Atlanta vs NY Red Bulls – News and Probable Lineups

Atlanta United is set to return to Mercedes-Benz Stadium this Saturday for an MLS match against the New York Red Bulls, marking their first home game since early May.

The Five Stripes find themselves at the bottom of the league with merely 12 points following a 3-2 defeat to the Philadelphia Union in their previous match. In contrast, the Red Bulls are sitting eighth in the Eastern Conference after securing a 3-2 victory over Orlando City in early August.

Match overview

In a stark contrast to his initial tenure, Gerardo Martino’s second term as Atlanta United head coach has been far from remarkable.

The Argentine, who led the team to its only MLS Cup championship back in 2018, has already experienced 12 losses in 2026, five more than during his initial tenure eight years ago.

Another loss this weekend would match the team’s total defeats from the entire 2025 season (13) and be just one short of their record for losses in a single regular season, which was set in both 2022 and 2024.

Saturday offers the opportunity to end an eight-match winless streak across all competitions and achieve only their fourth league victory of the year.

Two of their three league wins this season were achieved at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the most recent being a 3-1 triumph over CF Montreal in early May.

In the current season, they have lost three matches after taking the lead, resulting in a total of nine points squandered, a crucial gap between 15th and 10th in the Eastern Conference.

After their record-long playoff stretch ended last season, Michael Bradley is eager to lead this team back into the postseason.

Despite accumulating two fewer points than they did at this stage last year, the former MLS Cup champion with Toronto has positioned this team five points above the playoff line.

New York has claimed victories in two of their last three away matches in MLS and remain unbeaten when they score first on the road this season.

To improve the team’s defensive reliability, Bradley has a considerable task ahead, as the Red Bulls have allowed the most goals among MLS teams currently in playoff contention (39).

A win coupled with favorable results this weekend could propel them up to fifth place in the East. Furthermore, a victory would prevent them from suffering consecutive league defeats for the second time in 2026.

This match also presents the chance to break their three-match winless streak against Atlanta on the road, having last defeated the Five Stripes at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in August 2022 (2-1).

Team News

Ajani Fortune is unlikely to participate in this match due to a strain, while Sergio Santos is grappling with a calf injury. Steven Alzate is dealing with groin discomfort, and Enea Mihaj is suspended.

Meanwhile, Miguel Almiron and Tristan Muyumba helped secure a 2-0 lead against the Union, but it ultimately failed to result in any points.

In New York, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is questionable due to knee concerns, as well as AJ Marcucci, who is still recovering from a torn ACL.

Mijahir Jimenez made a significant impression in his first career MLS start, scoring twice against Orlando City, with captain Emil Forsberg also finding the net in that game.

Atlanta United probable starting XI:

Holes; Edwards, Gregersen, Alonso, Baez; Reilly, Jacob, Muyumba; Miranchuk, Picault, Almiron

New York Red Bulls probable starting XI:

Horvath; Nealis, Che, Bazan, Dos Santos; Berggren, Donkor, Forsberg; Cowell, Jimenez, Hall

Both teams have struggled to maintain defensive discipline at critical moments, which is why a thrilling draw is anticipated this weekend.