NYCFC and NY Red Bulls to begin 2026 on the road as MLS set for two-month World Cup break

New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls will both kick off their 2026 MLS campaigns on the road, with NYCFC heading to LA Galaxy and the Red Bulls heading to Orlando in late February next year.

As they have done each season since 2022, NYCFC will begin their season with back-to-back away games, taking on Galaxy on Sunday, Feb. 22 before traveling to Philadelphia for a repeat of the 2025 Eastern Conference semi-final on Sunday, March 1.

Pascal Jansen’s side will host their home opener against Orlando at Yankee Stadium on March 7, the first of four successive home games they will play across March and April.

The Red Bulls, on the other hand, will open their campaign in Orlando on Saturday, Feb. 21, before welcoming the New England Revolution to Sports Illustrated Stadium a week later on Feb. 28.

NYCFC will travel to Harrison on Saturday, May 16 for the first Hudson River Derby of the season, marking the fourth year in a row that the sides have met in mid-May.

The return fixture, meanwhile, is scheduled to take place under Friday night lights at Yankee stadium on Sept. 18, also marking the fourth season on the bounce that the sides will meet in September.

Yankee Stadium is set to play host to 10 of NYCFC’s 14 regular-season home games next year, including the visit of Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami on March 22. Citi Field, on the other hand, will host just four games, starting with an encounter with St. Louis on April 4.

Messi and Co. will visit Sports Illustrated Stadium on Oct. 24, with Red Bulls set to travel to Miami on April 11. NYCFC will travel to Miami on Oct. 14.

Red Bulls will conclude their regular season campaign with a home fixture against Atlanta on Nov. 7, with NYCFC set to round out their campaign at DC United on the same date.

The 2026 Decision Day is considerably later than the final day of the 2025 regular season, which concluded on Oct. 18. That is largely because of a two-month pause to MLS affairs from late May to late July as the 2026 FIFA World Cup rolls into town.

NYCFC will travel to Nashville on May 23 for its last game before the tournament, returning to action with a trip to Columbus on July 22.

The Red Bulls will bookend the two-month gap with trips to Kansas City on May 23 and Philadelphia on July 22.

NYCFC CEO Brad Sims did not appear to be perturbed by the extensive mid-season break, however, stating that the World Cup will create never-before-seen excitement around soccer in New York.

“There’s never been a more exciting time to be a soccer fan in New York City,” Sims said in a statement. “With the World Cup coming to North America, including the final happening right here in our market, this will be one of the most important years in the history of MLS and soccer in the US.”

Sims further believes that the World Cup provides MLS clubs to “build on the energy” of the biggest tournament in world sports.

“The beautiful game will be at the center of the global stage, and New York City will be at the heart of it. We can’t wait to build on that energy, celebrate this monumental year for soccer, and create more unforgettable moments with our fans.”