The New York Red Bulls trace their roots to 1994, when the club was established as one of the founding members of Major League Soccer, beginning play in 1996 under the name New York/New Jersey MetroStars. Based in the New York metropolitan area, the team competed out of Giants Stadium in the early years, drawing marquee names such as Roberto Donadoni, Lothar Matthäus, and later Thierry Henry — yet domestic silverware proved elusive for much of their existence.
The club's identity shifted dramatically in 2006 when Austrian energy drink company Red Bull GmbH acquired the franchise, rebranding it as the New York Red Bulls. The new ownership invested in a dedicated soccer stadium, Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, which opened in 2010. On the pitch, the Red Bulls have never lifted the MLS Cup, finishing as runners-up in both 2008 and 2024, but they have claimed three Supporters' Shield titles — awarded to the league's best regular-season side — in 2013, 2015, and 2018, a record that reflects consistent regular-season quality. The club also reached the CONCACAF Champions League semi-finals in 2018.
In the New York market, the Red Bulls share the metropolitan stage with New York City FC, a rivalry known as the Hudson River Derby that has become one of MLS's most watched fixtures. Longer-standing rivalries with the New England Revolution and D.C. United date back to the league's inaugural season. As part of Red Bull's global network of clubs — which includes RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg, and RB Omiya Ardija — the Red Bulls occupy a unique position in American soccer, blending local identity with an international corporate football structure.