Orlando City
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
The Lions have a lot of question marks as they kick off the 2026 season at home against the Red Bulls.
Welcome to your match thread and preview for an opening night Eastern Conference matchup between Orlando City (0-0-0, 0 points) and the New York Red Bulls (0-0-0, 0 points) at Inter&Co Stadium (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). This is the first of two scheduled meetings between the teams this season, with the Lions not set to make the return trip to Sports Illustrated Stadium until Aug. 1.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.
History
The Lions are 8-10-5 in 22 league meetings with the Red Bulls in the all-time series (9-11-5 in all competitions), with a record of 4-4-3 at home in the regular season and 5-5-3 in Orlando in all competitions. Orlando City is not in a good run of form against New York, having gone 0-2-3 in the last five meetings (0-1-2 in Orlando). OCSC is no longer unbeaten in MLS openers after dropping last year’s initial game, so the Lions are 3-1-7 all time to start the season.
The teams split the points in both meetings a year ago, playing to a 0-0 draw in Orlando on April 12, 2025. That wasn’t a bad result for the Lions, considering Rodrigo Schlegel was sent off early in the second half after receiving his second yellow card of the game. It was Orlando’s second consecutive scoreless draw out of three straight, and four 0-0 affairs in five matches during a particularly dry patch for the Lions’ offense.
These two sides met less than a month prior to that game, playing to a 2-2 draw at Sports Illustrated Stadium on March 15. Martin Ojeda’s strike put Orlando up early, but it was canceled out by a controversial penalty by Eric Choupo-Moting just 11 minutes later. Marco Pasalic restored the Lions’ lead before the break with a stunning strike. However, Dennis Gjengaar was left unattended in front just two minutes after the restart, and he scored the tying goal.
The two teams faced off in the 2024 Eastern Conference final at Inter&Co Stadium on Nov. 30, 2024, with an Andres Reyes set piece goal all that separated the sides in a 1-0 New York win. It was the first-ever playoff meeting between the two clubs.
The teams met in New Jersey on June 1, 2024, with the hosts coming away with a 1-0 win on a set piece goal from John Tolkin. Orlando City wasn’t in the best run of form at the time, and it was the third shutout the Lions suffered in a five-game span. The first meeting of the 2024 season came at Inter&Co Stadium on March 30, with the two sides playing to a 1-1 draw. A Kyle Smith foul in the box allowed Lewis Morgan to put the visitors ahead, but a late own goal by Noah Eile resulted in a stalemate.
Orlando City got the sweep in 2023 and did not concede a goal in the series, winning the last meeting of the year 3-0 at the stadium then known as Red Bull Arena. Facundo Torres scored twice — once from the spot — after Ivan Angulo opened the scoring for an easy road win. The two sides met in Orlando on opening day of 2023, with Orlando City winning 1-0 on a Torres penalty kick on Feb. 25. Sean Nealis’ handball allowed the Lions to start the season with a victory.
Orlando City won at Red Bull Arena 1-0 on Aug. 13, 2022, thanks to a Torres goal. That allowed the Lions to split the regular-season meetings and take two of three against New York in all competitions in 2022.
The Lions scored five unanswered goals to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 5-1 romp in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals on July 27, 2022 at Exploria Stadium. Cesar Araujo scored his first two professional goals on set pieces, while Mauricio Pereyra, Torres, and Benji Michel also found the net. Morgan scored New York’s lone goal.
The win in August had allowed the Lions to snap a four-game winless streak (0-3-1) in the regular-season series. The last of those non-wins came on April 24, 2022, when the Lions were walloped 3-0 at home on goals by Luquinhas, Cristian Casseres Jr., and Morgan, and Orlando City failed to get any of its measly three shot attempts on target.
The Red Bulls swept the season series in 2021. The teams met at Exploria Stadium on July 3 of that season with New York taking home a 2-1 win. Casseres opened the scoring just six minutes in, but Chris Mueller pulled the Lions level early in the second half. Fabio’s late goal lifted the visitors. Pereyra’s poor penalty was saved by Carlos Coronel, which cost Orlando City a better result.
The Red Bulls also handed Orlando City its first loss of the 2021 season, a 2-1 affair at Red Bull Arena, on May 29, 2021. Nani was suspended for that match and it showed, as the Lions were sloppy in possession and lacked composure on the ball. New York took the lead on goals by Caden Clark and Casseres, before Silvester van der Water pulled one back late. The Dutchman had a golden opportunity to tie the match moments later but skied his shot well over the bar.
The Lions fought to a road draw on Oct. 18, 2020, with Brian White equalizing deep in stoppage time in a 1-1 match. Nani had put the Lions ahead in the second half with a penalty kick goal and Orlando clinched its first ever MLS playoff spot despite spilling those late two points. That was the last match in the club’s record 12-match unbeaten streak in MLS play.
Orlando got the better of New York at Exploria Stadium on Oct. 3, 2020, winning 3-1 on goals by Daryl Dike, Junior Urso, and Antonio Carlos. Florian Valot scored for New York.
