New York City FC host Red Bull New York on Friday night at Yankee Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30PM ET.
Here are the Keys to the match, presented by Ford.
State of Play
It’s been four months since the two teams last met in the Hudson River Derby, and the excitement is palpable.
A 1-1 draw at Red Bull Arena in May represented the latest installment in the more-than-decade-long rivalry between the two teams on either side of the Hudson River. This will, however, be the third meeting between the two teams in 2026—a 3-1 victory in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in late April representing the first derby game of the season.
Now reuniting at Yankee Stadium this Friday, just two points separate the teams, with New York City FC sitting eighth in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of Red Bull New York following their win against Real Salt Lake this past weekend.
With the Red Bulls sitting just below the playoff line in the Eastern Conference, there is plenty to play for on Friday, including local bragging rights. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at Yankee Stadium, so make sure you’re in your seat early to ensure the noise is felt by both sets of players long before they take to the field.
Home Ground
The Boys in Blue will host the Red Bulls looking to build on an impressive road win against Real Salt Lake this past weekend.
A wonderful solo strike from Nicolás Fernández Mercau and a well-taken finish from Luighi secured a 2-0 win in Utah on Saturday. It’s often said the form book goes out the window when a derby fixture rolls around, but there are some positive numbers for New York City FC.
New York City FC have won three of their last five home derby games, losing one and drawing one. Last season, goals from Maxi Moralez and Alonso Martínez helped the hosts run out 2-0 winners against the Red Bulls at Citi Field.
To date, the fastest goal in Hudson River Derby history came at Yankee Stadium, when Alex Callens headed past Carlos Coronel after just 49 seconds. This will also be Head Coach Michael Bradley’s first time in the dugout at Yankee Stadium.
That adds a fresh edge to the game, with both coaches keen to leave Friday night with three points and another win in the column against their local rivals.
Rest Up
This month has been a busy one for New York City FC, with Friday’s encounter being the fourth game in 14 days for Pascal Jansen and his players.
The team currently has six days of rest between the Real Salt Lake match and Friday’s contest against the Red Bulls. Following the conclusion of Friday’s game, they will have eight days before their next match on the road against Atlanta United.
Speaking after the victory against RSL, Club Captain Thiago Martins explained in simple terms what the week involves for the players as they prepare for Friday’s encounter.
“We know it's a derby,” he said. “We know how important these game are. They feel different because it's a derby, but we need to work during the week, prepare ourselves the best way to play against them. Simple as that.”
