As New Mexico skies light up with hot air balloons, New Mexico United and Phoenix Rising prepare to battle it out on the pitch below. For both sides in this Southwestern Derby, hosted at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park, the stakes stretch far beyond local pride as the regular season enters its final stretch.
Clinching Scenarios and October Momentum
United heads into this fixture looking to regain traction and build crucial momentum across the final five matches of the regular season. Sunday’s contest gives the Black and Yellow an immediate opportunity to cross off a major preseason target. A victory secures a United playoff berth for the seventh time in the team’s eight seasons. Even a draw can punch their postseason ticket, provided that Las Vegas Lights FC and Oakland Roots SC fail to secure wins on Saturday.
Conversely, Phoenix Rising arrives in Albuquerque needing points to solidify their own postseason positioning. Ihsan Sacko leads the Rising offense with 12 goals, four assists, and 52 shots this season. Sacko already proved dangerous to the New Mexico defense earlier this year, netting two goals against the Black and Yellow during a road loss in April.
Kris Shakes Approaching Historic Defensive Milestones
Kris Shakes anchors the United defensive effort while chasing a gold glove. Shakes has now eclipsed 100 saves for the 2026 campaign, leading the league by 12 saves while rapidly approaching an 80% save rate. His 102 total stops break the previous franchise record of 87 set by Cody Mizell in 2019. Furthermore, his current 77.9% save percentage stands to eclipse Alex Tambakis’s 2021 club record of 69.4% for a full time keeper, cementing his season as historically significant.
Match Broadcast Details and Venue Information
Fans attending in person will fill Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park. Supporters tuning in from home can catch the broadcast on television via NM50 and Estrella TV, or stream the action through ESPN+, KRQE.com, and TUDN. Radio coverage is available on 101.7 The Team and SiriusXM, with match previews powered by Ezee Fiber.
