USL League One is back for another season of professional soccer! The division three league featured a ton of great matchups last season and 2026 is sure to feature more of the same - contributors from Walkin90, 608 Soccer, League One Updater, RBLR Sports, Ranting Blue Penguin, North American Soccer Reporters, Hudson River Blue and our very own One League Under the C weighed in on the games they are hyped to watch this year - according to them, here are 16 games you MUST NOT MISS. Circle the date!

Greenville Triumph SC vs New York Cosmos

Wed. 03/25, 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET at Furman University’s Eugene Stone Soccer Stadium

There’s no better time and place to kick off a season preview than here, now, today… I was in Paterson, NJ for the return of the Cosmos weeks ago and, despite the loss, the prevailing sentiment was “we’re just happy to have our club back.” Then they lost on the road and that gets a shrug and a pass because, well, that’s the longest away day they’ll have all year and it was against a tough opponent.

However, if there was ever a time to lock in and chance to pick up away points, it’s going to be against this Greenville Triumph team who struggled in Week One against the Red Wolves. A result this week is important for either side, getting points in the table early and gaining a little momentum can help get them where both sides want to be, in a playoff position 7 months from now.

Josh Duder - Protagonist Soccer / One League Under the C

AC Boise vs Spokane Velocity

Sat. 04/04, 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET at AC Boise Stadium in Boise, ID

It’s the first home match for expansion side AC Boise. They have their own stadium and a lot of heat both on and off the field. Do we see a turnout like Portland, Naples, or, heavens forbid, Texoma? I have a feeling it will be more of the former. It’s also the first match of a new rivalry between the only two northwestern sides. [It’s hard for me to call it a “derby” when the distance between them is basically the same as Richmond and Westchester!]

Spokane will have a month’s worth of meaningful games under their belt. And, for a team that has lost two League One finals in a row, it might be a make or break season for the current setup of the team.

Dan Creel - Guest Writer

FC Naples vs. Sarasota Paradise

Sat. 04/11, 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET at Paradise Coast Sports Complex Stadium in Naples, FL

After Naples came on line in 2025, Sarasota will join them in the pro ranks in 2026. Only a few hours apart, the rivalries in Florida continue to grow. The home side will want to get off to a good start to let the visitors know who’s who. The Paradise will have every reason to think they can get a good result.

James Knowles - RBLR Sports

Fort Wayne FC vs Charlotte Independence

Sat. 05/02, 4:30 pm PT / 7:30 pm ET at Fort Wayne FC Park in Fort Wayne, IN

Fort Wayne FC Park opening match. Not just the start of a new home, but it is a moment to encapsulate how far soccer has come in NE Indiana and in Fort Wayne

Brett Mullenix - Protagonist Soccer / Kit SZN / The USL Show

Portland Hearts of Pine vs Rhode Island FC

Sat. 05/16, 1:00 pm PT / 4:00 pm ET at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland, ME

There’s something brewing between these two, we may not see the entirety of it until pro/rel in USL brings them together for regular season matches, but we are on the precipice of rivalry. Rhode Island FC are a year older and a league above Portland Hearts - and in the two most meaningful matchups last year, RIFC got the better of them; knocking Hearts out of the US Open Cup in Round Three Proper then beating them 4-1 in the USL Cup Group Stages.

Last year, Albert Dikwa scored a hat trick against Portland, then Noah Fuson added one more for emphasis - but that was last year and Dikwa has moved back to Pittsburgh. RIFC will have to travel 2 hours up I-95 and play in front of one of the most raucous crowds in League One against a very proud team looking for a little revenge served cold.

Josh Duder - Protagonist Soccer / One League Under the C

Fort Wayne FC vs Indy Eleven

Sat. 05/16, 4:30 pm PT / 7:30 pm ET at Fort Wayne FC Park in Fort Wayne, IN

In-State Big Brother Indy Eleven must make the drive up I-69 in the USL-Cup for what should be a great environment. Fort Wayne will have a stadium before the USL-C team from Indianapolis. Maybe the start of a new rivalry or a Big/Little Brother relationship.

Brett Mullenix - Protagonist Soccer / Kit SZN / The USL Show

Chattanooga Red Wolves vs Richmond Kickers

Wed. 05/27, 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET at CHI Memorial Stadium in East Ridge, TN

Who is Richmond’s Boogie man you may ask? Those god damn Red Wolves! Everyone's favorite team hates to bully the Roos every chance they get. Richmond still has yet to win a game at Chattanooga since being in USL League One.

Elliot Barr aka Yogi - River City 93 / Walkin’ 90 Podcast

Forward Madison vs Corpus Christi FC

Fri. 05/29, 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET at Breese Stevens Field in Madison, WI

Forward Madison is finally getting new turf! That means this will be the first USL League One match on a reasonable playing surface in Madison. The Mingos’ home opener is delayed to have the turf installed. By late May, the Flock will be jonesing for some action and have a lot of pent-up offseason energy to unleash. The vibe will be even more electric than it usually is at Breese. Plus, this will be Madison fans’ first look at whether or not Eamon Zayed can work the same magic in Texas as he did in Colorado.

Rob Chappell - 608 Soccer

Union Omaha vs FC Naples

Sat. 05/30, 7:00 pm CT / 8:00 pm ET at Morrison Stadium in Omaha, NE

This match would have immediately been circled as soon as the schedule came out, if nothing else, because of an instant classic of a PK-decided Playoff Quarterfinal victory for FC Naples last November. Then you remember the long delayed match a month earlier at Werner Park. With both teams jockeying for a home playoff match, Union Omaha emerged victorious after a protested restart capped by Ryan Becher’s “ball drop” celebration of the winning goal. Two moments like that are enough to put a little salt into any budding rivalry. Add in a much more intimate, loud, and weather-resistant venue like Morrison in downtown Omaha, and this match should have all the vibes you need.

