Gotham FC, Red Bulls Bring Back-to-Back Soccer to Harrison

Sports Illustrated Stadium is set for a busy soccer weekend, with two professional teams calling the Harrison stadium home on consecutive nights and thousands of fans expected to travel through the southern end of town.

Gotham FC is scheduled to host the Chicago Stars FC on Friday, September 25, 2026, at 8 p.m., followed less than 24 hours later by the New York Red Bulls against St. Louis CITY SC on Saturday, September 26, at 7:30 p.m.

The two matches present very different stories on the field. Gotham enters Friday night sitting atop the National Women's Soccer League standings and pursuing the first NWSL Shield in club history. The Red Bulls, meanwhile, enter Saturday night's Major League Soccer match in the middle of a tight Eastern Conference playoff race.

For Harrison residents, however, there is another familiar story: two consecutive nights of stadium traffic, pedestrians, parking restrictions and road-control measures around Sports Illustrated Stadium and the Harrison PATH station.

Saturday also brings an additional concern. A developing nor'easter is forecast to affect New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area, meaning fans and Harrison residents should keep a close eye on weather forecasts and transportation conditions before heading out.

Harrison has the good fortune of having a weather forecaster extraordinary Anthony “Tony” Mondaro of the Harrison Weather Station whose forecast don’t hip the weather but instead provide professional forecasts that allow residents and many others throughout northern New Jersey reliable and accurate weather information on a daily basis.

Gotham FC Takes First Place Into Friday Night

Gotham FC enters Friday's match against Chicago in first place in the NWSL, carrying a 15-4-6 record and 51 points.

More importantly, Gotham has already secured a place in the 2026 NWSL playoffs and enters the final stretch of the regular season with an opportunity to capture the first NWSL Shield in franchise history. The Shield goes to the club that finishes the regular season with the best overall record.

Immediately before Friday's match, Gotham holds a five-point advantage over second-place Washington Spirit, with five regular-season games remaining.

That makes Friday night's game considerably more than another home date in Harrison. Every point matters as Gotham attempts to protect its lead at the top of the table.

Gotham returns to Sports Illustrated Stadium following a 2-1 road victory over the North Carolina Courage on September 19. Rookie forward Jordynn Dudley scored both Gotham goals in that match, including the deciding goal in second-half stoppage time. That victory helped confirm Gotham's fourth consecutive NWSL playoff appearance.

The contrast between Friday's opponents is substantial.

Chicago enters Harrison with a 5-18-2 record and 17 points, placing the Stars last in the 16-team NWSL. Chicago has already been eliminated from playoff contention and enters the match following a 3-0 loss to the Washington Spirit.

Standings Entering Friday's Match

At kickoff, the matchup therefore features:

Gotham FC — 1st place, 15-4-6, 51 points

Chicago Stars FC — 16th place, 5-18-2, 17 points

Gotham also enters Friday undefeated in its previous eight meetings with Chicago. Earlier this season, Gotham defeated the Stars 2-0 in Chicago on April 29.

Friday Is Also Celebración de la Comunidad

Friday night's match will feature more than soccer.

Gotham has designated the game “Celebración de la Comunidad,” celebrating soccer's connections to Latino culture and the many communities throughout New Jersey and New York that come together around the sport.

The club has announced Latin music, performances, food trucks, and a pregame Fan Fest as part of the festivities. Friday is also Youth Soccer Night, with participating youth teams able to take part in an on-field parade.

Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. at Sports Illustrated Stadium, 600 Cape May Street in Harrison, and the match will be available nationally on Prime Video.

Red Bulls Face St. Louis Saturday Night

The stadium is scheduled to turn around quickly for another professional soccer match Saturday.

The New York Red Bulls are scheduled to host St. Louis CITY SC at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, September 26, in what would be the first MLS regular-season meeting between the two clubs.

The Red Bulls enter the weekend with a 9-11-6 record and 33 points, placing them eighth in the MLS Eastern Conference.

The Eastern Conference standings entering Saturday are extremely important for New York. The Red Bulls' 33 points place them level on points with ninth-place FC Cincinnati and only one point ahead of New York City FC, which sits immediately outside the playoff positions with 32 points.

That means the Red Bulls have little room for error during the closing portion of the MLS regular season.

Eastern Conference Position Before Saturday

The relevant portion of the Eastern Conference standings entering the weekend has:

6. Philadelphia Union — 36 points
7. Orlando City — 34 points
8. New York Red Bulls — 33 points
9. FC Cincinnati — 33 points
10. New York City FC — 32 points

The Red Bulls therefore enter Saturday inside the playoff field, but with several clubs separated by only a handful of points.

New York comes into the match on a two-game winning streak and has tightened defensively. Goalkeeper Ethan Horvath has recorded three shutouts in his previous four MLS matches, while the Red Bulls have allowed only two goals over their last four games.

St. Louis Arrives as a Formidable Opponent

St. Louis CITY SC comes to Harrison with a significantly stronger record.

