If the New York Red Bulls qualify for the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League, their first-round opponent will be Dominican Republic’s Atletico Pantoja.
Before RBNY fans start booking flights to Santo Domingo, there is the small matter of the Red Bulls actually booking their place in CCL 2019 - a booking that can only be made by Atlanta United, who must beat Portland Timbers in the 2018 MLS Cup Final in order to secure CONCACAF Champions League for RBNY next year.
Since Atlanta rudely ousted the Red Bulls from contention for this year’s MLS Cup, it does seem like the least the Five Stripes could do by way of compensation.