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Seattle Sounders vs New York Red Bulls match preview

The next Seattle Sounders match sees them host New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer Regular Season - 23 at Lumen Field in Seattle. The fixture is scheduled to kick off on 2026-09-06T00:30:00Z, with the status currently listed as Not Started. For fans wondering when Seattle Sounders play next, this home clash against Eastern Conference side New York Red Bulls is the answer.

This Seattle Sounders vs New York Red Bulls preview comes at a time when both teams sit on 26 points in their respective conferences, but with contrasting recent form. Seattle are trying to halt a poor run in the Western Conference, while New York Red Bulls arrive from the Eastern Conference looking to consolidate a position that currently carries a play-off description. With both clubs level on points and deep into the 2026 MLS season, this cross-conference meeting could be significant for their push up their respective standings.

Match details: date, kick-off & venue

  • Competition: Major League Soccer, Regular Season - 23
  • Date / Kick-off: 2026-09-06T00:30:00Z
  • Venue: Lumen Field, Seattle
  • Status: Not Started

Standings & form

Seattle Sounders come into this game ranked 12th in the Western Conference with 26 points from 21 matches. Their overall record stands at 7 wins, 5 draws and 9 defeats, with 24 goals scored and 29 conceded, giving 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 league form is worrying, with a five-game sequence of DDLLL, underlining the need for a response at home.

New York Red Bulls travel west sitting 8th in the Eastern Conference on 26 points after 22 matches. Their overall record mirrors Seattle’s in wins and draws with 7 victories, 5 draws and 10 defeats, but they have both scored more and conceded significantly more: 32 goals for and 46 against, for a goal difference of -14. Away from home, Red Bulls have played 10 matches, posting 3 wins, 2 draws and 5 losses, with 14 goals scored and 23 conceded. Their recent form string of LDLLW shows one win in the last five, but they do come into this fixture off a victory.

From the broader season statistics, Seattle have managed 5 clean sheets (1 at home, 4 away) and have failed to score in 5 league matches. New York Red Bulls have kept 1 clean sheet all season and also failed to score 5 times. Seattle have successfully converted both of their 2 penalties awarded, while New York Red Bulls have scored their single penalty attempt. In terms of discipline, Seattle’s yellow cards are spread across the match, with a notable concentration between minutes 46–60, while New York Red Bulls pick up a large share of their yellows between minutes 76–90. Seattle have predominantly lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, used 18 times this season.

Head-to-head

  • 2023-05-28T02:30:00Z: Seattle Sounders 1–0 New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer)
  • 2019-09-15T22:00:00Z: Seattle Sounders 4–2 New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer)
  • 2018-06-14T00:00:00Z: New York Red Bulls 2–1 Seattle Sounders (Major League Soccer)
  • 2017-03-19T23:00:00Z: Seattle Sounders 3–1 New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer)
  • 2016-06-19T23:30:00Z: New York Red Bulls 2–0 Seattle Sounders (Major League Soccer)

The recent head-to-head meetings listed show a fairly balanced rivalry with a slight edge to the home side in each individual fixture. Seattle Sounders have won all three of the referenced home games against New York Red Bulls (1–0 in 2023, 4–2 in 2019 and 3–1 in 2017), while Red Bulls have defended their own turf with two home victories (2–1 in 2018 and 2–0 in 2016). That pattern underlines how important home advantage at Lumen Field could be in this latest encounter.

Team news & absences

Seattle Sounders have several confirmed absentees for this match. 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 two doubts: P. Arriola (Calf Injury) and X. Gnaulati (Injury) are marked as Questionable for Seattle.

For New York Red Bulls, A. Marcucci (Knee Injury) is ruled out as a Missing Fixture, while R. Mosquera (Thigh Injury) is considered Questionable ahead of the trip to Lumen Field. These injury and availability issues could influence selection and tactics on both sides.

Key players to watch

  • A. Rusnák (Seattle Sounders) — Has contributed 3 goals and 7 assists in the 2026 MLS season, emerging as a key creative force from midfield for Seattle Sounders.

Prediction

The data-driven model for this Seattle Sounders vs New York Red Bulls prediction leans slightly towards the hosts avoiding defeat. The advice is a “Double chance : Seattle Sounders or draw”, with the win-or-draw outcome for Seattle highlighted. The predicted outcome percentages are 35% home win, 35% draw and 30% away win, indicating a tight contest but with a marginal tilt towards Seattle at Lumen Field.

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