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 Regular Season action at Lumen Field. The fixture is scheduled for 2026-09-06T00:30:00Z, with the status currently listed as Not Started. For fans wondering when Seattle Sounders play next, this home clash offers a chance to respond to a difficult recent run.

This Seattle Sounders vs New York Red Bulls preview focuses on two sides level on points in their respective conferences. Seattle sit mid-pack in the Western Conference, while New York Red Bulls are in the mix for the MLS Play Offs in the East. With both teams on 26 points, this inter-conference meeting could be important for momentum heading into the final third of the season.

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 (Fixture has not started yet)

Standings & form

Seattle Sounders come into this match ranked 12th in the Western Conference with 26 points from 21 games (7 wins, 5 draws, 9 defeats). They have scored 24 goals and conceded 29, for a goal difference of -5. At Lumen Field, Seattle have played 10 times, winning 4, drawing 2 and losing 4, with a home goals record of 16 scored and 18 conceded. Their recent league form reads DDLLL, underlining a need to halt a three-game losing streak.

New York Red Bulls travel west sitting 8th in the Eastern Conference, also on 26 points but from 22 matches (7 wins, 5 draws, 10 losses). They have found the net 32 times but shipped 46, giving them a goal difference of -14. Away from home, the Red Bulls have played 10 games, winning 3, drawing 2 and losing 5, with 14 goals scored and 23 conceded on the road. Their current form line is LDLLW, with a valuable win last time out snapping a poor run.

From the wider season statistics, Seattle have kept 5 clean sheets (1 at home and 4 away) and have failed to score in 5 league matches. New York Red Bulls have managed 1 clean sheet all season and have also failed to score 5 times. Discipline could be a factor: Seattle’s data shows a spread of yellow cards across all phases of games, while New York Red Bulls accumulate a notable number of yellows late on, especially between minutes 76–90. Both sides are perfect from the spot so far, with Seattle scoring 2 penalties from 2 and New York Red Bulls converting 1 from 1.

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 record shows a competitive series. In the five meetings listed above, Seattle Sounders have won three times, all at home (1–0 in 2023, 4–2 in 2019 and 3–1 in 2017). New York Red Bulls have two victories, both at Red Bull Arena (2–1 in 2018 and 2–0 in 2016). That pattern underlines the strength of home advantage in this fixture, with Seattle unbeaten in the three encounters played in Seattle during this span.

Team news & absences

Seattle Sounders have several issues ahead of this game. 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 and are not expected to feature. In addition, P. Arriola (Calf Injury) and X. Gnaulati (Injury) are marked as Questionable for the match.

For New York Red Bulls, goalkeeper A. Marcucci is ruled out as a Missing Fixture due to a Knee Injury. Winger R. Mosquera is listed as Questionable with a Thigh Injury, leaving some uncertainty over his availability.

Key players to watch

• A. Rusnák (Seattle Sounders) — The midfielder has contributed 3 goals and 7 assists in the 2026 MLS season, making him a key creative outlet for Seattle in the final third.

Prediction

The data model leans slightly towards the hosts in this Seattle Sounders vs New York Red Bulls prediction. The probabilities indicate 35% home win, 35% draw and 30% away win, with the advice set as: “Double chance : Seattle Sounders or draw”. That reflects Seattle’s strong home head-to-head record against the Red Bulls and New York’s defensive record, even though both sides share the same points tally and have had inconsistent league form.