started (Fixture has not started yet)

Standings & form

Seattle Sounders come into this game ranked 12th in the Western Conference on 26 points after 21 matches. Their overall record stands at 7 wins, 5 draws and 9 defeats, with 24 goals scored and 29 conceded for a goal difference of -5. At Lumen Field they have played 10 times, recording 4 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses, scoring 16 and conceding 18. Recent form is a concern, with a five-game sequence of DDLLL reflecting a slide that this home fixture must help to arrest.

New York Red Bulls travel west sitting 8th in the Eastern Conference, also on 26 points but from 22 matches. Their overall record mirrors Seattle’s in wins and draws with 7 victories, 5 draws and 10 defeats, but they have been involved in higher-scoring contests, netting 32 goals and conceding 46 for a goal difference of -14. Away from home they have played 10 times, earning 3 wins, 2 draws and 5 losses, scoring 14 and conceding 23. Their current form string of LDLLW suggests inconsistency, but they do come into this one off a win.

From a season-statistics perspective, Seattle Sounders have kept 5 clean sheets so far (1 at home, 4 away) and have failed to score in 5 matches. They have successfully converted 2 penalties from 2, and most often line up in a 4-2-3-1 shape, used 18 times. New York Red Bulls have managed just 1 clean sheet across their campaign and have also failed to score in 5 games. They have converted their single penalty attempt this season. Discipline could be important, with both sides showing clear yellow and red card records across different time ranges.

Head-to-head

2023-05-28: Seattle Sounders 1–0 New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer)
2019-09-15: Seattle Sounders 4–2 New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer)
2018-06-14: New York Red Bulls 2–1 Seattle Sounders (Major League Soccer)
2017-03-19: Seattle Sounders 3–1 New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer)
2016-06-19: New York Red Bulls 2–0 Seattle Sounders (Major League Soccer)
2015-05-31: Seattle Sounders 2–1 New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer)
2014-09-20: New York Red Bulls 4–1 Seattle Sounders (Major League Soccer)
2013-09-30: Seattle Sounders 1–1 New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer)
2012-07-15: New York Red Bulls 2–2 Seattle Sounders (Major League Soccer)

The head-to-head record between Seattle Sounders and New York Red Bulls has been evenly contested over the years provided. Seattle have enjoyed strong results at home, including a 1–0 win at Lumen Field in May 2023 and a high-scoring 4–2 victory in 2019. New York Red Bulls, however, have produced notable home wins of their own, such as 2–0 in 2016 and 4–1 in 2014. Several draws, including 1–1 in 2013 and 2–2 in 2012, underline how often these games stay competitive.

Team news & absences

Seattle Sounders have a significant injury list ahead of this fixture. J. Ferreira (Injury), Y. Gomez Andrade (Muscle Injury), N. Petkovic (Knee Injury), J. Ragen (Knee Injury) and P. de La Vega (Calf Injury) are all listed as Missing Fixture. There are also doubts over P. Arriola (Calf Injury) and X. Gnaulati (Injury), who are both marked as Questionable for this match.

For New York Red Bulls, A. Marcucci (Knee Injury) is ruled out as a Missing Fixture, while R. Mosquera (Thigh Injury) is rated Questionable and will need to be assessed closer to kick-off. These absences could influence selection and tactics on both sides and are key team news factors heading into Lumen Field.

Key players to watch

A. Rusnák (Seattle Sounders) — The midfielder has contributed 3 goals and 7 assists in the 2026 Major League Soccer season, underlining his importance as a creative hub for Seattle in the final third.

Prediction

The model’s Seattle Sounders vs New York Red Bulls prediction leans slightly towards the hosts avoiding defeat. The forecast gives Seattle Sounders a 35% chance of winning, the draw also at 35%, and New York Red Bulls at 30%. The advice is a “Double chance : Seattle Sounders or draw”, reflecting Seattle’s generally solid home record and strong recent head-to-head results in Seattle, balanced against their current poor form and the Red Bulls’ higher-scoring profile. Fans can expect a tight contest where a single moment of quality could decide it.