Seattle Reign Hit the Road to Face Gotham FC in New York City

What’s Happening and Why the Teams Are Traveling

Imagine two soccer teams who normally play in their own backyards, but both backyards are temporarily unavailable!

• The Seattle Reign just won a big 2-0 game against their rivals, the Portland team.
• Now they are flying to the East Coast this morning to start a three-match road trip (that means three games away from home).
• Why? Because the temporary grass at their home stadium (Lumen Field) is being taken out.
• Their opponent, Gotham FC, is also kicked out of their usual home for now. Their regular stadium is being used as a practice field before the World Cup final on Sunday.

Important Point: Both teams are playing away from their normal homes because of stadium scheduling and construction.

Where and When They Are Playing

Today’s match is not in a big fancy stadium. Instead:

• It’s at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island in New York City.
• This is a small place with only 5,000 seats.
• Normally, it hosts a reserve soccer team (NYCFC’s backup players) and track-and-field events (like running and jumping competitions).
• Gotham also played a midweek game at Citi Field (home of the New York Mets baseball team), but that spot has a concert this weekend, so no soccer there today.

Weather Worries

• On Wednesday, Gotham’s game was super hot and had yucky air because of wildfire smoke from Minnesota and Ontario.
• Air quality is still a concern this morning.
• But storms are coming today to clean the air—maybe with heavy rain and strong thunderstorms.

Keys to the Game

Here’s how the Reign can do well, explained simply:

• Build on last week’s good vibes (keep the winning energy!).
• Make the tired Gotham players run after the ball.
• Win the middle of the field (the “midfield battles”).

Who’s Missing and Who’s Playing

Reign Missing Players (OUT)

• Lynn Biyendolo (having a baby – maternity leave)
• Madison Curry (ankle hurt)
• Shae Holmes (knee hurt)
• Sofia Huerta (leg hurt – got bumped last week and stayed home)

Gotham Missing Players (OUT)

• Jordynn Dudley (head)
• Kayla Duran (knee – long-term injured list)
• Taryn Torres (knee – long-term injured list)

Gotham Maybe Playing (QUESTIONABLE)

• Esther González (foot)

Team Records (Like Report Cards)

• Reign: LWLLW (5 wins, 6 losses, 2 ties; 10th place)
• Gotham: WWLWW (8 wins, 3 losses, 3 ties; 4th place)

Important Point: The Reign are missing several defensive players, so they have to get creative with who plays on the sides.

Backup Plans for the Reign

• Ryanne Brown will likely play again on one side.
• Emily Mason and Phoebe McClernon have played as side defenders before.
• The team even tried a setup with three center defenders and used Maddie Dahlien as a wingback (a side player).
• Good news: Claudia Dickey is healthy again, but Cassie Miller might start to keep her hot streak and let Claudia heal fully.

Officials (The Referees and Helpers)

• REF (main referee): Calin Radosav
• AR1 (helper referee 1): Sharon Gingrich
• AR2 (helper referee 2): Adam Cook
• 4TH (fourth official): Marie Durr
• VAR (video referee): Shawn Tehini
• AVAR (video referee assistant): Melissa Gonzalez

How to Watch

1. Match date/kickoff time: Saturday, July 18th, 9 AM PT (Pacific Time)
2. Venue: Icahn Stadium, New York City
3. Broadcast:
   • ABC TV (English commentary by Jenn Hildreth & Lianne Sanderson)
   • ESPN Deportes (Spanish)
4. Free stream in the US? No, you need the channels above.

Lineups

The Reign posted their starting players on social media (Bluesky) at 8:06 AM on July 18, 2026:

"Today’s starting XI in NY Lineup Notes rgnfc.com/4ysBjRj"

(An image of the lineup was shared but we keep the text meaning: the starters were announced for the New York game.)

Highlights

Highlights will be added as the match happens—so check back later!

You can also chat with other fans in the Discord gamethread (Supporter tier and up) or in the comments.

Note: Sounder at Heart may get a small thank-you if you buy through their links.

Summary

The Seattle Reign are on a three-game road trip starting with a visit to Gotham FC in NYC’s small Icahn Stadium because both teams’ homes are busy. The Reign are missing key defenders but have backup plans. Weather may bring storms to clear smoke. Tune in Saturday 9 AM PT on ABC or ESPN Deportes. Gotham is higher in the standings but missing players too. It should be a fun, scrappy match!

FAQ

1. Why aren’t they playing at their normal stadiums?
Both teams’ regular stadiums are unavailable—Seattle is fixing their grass, and Gotham’s is for World Cup practice.

2. Is the air safe to play in?
It was smoky earlier, but storms today should clear it. Still, rain and thunder are possible.

3. Can I watch for free online?
No, it’s on ABC TV or ESPN Deportes, not free streaming in the US.

4. Who is the Reign missing most?
Several side defenders like Huerta, Curry, and Holmes are out, so they’re using backups.

5. What should the Reign focus on to win?
Keep last week’s momentum, tire Gotham out, and control the middle of the field.