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New York Red Bulls vs Nashville SC preview: match details and prediction

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 a key Eastern Conference clash set for 19 August 2026 at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, with kick-off scheduled for 23:30 UTC. With both sides pushing for strong playoff seeding, fans searching for when New York Red Bulls play next have a significant fixture to circle.

The stakes are clear in the Eastern Conference standings. New York Red Bulls sit in the playoff mix but face a stern test against Nashville SC, who come into this game in impressive form and currently occupy a much higher position. This New York Red Bulls vs Nashville SC preview focuses on how the hosts’ inconsistent recent run stacks up against one of the conference’s most consistent sides, and what that could mean for the outcome.

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 come into this fixture ranked 8th in the Eastern Conference with 25 points from 19 matches. Their overall record stands at 7 wins, 4 draws and 8 defeats, with 30 goals scored and 41 conceded, giving them a goal difference of -11. At home, they have played 9 times, winning 4, drawing 2 and losing 3, with a home goal tally of 16 for and 18 against. Their recent form line of LWLLW underlines the inconsistency that has kept them in the middle of the conference pack.

Nashville SC arrive in Harrison as one of the Eastern Conference’s strongest performers so far. They sit 1st in the Eastern Conference with 43 points from 19 games, built on a record of 13 wins, 4 draws and just 2 losses. They have scored 39 goals and conceded only 15, for a healthy goal difference of +24. On their travels, Nashville have played 9 away matches, winning 4, drawing 3 and losing 2, with 10 goals scored and 5 conceded. Their current form string of WDLWW shows they remain difficult to beat, even if not flawless.

Season statistics add further context. New York Red Bulls have managed just 1 clean sheet across their 19 league games and have failed to score 4 times. They have converted their only penalty of the season so far. Discipline-wise, they have picked up a notable cluster of yellow cards late in games, particularly between minutes 76–90, and have received 2 red cards this campaign.

Nashville SC, by contrast, have been far more solid defensively, registering 8 clean sheets (3 at home and 5 away) and also failing to score on 4 occasions. From the spot, they are a perfect 3 from 3 on penalties. In terms of tactical setup, Nashville have shown flexibility, most often lining up in a 4-4-2 (8 matches), but also using 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 regularly.

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 Major League Soccer head-to-head record between these sides has been tight and low-scoring overall. Across these five league meetings, New York Red Bulls have recorded two wins (2–0 at home in March 2025 and 1–0 away in October 2023), Nashville SC have one victory (2–1 at home in May 2025), and there have been two goalless draws in 2024. Three of the five matches finished with at least one side failing to score, underlining how fine the margins have been.

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 clash. Attacker R. Mosquera is marked as Questionable with a Thigh Injury, so his involvement remains uncertain and will be one of the key team news points closer to kick-off.

Nashville SC will be without P. Yazbek, who is also classified as Missing Fixture because of a Muscle Injury. In addition, W. Madrigal is Questionable with a Lower-Body Injury, giving the visitors at least one selection concern as they head to Harrison.

Key players to watch

  • S. Surridge (Nashville SC) — 12 goals in Major League Soccer this season make him a major attacking threat. His finishing has been clinical, including 3 successful penalties.
  • J. Hall (New York Red Bulls) — The young attacker has contributed 9 goals and 3 assists, leading the Red Bulls’ scoring charts and carrying much of their attacking responsibility.
  • C. Espinoza (Nashville SC) — With 3 goals and 7 assists, he is a creative hub for Nashville, supplying chances and posing a scoring threat of his own.
  • C. Cowell (New York Red Bulls) — Has chipped in with 2 goals and 5 assists, providing width and service for the Red Bulls’ front line.

Prediction

The data-led New York Red Bulls vs Nashville SC prediction leans towards the visitors avoiding defeat. The prediction model gives New York Red Bulls a 10% chance of victory, with both the draw and a Nashville SC win rated at 45% each. The advice is a “Double chance: draw or Nashville SC”, reflecting Nashville’s strong league position, superior goal difference and more consistent form, even if Red Bulls’ home record and the tight head-to-head history suggest the hosts cannot be completely written off.

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