From the Bar to the Stands – New York Red Bulls

Forget going straight to the stadium. Matchday starts at the bar.

Meet your local host in Harrison, just across the Hudson from Manhattan, and get ready for a different side of New York football.

First things first: grab a drink.

The hours before kick-off are half the fun. The bar starts filling up, Red Bulls shirts appear, everyone has an opinion about the game and the conversation inevitably turns to football. Your host is there to bring you into it — the club, MLS, the supporters, the rivalries and what following the Red Bulls is actually like.

Then someone checks the time.

Right. Stadium.

Finish your drink and head out with your host. It's a short walk, but probably the best part of the build-up. More shirts. More fans. More noise. The stadium getting bigger in front of you with every block.

This is what we love about football: wherever you are in the world, everyone knows when it's matchday.

At the stadium, it's time to say goodbye to your host and head inside.

Your Long Side Upper ticket gives you a fantastic view across the pitch. Find your seat, watch the stands fill and wait for the teams to come out.

Then there's nothing else to explain.

New York Red Bulls. Kick-off. 90 minutes of football.

That's your afternoon sorted.