St. Louis enters Saturday at 12-6-8 with 44 points, placing the club third in the Western Conference. The club also arrives carrying a 16-match unbeaten streak in MLS play.

The gap in the standings makes Saturday's contest important for New York. The Red Bulls are fighting to preserve their position in the Eastern Conference playoff field while facing one of the stronger clubs in the Western Conference.

Saturday is also scheduled as Esports Night at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The Red Bulls planned gaming stations featuring the newly released EA SPORTS FC 27 throughout the stadium, including activities on the concourse and other fan areas.

Nor'easter Could Complicate Saturday

There is another factor that fans should watch closely before Saturday's match: the weather.

A strengthening nor'easter is forecast to affect the East Coast, including New Jersey and the New York metropolitan region, with potentially strong winds, heavy rain and coastal flooding. Forecasts leading into the weekend call for the system to intensify as it moves northward and affects the region Saturday.

The Town of Harrison has already announced that its playgrounds will be closed during the weekend because of the impending storm.

The Red Bulls have also advised fans about the weather. Because of the forecast conditions, the club announced that the outdoor BULLevard pregame area would not operate Saturday.

Fans planning to attend should therefore check the latest weather forecast, PATH and NJ Transit service information, and official club and Harrison public-safety announcements before leaving for the stadium.

The stadium itself recommends mass transit or carpooling and specifically directs fans to monitor transportation information and weather protocols when inclement weather is anticipated.

Two Nights of Traffic for Harrison Residents

While the matches provide entertainment for soccer fans, back-to-back stadium events can create significant inconvenience for residents of Harrison, particularly those living in the redevelopment area surrounding Sports Illustrated Stadium and the Harrison PATH station.

Friday's 8 p.m. Gotham kickoff means arriving fans will overlap with the end of the Friday evening commute. Saturday's 7:30 p.m. Red Bulls match creates another period of concentrated traffic the following evening.

State transportation information lists the Gotham event at Sports Illustrated Stadium from approximately 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and the Red Bulls event from approximately 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, underscoring that traffic impacts can extend well beyond kickoff.

Residents should anticipate heavier vehicle and pedestrian traffic around South Frank E. Rodgers Boulevard, Cape May Street, the Jackson Street Bridge, the Harrison PATH station and streets immediately surrounding Sports Illustrated Stadium.

The Harrison Police Department regularly issues Traffic and Parking Bulletins for major stadium events, establishing temporary street restrictions, no-parking areas and traffic-control points around the stadium.

For previous stadium events, Harrison Police bulletins have included restrictions affecting South Frank E. Rodgers Boulevard, Cape May Street, Crucible Drive and Guyon Drive, along with provisions allowing police to assist residents who need to reach homes or apartment buildings inside restricted areas.

Residents should follow the specific Harrison Police Traffic Bulletin issued for each event because the precise streets and hours of restrictions can change depending upon the match and other circumstances.

PATH May Be the Easier Option for Fans

For fans coming from outside Harrison, public transportation can avoid some of the parking and traffic difficulties.

The Harrison PATH station is approximately a seven-minute walk from Sports Illustrated Stadium. Gotham's match-day information encourages fans to use PATH and notes that several parking facilities are also located within walking distance of the stadium.

The Red Bulls similarly encourage fans to arrive early and use mass transit or carpool. The club advises that Harrison public parking generally ranges from approximately $15 to $30, while some Newark parking facilities may charge more.

Saturday's weather forecast, however, makes it particularly important for fans relying on public transportation to check for service advisories before traveling.

Flooding is an issue on South Frank E. Rodgers Blvd. next to the Harrison PATH station, so fans attending the game on Saturday should be aware of that potential.  The Community surrounding the Harrison PATH station and those South of the PATH station are affected by flooding, and it appears the Mayor & Council are not concerned about it.  In addition, Mayor & Council are supporting a Toxic Sludge Plant in Harrison that may undo the progress made to convert an abandoned industrial area into a vibrant residential community.  You can read more through this link.

A Soccer Weekend With Two Very Different Stakes

The two matches scheduled only a day apart demonstrate the increasingly busy calendar at Sports Illustrated Stadium.

Friday belongs to Gotham FC, which enters its match as the first-place team in the NWSL, already assured of a playoff berth and trying to bring the league's regular-season Shield to the club for the first time.

Saturday shifts the stadium back to the Red Bulls, who enter their match eighth in the Eastern Conference and facing an increasingly important fight to remain above the MLS playoff line.

For Harrison residents, meanwhile, the weekend means something else: two evenings of increased pedestrian traffic, vehicle congestion, parking restrictions and police traffic controls around the stadium neighborhood.

And on Saturday, everyone—players, fans, commuters and residents—will also be watching the sky.

With a nor'easter forecast to affect the region, anyone planning to travel through the stadium and PATH station area should allow additional time, pay attention to Harrison Police traffic restrictions, and check the latest weather and transportation information before heading out.

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