The United Soccer League announced the home openers for all 35 clubs in the USL Championship, with the league’s 10th anniversary season set to kick off on Friday, March 6.
The 2020 campaign opens with a Friday doubleheader that will feature three teams that reached the postseason in the Western Conference last season, with Orange County SC set to host El Paso Locomotive FC in the opening game at Championship Stadium in California before Tacoma Defiance takes on Reno 1868 FC at Cheney Stadium.
The first Saturday of the season contains plenty to watch for, too, with perennial playoff contenders North Carolina FC hosting Louisville City FC and the New York Red Bulls II hosting the Tampa Bay Rowdies. In the Western Conference, Real Monarchs SLC will open its title defense on the road against San Antonio FC, while two sides that reached the postseason in their inaugural seasons will kick off their second campaigns when Austin Bold FC hosts New Mexico United.
The weekend’s marquee matchup arrives late on Saturday night when expansion side San Diego Loyal SC, led by Landon Donovan, hosts Las Vegas Lights FC and Head Coach Eric Wynalda as the former U.S. Men’s National Team legends square off on the sidelines for the first time.
Other notable home openers include the first game at home for defending champion Real Monarchs SLC, which welcomes 2019 Regular Season Title-Winner Phoenix Rising FC to Zions Bank Stadium on Saturday, March 14, while Miami FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies will meet for the first time in the USL Championship on Friday, March 13 at Riccardo Silva Stadium.
Louisville City FC will be the visitor for two early 2019 Eastern Conference playoff rematches as it visits Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Saturday, March 21 at Highmark Stadium and then takes on Indy Eleven on April 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium. The two-time champion will then open its new 11,700-seat Lynn Family Stadium on Saturday, April 11 as it plays host to Birmingham Legion FC, kicking off a new era for the club as it aims to reach the USL Championship Final for an unprecedented fourth consecutive season.
2020 USL Championship Home Openers
March 6
Orange County SC vs. El Paso Locomotive FC
Tacoma Defiance vs. Reno 1868 FC
March 7
Austin Bold FC vs. New Mexico United
Memphis 901 FC vs. Indy Eleven
New York Red Bulls II vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies
North Carolina FC vs. Louisville City FC
OKC Energy FC vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Philadelphia Union II vs. Loudoun United FC
Phoenix Rising FC vs. Portland Timbers 2
Sacramento Republic FC vs. FC Tulsa
Saint Louis FC vs. Miami FC
San Antonio FC vs. Real Monarchs SLC
San Diego Loyal SC vs. Las Vegas Lights FC
March 8
ATL UTD 2 vs. Charleston Battery
Rio Grande Valley FC vs. LA Galaxy II
Sporting Kansas City II vs. Charlotte Independence
March 13
LA Galaxy II vs. Austin Bold FC
Miami FC vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies
March 14
Charlotte Independence vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. San Antonio FC
El Paso Locomotive FC vs. Portland Timbers 2
FC Tulsa vs. New Mexico United
Las Vegas Lights FC vs. Sacramento Republic FC
Real Monarchs SLC vs. Phoenix Rising FC
Reno 1868 FC vs. OKC Energy FC
March 15
Birmingham Legion FC vs. Charleston Battery
March 21
Hartford Athletic vs. Charleston Battery
New Mexico United vs. El Paso Locomotive FC
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC vs. Louisville City FC
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. North Carolina FC
March 22
Portland Timbers 2 vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
March 28
Charleston Battery vs. Philadelphia Union II
April 4
Indy Eleven vs. Louisville City FC
April 11
Louisville City FC vs. Birmingham Legion FC
May 6
Loudoun United FC vs. Charlotte Independence
About the USL Championship - The USL Championship is one of the most successful professional soccer leagues in the world, reaching a population of more than 84 million fans and fueling the growth of the game across North America. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, the USL provides unparalleled club support with a growing team of more than 60 professionals across 17 departments, ranging from operations to marketing, communications and sponsorship.
The USL Championship has a national media agreement with ESPN, wherein all league matches are broadcast on ESPN+ and across linear channels. The league also operates USL Productions, which includes a state-of-the-art facility that produced and distributed more than 750 league matches between the Championship and USL League One and more than 1,000 hours of original content to national partners, local affiliates and international markets throughout the 2019 season.
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