Red Bulls Host Toronto FC Saturday as Playoff Race Heats Up in Harrison

The New York Red Bulls return to Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison on Saturday, October 17, 2026, to face Toronto FC in a Major League Soccer Eastern Conference matchup with important implications for both teams' hopes of qualifying for the 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs.

The game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m., bringing another evening of professional soccer to Harrison's Redevelopment District and potentially creating additional traffic congestion near the stadium, the Harrison PATH Station, and surrounding residential neighborhoods.

Saturday's contest is also designated as Pride Night, one of the Red Bulls' themed events celebrating inclusion and diversity within the soccer community

Red Bulls and Toronto FC Battle for Playoff Position

Both clubs enter Saturday's contest with their postseason aspirations still alive, although the Red Bulls hold an advantage in the Eastern Conference standings.

The Red Bulls enter the weekend in eighth place, tied on points with ninth-place FC Cincinnati but ahead on the league's wins tiebreaker. Toronto FC trails the final playoff position by three points.

Under the MLS playoff format, the top seven teams in each conference advance directly to the first round, while the eighth- and ninth-place teams compete in a single-elimination Wild Card match.

For the Red Bulls, a win would strengthen their playoff position and potentially move them closer to seventh place. Toronto FC, meanwhile, needs points to close the gap on the clubs ahead of it.

Red Bulls Coming Off Impressive Win Against San Diego FC

Harrison soccer fans recently saw one of the Red Bulls' stronger offensive performances of the season when New York defeated San Diego FC 4-1 at Sports Illustrated Stadium on Saturday, October 10.

That victory gave the team an important boost in its playoff aspirations.

However, the Red Bulls subsequently suffered a 2-1 road defeat against D.C. United on Wednesday, October 14, making Saturday's return to Harrison particularly important.

Forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has scored in consecutive matches, while midfielder Ronald Donkor has contributed three assists in his last two appearances.

Young forward Julian Hall has also been a significant offensive contributor. In his last two appearances, Hall registered nine shots, seven on target.

The Red Bulls will look to capitalize on their attacking momentum against a Toronto defense that has struggled throughout the season.

Toronto FC: A Canadian Club With Championship History

Toronto FC joined Major League Soccer in 2007 as the league's first Canadian franchise. The club plays its home games at BMO Field, an outdoor stadium at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, with a soccer capacity of approximately 30,000 spectators.

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment owns the team, the organization behind several of Toronto's major professional sports franchises.

Toronto FC reached its greatest achievement in 2017, when it captured the MLS Cup, Supporters' Shield, and Canadian Championship in the same season — becoming the first MLS team to complete that domestic treble.

That championship team helped establish Toronto as one of the league's most recognizable Canadian franchises.

Despite that history, Toronto has struggled in recent seasons to return to championship contention.

Toronto Enters Harrison Following Six-Goal Thriller

Toronto FC arrives in Harrison following an entertaining 3-3 draw against Orlando City SC on Wednesday, October 14.

Lewis Morgan, Theo Corbeanu, and Matheus Pereira scored Toronto's goals. Corbeanu's performance earned him recognition on the MLS Team of the Matchday bench.

Toronto previously defeated CF Montréal 2-1 on October 10, earning the Canadian club four points from its last two games. However, Toronto faces defensive challenges heading into Saturday's game, including suspensions for Richie Laryea and Benjamin Kuscevic after accumulating yellow cards.

Red Bulls Have Dominated Toronto at Home

Historically, Sports Illustrated Stadium has been an especially difficult place for Toronto FC to earn points. Saturday's meeting will be the 46th regular-season contest between the two clubs.

The Red Bulls lead the regular-season series with 24 wins, 9 losses, and 12 draws against Toronto.

New York is also unbeaten in its last 14 matches against the Canadian club and has won eight consecutive home meetings.  Since Sports Illustrated Stadium opened in 2010, the Red Bulls have compiled a remarkable 16-1-2 home record against Toronto FC.

In their previous meeting at the Harrison stadium, the Red Bulls defeated Toronto, 2-1, behind two goals from captain Emil Forsberg. Those statistics give New York a historical advantage, although Toronto's urgent need for points could make Saturday's contest particularly competitive.

Sports Illustrated Stadium: A Major Attraction in Harrison

Saturday's game will take place at Sports Illustrated Stadium, located at 600 Cape May Street in Harrison, New Jersey. The 25,000-seat stadium opened in March 2010 as Red Bull Arena and has become one of the region's best-known soccer-specific venues.