Tim Howerton - Ranting Blue Penguin Media

Forward Madison vs Fort Wayne FC

Wed. 06/17, 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET at Breese Stevens Field in Madison, WI

After three years with Forward Madison, goalkeeper Bernd Schipmann will make his first return to Breese Stevens Field with Fort Wayne. More importantly, this will be the first installment in what we hope will become a spicy regional rivalry. Given what we’ve seen from Fort Wayne in its first professional offseason, I anticipate they’ll have a solid core of supporters, and we hope to welcome a good-sized and rambunctious traveling party.

Rob Chappell - 608 Soccer

Richmond Kickers vs Sarasota Paradise

Fri. 07/03, 4:30 pm PT / 7:30 pm ET at City Stadium in Richmond, VA

What is better than a meeting of old friends as Mika and co come back to Rivercity to face off against Richmond. It will be interesting to see how well-balanced these two teams are and how these games will shape each other's season.

Elliot Barr aka Yogi - River City 93 / Walkin’ 90 Podcast

Westchester SC vs New York Cosmos

Wed. 07/22, 4pm PT / 7pm ET at The Stadium at Memorial Field in Mt. Vernon, NY

The first league meeting between two teams in a yet to be named rivalry. Westchester is coming into the season with a blank slate, with an entirely new coaching staff after a disappointing debut season last year while also losing the team’s leading scorer and 2025 USL League One player of the year Juan Carlos Obregón Jr to Brooklyn. The Cosmos have an even BLANKER slate for reasons I can’t even begin to touch here. Hard to know how the team will look five months into its first pro season in six years.

Historically, this is the first time a NYC metro area rivalry has been played in a non-MLS affiliated professional league since Fall 2020, when the Cosmos and New Amsterdam FC competed in the National Independent Soccer Association (Cosmos won the only meeting, 3-1). Prior to that, you need to go all the way back to the 2003 USL Pro Soccer League season, when the Long Island Rough Riders, New Jersey Stallions, and New York Freedom (a pro team associated with the legendary NY Pancyprian Freedoms) competed together in the Division III league’s Atlantic Region.

Michael Battista - North American Soccer Reporters / Hudson River Blue

Richmond Kickers vs. Forward Madison

Sat. 08/29, 4:30 pm PT / 7:30 pm ET at City Stadium in Richmond, VA

Henny Derby. It’s always a day of celebration for Black supporters and fans of lower league soccer. This game will be important for seeding in the league. Both coaches are on the line this year for results, and hopefully, playoff seeding will be at play here. A derby win also helps sweeten the push.

Eboni Christmas - Guest Writer

Spokane Velocity FC vs Union Omaha

Sat. 09/16, 12:00 pm CT / 1:00 pm ET at Morrison Stadium in Omaha, NE

Whenever the Owls and Velocity get together, it’s always going to be a good match. This is especially true when (the earlier season match notwithstanding) neither team can conquer the other’s home field. But why be excited about a Wednesday game in the fall that has the audacity to kickoff at noon? Because this is likely the annual Kid’s Game.

Union Omaha are expected to open the doors to a throng of hooting and hollering Owlettes (all of whom should be easy to hear on the broadcast) excited to be out of school and watching their professional team. The Omaha players often get a special lift from this match, and they’ll need it against an opponent that is expected to again challenge for the Player’s Shield. Entering the last two months of the season, this could well determine home playoff matches, if not the top spot itself.

Tim Howerton - Ranting Blue Penguin Media

Spokane Velocity vs AC Boise

Wed. 09/20, 4:00pm PT / 7:00pm ET at ONE Spokane Stadium in Spokane, WA

These two first meet up in league play, in Boise, on April 4th. Then Boise travel to Spokane for a USL Cup clash in June - the trip is a nearly 7 hour drive, either up 95 through Idaho or up 84, through Eastern Oregon, then up I-90 through Washington to get to Spokane. Who knows, it might be just far enough to fly… and that is the “local” rivalry for both sides.

But by September, after having played home and away, with points on the line and a potential playoff position in the balance, this very well may be a budding derby. Time will tell, but both clubs are well-run and ambitious - fingers crossed we get some battles for the neutrals!

Josh Duder - Protagonist Soccer / One League Under the C

Corpus Christi FC vs FC Naples

Sat, 10/10, 7:30pm CT / 8:30 ET at Cabaniss Athletic Complex, in Corpus Christi, TX

This is another late season matchup where both sides would have already met and there very well may be a playoff position on the line - who knows, we can hope! There are some geographic issue that are interesting here as well, both play within a stones throw of the Gulf of… whatever we’re supposed to call it now, but the actual distance between them is immense.

The addition of Corpus Christi FC is fascinating, not only because they carry the burden of Texas on their shoulders (the two previous Texas-based teams have stepped down from the league - yes, moving to MLSNP is a step down) but also that the locale is so far from anywhere else that travel becomes a heckuva challenge… it would be great to see Corpus Christi FC use that to their advantage and make their stadium a fortress.

Josh Duder - Protagonist Soccer / One League Under the C

Edited by Joshua Duder
Special thanks to all contributors - we couldn’t do things like this without you!