New York City FC vs NY Red Bulls: what is the Hudson River Derby?

The Big Apple’s two MLS teams battle it out for a place in the playoffs and the inaugural Hudson River Derby trophy.

Saturday’s Hudson River Derby brings together New York’s two MLS sides, New York City FC and NY Red Bulls, with local bragging rights and a place in the playoffs on the line.

NY Red Bulls, previously known as the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, were one of MLS’ founding teams in 1996 and have remained in the league ever since. For years they were the sole representatives from the United States’ biggest city; that changed in 2015 when New York City FC played their first MLS fixture against Orlando City.

In 2019 supporters from both sides of the New York soccer rivalry came together to found the Hudson River Derby Foundation, an initiative to help grow the game in the city. Saturday’s game between the two sides will decide who takes home the inaugural Hudson River Derby trophy.

Four years ago fans from the city’s most prominent supporter groups banded together to promote soccer in New York. RBNY fans from the Empire Supporters Group and Viking Army worked together with NYCFC-supporting The Third Rail to build awareness for the fixture.

They have resisted the temptation to search for corporate sponsors, deciding instead to rely on donations from the city’s burgeoning fanbase. However their efforts were disrupted by the covid-19 pandemic, which derailed league fixtures and put supporters’ plans on hold.

Fans from the three supporters groups persevered and this season they were able to launch the initiative in earnest. They created the Hudson River Derby Trophy, which will be awarded on an annual basis to the aggregate winner of the teams’ two regular season MLS fixtures.

The inaugural winners of the trophy will be