Sporting KC vs New York Red Bulls caps the last weekend of MLS regular-season action before the World Cup 2026 kick-off freezes the calendar, with the visitors landing in Kansas City for an 8:30 PM ET / 7:30 PM CT / 5:30 PM PT kick-off on Saturday, May 23, at Sporting Park.
The Red Bulls sit sixth in the Eastern Conference and have a chance to bank three points that would push them clear of the playoff bubble before the break. SKC, anchored at the bottom of the Western Conference on 11 points, are desperately trying to gain momentum and relevance going into the second half of the season.
This is the seventh of 15 MD15 fixtures and the only cross-conference matchup, involving a side that already looks all but cooked in the Western Conference race. Below: standings, head-to-head, recent form, the Polymarket and Kalshi read, and the picks at bet365.
Sporting KC vs New York Red Bulls: Best Bets & Predictions
| Our Prediction | Odds & Sportsbook | Confidence | Why We’re Backing It |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Red Bulls to win | +125 with bet365 | Medium | The Red Bulls hare unbeaten in their last two trips to SKC and have won three away matches in this fixture comapred to two losses. SKC have the worst defensive record in the West. |
| Over 2.5 goals | -150 with bet365 | High | SKC have shipped 34 goals in 13 games. Both teams scored in four of NYRB’s last six. |
| Both teams to score: Yes | -175 with bet365 | High | SKC have scored in their last two; NYRB have scored in six of seven on the road in MLS play. |
| Correct Score: 1-2 New York Red Bulls | +750 with bet365 | Speculative | Reflects the BTTS and Over 2.5 logic with NYRB edging an away win. |
21+ | Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER | Odds approximate at time of writing.
Prediction Markets: Live Odds & Win Probability
Match-specific prediction market pricing for Sporting KC vs New York RB has not yet surfaced on Polymarket or Kalshi, which is normal for a single MLS regular-season match outside marquee derbies and playoff fixtures. The most useful prediction-market read here is the broader title and playoff context: NYRB’s price to make the Eastern Conference playoffs has shortened across the platforms over the past two matchdays, which tracks with their two-from-three road return. SKC’s price to make the Western Conference playoffs is effectively dead.
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Season Form & Standings
The visitors have ground their way into a decent Eastern Conference position. New York Red Bulls sit sixth in the East on 19 points from 14 games, five points clear of the playoff cut-off line and with the results of a team trending in the right direction. Their goals-against figure of 31 is the worry — only Cincinnati (35) and Orlando (38) have leaked more in the East — but the offensive side has clicked over the past month.
| Eastern Conference | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Red Bulls (6th) | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 23 | 31 | -8 | 19 |
Sporting KC, by contrast, are bottom of the Western Conference on 11 points and 21 goals worse off than they have scored. The math on a playoff push is brutal, already trailing the West playoff line by eight points with time running out. Three points on Saturday would make the picture a little better heading into the break, but the World Cup means there’s no chance to build momentum.
| Western Conference | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sporting KC (15th) | 13 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 13 | 34 | -21 | 11 |
Potential Match-Winners
For Sporting, Dejan Joveljic is the obvious starting point. He has been the most consistent attacking outlet on a side that has been outshot, outpassed, and out-defended for much of 2026. Joveljic offers the cleanest route to chances, both via hold-up play and direct shots, and he was on the score sheet in the LA Galaxy win earlier in the month.
Manu Garcia in midfield has been the difference between SKC looking organized and SKC looking lost. When he plays as the deepest creator, the team’s transitions improve and the back four can release the ball quicker. His distribution numbers have crept up over the past five weeks, and the Austin win was largely built on his platform from the bench.
For NYRB, Emil Forsberg is the obvious driver. The Swedish playmaker is underperforming on goals compared to previous seasons, but is still ticking over on assists. His set-piece delivery is the most reliable source of goals on either team in this match. He is exactly the player you would build an away win around against a defense that leaks goals as a habit.
Cade Cowell on the wing gives NYRB a different kind of threat. He runs at full-backs, he wins fouls in dangerous areas, and he has the legs to keep doing it for 90 minutes against a tired SKC back line that has been hammered for six and five in recent road trips.
Head-to-Head
| Date | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 7, 2024 | New York Red Bulls 1-1 Sporting KC | MLS |
| Jul 3, 2022 | Sporting KC 0-1 New York Red Bulls | MLS |
| Apr 17, 2021 | New York Red Bulls 1-2 Sporting KC | MLS |
| Apr 14, 2019 | Sporting KC 2-2 New York Red Bulls | MLS |
| Jul 14, 2018 | New York Red Bulls 3-2 Sporting KC | MLS |
It’s been a close H2H in recent times, with the two sides trading a win each and a draw in the last three. RBNY have won eight of the 20 meetings overall, compared to six SKC wins and six draws.
Recent Form
SKC’s last five: W W L D L (most recent first).
- May 16: Austin 1-2 Sporting KC (W, away)
- May 13: Sporting KC 3-1 LA Galaxy (W, home)
- May 9: Portland Timbers 6-0 Sporting KC (L, away)
- May 2: Sporting KC 1-1 Seattle Sounders (D, home)
- Apr 25: Chicago Fire 5-0 Sporting KC (L, away)
NYRB’s last five: D W W L D (most recent first).
- May 16: New York Red Bulls 1-1 NYCFC (D, home)
- May 13: New York Red Bulls 3-2 Columbus Crew (W, home)
- May 9: Chicago Fire 1-3 New York Red Bulls (W, away)
- May 2: New York Red Bulls 0-2 Dallas (L, home)
- Apr 22: New York Red Bulls 4-4 DC United (D, home)
The cleaner read: SKC have looked unrecognizable from one game to the next, with three-goal margins of victory and defeat inside ten days. NYRB are doing what good road sides do — banking points, scoring on the road, and absorbing draws at home without losing the wider thread.
Sporting KC vs New York Red Bulls Prediction
The shape of this one looks readable. SKC have momentum from the Austin result and will play the front-foot football you expect from a side with nothing to defend in the standings. NYRB are the better team, the better organized team, and the team with the playoff seeding to lock in. An open game that produces goals at both ends, with the visitors closing it out. New York Red Bulls to win, both teams to score, Over 2.5 goals is the cluster, with the Red Bulls at +125 with bet365 the lead pick.
For the wider matchday picture, our soccer predictions hub carries the full MD39 card alongside the Eastern Conference race.
FAQs
What time is Sporting KC vs New York Red Bulls?
Kick-off is 8:30 PM ET / 7:30 PM CT / 5:30 PM PT on Saturday, May 23 at Sporting Park.
Where can I watch Sporting KC vs New York Red Bulls in the US?
The match streams on Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass, which is the league-wide US broadcast home for the 2026 regular season.
Are the Red Bulls in the playoff places?
Yes — New York Red Bulls sit sixth in the Eastern Conference on 19 points, comfortably inside the top nine playoff cut-off.
What’s Sporting KC’s playoff situation?
SKC are bottom of the Western Conference on 11 points and well outside playoff contention with most of the season to play out. They are mathematically still alive, but the run-rate required to reach the cut-off line would be a step-change from anything they have produced this year.
Who is favored to win on bet365?
New York Red Bulls are the favorites at +125 with bet365 at the time of writing.