New York Red Bulls vs Philadelphia Union preview: match date, venue & key points

The next New York Red Bulls match sees them host long-time rivals Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer on 29 August 2026. This Eastern Conference clash is part of the Regular Season - 22 and will be played at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, with kick-off scheduled for 23:30 UTC. For fans searching for a detailed New York Red Bulls vs Philadelphia Union preview, this fixture brings together two sides chasing momentum in the playoff race.

New York Red Bulls come into this home game sitting 8th in the Eastern Conference, aiming to strengthen their position in the playoff spots. Philadelphia Union, currently 13th, arrive in better recent form and looking to close the gap on their conference rivals. With both teams separated by just five points in the standings and with plenty of recent history between them, this meeting in Harrison has significant implications for the second half of the MLS season.

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, the Red Bulls have played 11 times, winning 4, drawing 3 and losing 4, with 17 goals scored and 20 conceded. Their recent conference form is listed as DLLWL, underlining an inconsistent run coming into this game.

Philadelphia Union are currently 13th in the Eastern Conference with 21 points from their 21 league fixtures (5 wins, 6 draws, 10 losses). They have also netted 31 league goals but conceded 38, giving a goal difference of -7. Away from home, the Union have played 11 matches, winning 2, drawing 2 and losing 7, with 19 goals scored and 27 against. Their recent form string of DDWWW shows an upturn, with an unbeaten run over the last five conference games.

Season statistics add extra context: New York Red Bulls have managed just 1 clean sheet all season and have failed to score 5 times, highlighting some inconsistency at both ends of the pitch. Philadelphia Union, meanwhile, have recorded 3 clean sheets and also failed to score in 5 matches. From the spot, the Red Bulls have converted 1 out of 1 penalties, while the Union have taken 4 penalties, scoring 3 and missing 1. Discipline could be monitored too, with both sides showing a spread of yellow and red cards across matches, and Philadelphia frequently lining up in a 4-4-2 formation (21 games).

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 tilts strongly towards Philadelphia Union. They have taken multiple league wins both home and away, including the most recent MLS meeting on 22 July 2026, a 3–1 home victory at Subaru Park. New York Red Bulls’ standout result in this run was a 1–0 home win in August 2025, but overall the Union have consistently found ways to get results, adding extra intrigue to this latest encounter in Harrison.

Team news & absences

New York Red Bulls have several concerns listed ahead of this fixture. Goalkeeper A. Marcucci is marked as Missing Fixture due to a Knee Injury, ruling him out of the match. In addition, attacker C. Cowell is Questionable with an Injury, while R. Mosquera is also Questionable because of a Thigh Injury. These issues could impact the hosts’ options in goal and in the attacking third.

Key players to watch

• M. Iloski (Philadelphia Union) — 10 goals and 2 assists in the 2026 MLS season, making him a central attacking threat for the visitors.

Prediction

The data-driven New York Red Bulls vs Philadelphia Union prediction leans slightly towards the visitors avoiding defeat. The model gives New York Red Bulls just 10% chance of a home win, with both the draw and an away victory rated at 45% each. The advice is a “Double chance: draw or Philadelphia Union”, reflecting Philadelphia’s stronger recent form and dominant head-to-head record, even though their away results this season have been mixed. For the Red Bulls, turning home advantage into points will be crucial if they are to defy those percentages and tighten their grip on a playoff place.