This article was written after recording The Designated Pundits‘ NY Red Bulls preview for the 2026 MLS Season with special guest Mark Fishkin from “Seeing Red.” You can find that video on Spotify below.
2025 Recap
The New York Red Bulls came back down to Earth in 2025 after making the MLS Cup Final the previous season. They went 12-7-15 and missed the playoffs for the first time in 15 years. RBNY was equally poor on both sides of the ball, scoring the 10th most goals and conceding the 7th least in the Eastern Conference.
The 2025 season could be split into two halves in two different ways. Their season can easily be defined by their home/away record, or while their start/end phases are equally unbalanced.
Top contributors were the two DPs, Eric Choupo-Moting with 17 goals and 4 assists, and Emil Forsberg with 11 goals and 8 assists. Behind those two, there were no other top contributors.
New York lost in the US Open Cup Quarterfinal, and had a win and two shootout losses in Leagues Cup. Their failure of a season resulted in the firing of coach Sandro Schwarz and the hiring of Michael Bradley.
Transactions
The New York Red Bulls will debut a mostly new roster in 2026, with only 3 starters from the 2024 MLS Cup remaining. Outgoing players include defenders Sean Nealis, Alexander Hack, Noah Eile, and Kyle Duncan. Three of those players had significant minutes at center back, and will leave a big hole behind.
RBNY also lost Lewis Morgan. He has proven to have elite pace and would have been a great part of the squad, had he remained healthy. Keeper Carlos Coronel will return to Brazil, after flirting with Orlando City (and possibly agreeing to terms).
Incoming players include center backs Justin Che and Robert Voloder. Che was a CB/RB for Brondby and Hoffenheim, and came up in the Dallas Academy. Voloder is from Sporting KC, and came up with the Koln U17 team.
RBNY will bring Cade Cowell and Ethan Horvath back to MLS. Cowell spent three seasons in Guadalajara without breaking into the starting squad. He has a lot of physicality but offers little technically. Ironically, that may be what RBNY needs. Horvath is an American who will play for the first time in MLS after spending the past few seasons in the English Championship.
Incoming players also include Jorge Ruvalcaba, who will be a DP winger. Ruvalcaba scored 9 times in the past two seasons with UNAM in Mexico.
Depth Chart
The depth chart is largely in question due to drastic player changes and new coach Michael Bradley. Let’s first start by saying Bradley’s coaching career is greatly anticipated. He is following in his father’s footsteps in a role Mark Fishking believes he has been training for for years now.
The top 3 should include Choupo-Moting on top with Jorge Ruvalcaba on the left and Cade Cowell on the right. Cowell had assists on each of the first 3 goals RBNY scored in preseason.
In midfield, we think the formation is going to lie flatter than the 10-8-6 of years past. Gustav Berggren, a Swedish midfielder, arrived in 2025 with high expectations but logged only 355 minutes. His addition alone could count as a big incoming transfer. Emil Forsberg could have a lot of freedom to do what he does- creating chances- and occasionally drifting out wide. The third midfield spot looks like Ronald Donkor, but could see Adri Mehmeti getting minutes.
Defense is a big question mark, with only 3 center backs on the roster, one of which will be 33 year old Tim Parker. Justin Che is a fullback who could move to center back, as is Dylan Nealis who looks to have won a starting center back job.
Fullbacks include Omar Valencia. End of list. Everyone else including Raheem Edwards and Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty fit in more as wingbacks. Dennis Gjengaar is a winger who could convert to right back as his last chance to get minutes and stay with the team.
Questions
- Which player, outside our projected starting 11, has the best chance to win a job?
- Dylan Nealis (he was outside the starting 11 as the episode aired). Between center back and left back, he could start upwards of 30 games.
- What are some realistic expectations for 2026?
- RBNY should expect to be in the playoffs.
- What are some storylines to follow throughout the 2026 season?
- What role will RBNY II players make on the team? Michael Bradley knows them well, and with the roster’s holes, they could play a pivotal role.
- What styles does this team match up well against?
- RBNY will match up well against teams that can’t dispossess them and can’t close down on the wingers.
- What styles does this team match up poorly against?
- RBNY will struggle against teams with volume offenses- those who take a lot of shots, even if they are lower percentage chances. They will also struggle against teams who can press the defense as they are trying to send the ball upfield.
- What player improves the most in 2026?
- Omar Valencia. He will have World Cup ambitions with Panama, and should have first chance at starting left back.
- Which player regresses in 2026?
- Tim Parker. Father Time is undefeated, and his age/lack of speed can be exploited.
Hear more, and follow along as I preview all 30 MLS teams before kickoff of the 2026 season!
YouTube- youtube.com/@thedesignatedpundits
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Bob Ventimiglia is a leading soccer podcaster and handicapper, renowned for his sharp analysis and consistent success at the soccer sportsbook.
As a founding member and MLS expert on the BetUS MLS Show, he earned “Capper of the Week” honors four times during his debut season.
Now, he is producer for “The Designated Pundits” MLS podcast and “The High Impact Pundits” NWSL podcast.
💸 BetUS TV MLS Expert (4x Capper of the Week)
📝 Member- North American Soccer Reporters