In December 2024, the Red Bulls announced a 13-year naming-rights agreement with Sports Illustrated Tickets, resulting in the stadium's current name.

The stadium is home to both the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer and NJ/NY Gotham FC of the National Women's Soccer League.

Its location near the Harrison PATH Station allows spectators from New York City, Newark, Jersey City, Hoboken, and other communities to reach the stadium using public transportation.

Saturday's Soccer Game Expected to Affect Harrison Traffic

The arrival of soccer fans for Saturday evening's 7:30 p.m. match is expected to increase traffic in Harrison's southern redevelopment district.

The Harrison Police Department has issues a Traffic Bulletin indicating heavy traffic on game day.

Motorists should anticipate additional traffic in the vicinity of South Frank E. Rodgers Boulevard, Cape May Street, the Harrison PATH Station, and the streets connecting the stadium to Interstate 280 and nearby Newark.

For residents of Harrison's South Harrison (SOHA) neighborhood, stadium events can create difficulties entering and leaving residential buildings, accessing parking garages, and navigating streets that accommodate both pedestrian and vehicle traffic.

The Red Bulls encourage spectators to arrive early, carpool, or use public transportation.

Stadium's Proximity to Proposed EPA Toxic Sludge Processing Facility Remains a Community Concern

While soccer fans gather at Sports Illustrated Stadium, a continuing environmental controversy remains unresolved only a few blocks away.

The Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) property between the Harrison PATH Station and the Passaic River has been identified for potential use in the Environmental Protection Agency's cleanup of contaminated sludge from the Passaic River.

Under the proposed operation, the project would process and stabilize dredged river sludge containing hazardous contaminants, including dioxins, before transporting it for disposal.

The proposal has generated opposition from residents concerned about potential airborne contamination, truck traffic, noise, and the long-term industrial use of property surrounded by a residential community.

The stadium, with a capacity of 25,000 spectators, illustrates the large number of people who may gather near the proposed facility during major sporting events.

Although the presence of large crowds does not itself establish an exposure risk, it raises important questions about whether EPA should be placing a Toxic Sludge Plant with cancer-causing byproducts of the area's industrial past on land when the property it has chosen for the Toxic Sludge Plant is now in a residential zone literally across the street from amenity-filled modern apartment buildings and in a residential zone generating 17 million dollars and growing in PILOTS for the Town of Harrison.

In addition to residents and commuters at the Harrison PATH station, spectators at the Sports Illustrated Stadium are exposed because the stadium is three blocks from the EPA Toxic Sludge Plant.

The former PSE&G property had also been envisioned for community-oriented redevelopment, including public green space, a multi-level community center, and improved circulation and passenger drop-off facilities for the Harrison PATH Station.

Opponents of the EPA proposal argue that a long-term sediment-processing operation would conflict with Harrison's transformation from an industrial town into a residential, commercial, and mass transportation-oriented community.

The controversy raises a broader question for Harrison officials: should the town's redevelopment district, now a residential community, be expected to accept recontamination of a property in that community?  Harrison Mayor James Fife has known of the Toxic Sludge Plant since 2022 and hid his knowledge, along with Councilman James Doran.  When called out for failing to oppose EPA’s plan for a Toxic Sludge Plant, Fife & Doran denied that the plant was coming to Harrison in 2022.  Two years later, it was clear that Fife & Doran had lied to the public.  At a 2024 EPA meeting in Harrison, community members expressed opposition to EPA’s Toxic Sludge Plant.  Mayor Fife, however, was unmoved and, before the meeting ended, expressed support for EPA’s plant. 

Another Major Match Scheduled for October 24

The Red Bulls will return to Sports Illustrated Stadium on Saturday, October 24, to face Inter Miami CF, another match likely to attract significant interest from soccer fans.

That contest is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. and will provide another important test for New York as the MLS regular season approaches its conclusion.

Your Harrison Is Your Community — Join the Conversation

Local news is better when the community is part of it. After reading this article, tell your neighbors what you think, share information, ask questions, or start a discussion on the Community Discussion Board.

Not a member yet? Joining Your Harrison is free. Join a growing community of residents, former residents, local business owners, and others who care about what is happening in Harrison and West Hudson.

Join Your Harrison FREE today, then add your voice to the conversation.