The teams split 1-0 road wins in the 2019 season series. White scored the only goal in Orlando on July 21, and Sacha Kljestan’s goal was the difference at Red Bull Arena on March 23. Before that game, the home team had won each of the previous five games in the series, splitting a pair of matches during the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
The teams split two meetings in 2018, with the Red Bulls grabbing a 1-0 result in the 2018 season finale to capture the Supporters’ Shield and the Lions pulling off a 4-3 home victory on March 31, 2018. Each team won at home in 2017 to split the two-game series, with New York winning 3-1 on Aug. 12, and Orlando City opening the season series with a 1-0 win on April 9 behind Servando Carrasco’s goal.
The teams met three times in 2016, with New York going 2-0-1. The teams split two games in 2015, with the road team winning both times, including Orlando City’s 5-2 win in New Jersey behind a Cyle Larin hat trick.
Overview
Orlando City enters 2026 with a lot of question marks and several new (and young) faces. The Lions must also kick off the season without their captain, as Robin Jansson has been sidelined after undergoing foot surgery in the off-season. The Lions will hope newcomer Iago will work with David Brekalo — returning from an extended run at left back in 2025 — can lock down the middle of the defense in front of new goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau. Meanwhile, left back Adrian Marin will try to make his case that he was worth signing during the summer window a year ago. On the other side of the back line, Alex Freeman has shipped off to Villarreal in Spain, and newly acquired Griffin Dorsey has only been with the team for a few days. Zakaria Taifi could start at right back if he’s recovered from hamstring tightness, if Oscar Pareja deems Dorsey not yet ready to play, otherwise the preseason experiment of playing winger Ivan Angulo in the position will likely continue.
In the midfield, Wilder Cartagena returns and is the logical replacement for former starter Cesar Araujo, although Braian Ojeda could fill that central midfield role next to Eduard Atuesta. The Lions’ attack is now without Luis Muriel. Brazilian Tiago could start up top with Martin Ojeda, Marco Pasalic, and Tyrese Spicer (or Angulo).
Orlando City will look to improve upon last year’s 8-5-4 home record.
Meanwhile, New York is coming off its first year without a playoff appearance since 2009. The Red Bulls finished just outside the play-in game, 10th in the Eastern Conference and 10 points behind ninth-place Orlando City. Much of the reason for missing the postseason can be laid at the feet of New York’s road form. The Red Bulls were a dreadful 2-11-4 away from home last year, and knowing that, they’ll want to get off to a good start in 2026 under new coach Michael Bradley.
New York returns attacking stars Choupo-Moting and Emil Forsberg, and the club has added pace on the wings and a new Designated Player in Jorge Ruvalcaba. Like the Lions, the Red Bulls may have some issues on the back line early in the season, so Orlando will want to take its chances early to set a good tone in tonight’s match. As usual against the Red Bulls, the Lions will need to take care of the ball and avoid New York’s dangerous transition attack.
“Preseason seems like it has been too many days, but it has been busy for us, and at this point we’re excited to start the season, the competition and bring the opportunity again to put this club on the top,” Pareja said ahead of the game. “So, we’re good, excited, and the boys are as well.”
Orlando City will be without Jansson (foot), Joran Gerbet (knee), and Luis Otavio (thigh). New York will be missing Cameron Harper (knee), A.J. Marcucci (knee), and Mohammed Sofo (ankle).
Match Content
- Our Intelligence Report provides more background on tonight’s opponents, courtesy of Mark Fishkin of the Seeing Red podcast.
- The most recent episode of the PawedCast includes our key matchups and score predictions for the match.
- Our David Rohe provided his three keys to an Orlando City victory over the New York Red Bulls.
- Our 2026 preseason staff roundtable tells you how we’re feeling about the team as the season starts.
Official Lineups
Orlando City (4-4-2)
Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.
Defenders: Adrian Marin, Iago, David Brekalo, Griffin Dorsey.
Midfielders: Tyrese Spicer, Braian Ojeda, Wilder Cartagena, Marco Pasalic..
Forwards: Martin Ojeda, Duncan McGuire.
Bench: Javier Otero, Zakaria Taifi, Tahir Reid-Brown, Nolan Miller, Colin Guske, Yutaro Tsukada, Ivan Angulo, Justin Ellis, Tiago.
New York Red Bulls (4-3-3)
Goalkeeper: Ethan Horvath.
Defenders: Matthew Dos Santos, Dylan Nealis, Justin Che, Jakheele Marshall-Rutty.
Midfielders: Adri Mehmeti, Emil Forsberg, Ronald Donkor.
Forwards: Jorge Ruvalcaba, Julian Hall, Cade Cowell.
Bench: John McCarthy, Omar Valencia, Robert Voloder, Gustav Berggren, Juan Mina, Tanner Rosenborough, Andy Rojas, Rafael Mosquera, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.
Referees
REF: Rubiel Vazquez.
AR1: Jose Da Silva.
AR2: Andrew Bigelow.
4TH: Marcos de Oliveira.
VAR: Jorge Gonzalez.
AVAR: John Krill.
How to Watch
Match Time: 7:30 p.m.
Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.
TV/Streaming: Apple TV.
Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).
Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.
Enjoy the match. Go City!