Venue and kickoff:
Sports Illustrated
600 Cape May Street, Harrison, New Jersey.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CT).
Available on Apple TV (MLS Season Pass); Nashville radio on 104.5 The Zone.
Weather forecast for Harrison, NJ (evening): Sunny during the day with highs in the upper 80s°F (~87–88°F). Evening temperatures in the low-to-mid 70s°F under mostly clear to partly cloudy skies. Light west/northwest winds around 5 mph. Pleasant late-summer conditions with low precipitation chances for kickoff.
Injury reports
New York Red Bulls: A.J. Marcucci (knee, Out); Rafael Mosquera (thigh, Questionable).
Nashville SC: Warren Madrigal (lower body, Out). Patrick Yazbek is noted as available/returning after a long absence in some reports (previously out with lower-body/quad issues).
Current key roster notes
New York Red Bulls (coach Michael Bradley): GK Ethan Horvath; defenders Dylan Nealis, Matthew Dos Santos, Justin Che, Julián Bazán, Tim Parker; midfielders Emil Forsberg, Adri Mehmeti, Ronald Donkor; attackers Julian Hall (~9 goals), Jorge Ruvalcaba (~7 goals), Cade Cowell, and others (e.g., Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as option). Hall and Ruvalcaba lead the scoring.
Nashville SC (coach B.J. Callaghan): GK Brian Schwake; defenders Andy Najar, Dan Lovitz, Jeisson Palacios, Maxwell Woledzi, Jack Maher; midfielders Hany Mukhtar, Edvard Tagseth, Matthew Corcoran, Cristian Espinoza, Elias Saad; forward Sam Surridge (~12 goals, Golden Boot contender). Mukhtar provides creativity and goals; the defense has been elite (league-low goals conceded).
Key player vs. player matchups:
Sam Surridge / Hany Mukhtar (Nashville attack) vs. Red Bulls back line (Nealis/Dos Santos/Che) and Horvath: Nashville’s potent front line (Surridge’s finishing + Mukhtar’s chance creation) against a Red Bulls defense that has conceded heavily at times. Containing this duo is critical.
Julian Hall / Jorge Ruvalcaba / Emil Forsberg (Red Bulls) vs. Nashville defense (Woledzi/Palacios/Najar) and Schwake: Hall’s goal threat and Forsberg’s playmaking test Nashville’s league-best defensive structure.
Midfield battle: Forsberg/Mehmeti/Donkor vs. Mukhtar/Tagseth/Espinoza/Corcoran — control of possession and transitions will decide tempo. Nashville typically dominates possession and limits chances.
Goalkeeping: Experienced options on both sides in what could be a lower-scoring game given Nashville’s defensive prowess.
Recent team forms:
Nashville SC: Dominant. Recent 4-1 thrashing of Inter Miami (statement win), with strong results including multiple clean sheets. League-best defense (fewest goals allowed, ~15) and top of the table with a +24 GD. Excellent overall form (13-2-4); road form solid. Seeking a first-ever win at this venue.
New York Red Bulls: Inconsistent. Recent 1-2 loss at Atlanta; earlier home win over Orlando (3-2) mixed with losses. Home form around 4-3-2; they score in bunches at times but concede frequently (among the higher totals in the league). Fighting for playoff positioning.
Series history
New York has historically been a tough matchup for Nashville. Nashville has yet to win at Sports Illustrated Stadium in prior visits (0 wins in four trips noted) and owns only one all-time win against the Red Bulls (a 2-1 home victory last season). Recent meetings have been competitive, with draws and narrow results common. First meeting of 2026.
Betting trends
Trends heavily favor Nashville due to superior form, defense, and overall quality, though the venue has been challenging historically. Both teams to score is possible but less likely given Nashville’s stinginess.
This is a mismatch on paper: league-leading Nashville, riding high after dismantling Inter Miami, visits a middling Red Bulls side. Nashville should control proceedings and chase a rare road win in Harrison, though the home side’s attacking options keep an upset possible. Expect a disciplined, Nashville-favored contest with major Supporters’ Shield implications.
MATCH ODDS
Nashville SC + 120
New York Red Bulls + 185
Draw + 265
Over 3.5 + 135 Under 3.5 – 170
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, August 18, 2026
