It’s Midway through June and we’re knee-deep in league and cup soccer! From USL Championship to NPSL and WPSL to the NISA Independent Cup - the Protagonist Soccer staff has picked out a few can’t-miss matches for the weekend of June 16 - 18th.

Steven Ramirez - 2023 NISA Independent Cup, AC Houston Sur vs Soly FC
- NISA independent cup is the second best cup competition in the states. Pro vs. amateur. A chance for players to test their mettle against professional players. AC Houston Sur has the opportunity to knock off the first MEX side in the competition
- A Second Shout: Dennis Pope - It’s the opening match of the 2023 NISA Independent Cup! AC Houston Sur, of USL League 2, takes on Soly FC Matamoros of LPF Mexico. It’s the first time in two years that a team from TX has participated in the Independent Cup, while it’s the first time overall for a Mexican club
- Friday, June 16th 9p EST on ELEVEN
Lis Schendel - WPSL, Minnesota Thunder vs Sioux Falls City FC
- Minnesota Thunder vs Sioux Falls City FC: Minnesota Thunder has been ripping through their conference and tied Salvo, but SFCFC is a worthy opponent and have also tied Salvo this season. This conference is so underrated and I think it has a future WPSL Champion-worthy team in its midst.
- Friday, June 16th 7pm EST on ELEVEN
Dan Creel - USL League One, Richmond Kickers vs Forward Madison
- It's the Henny Derby! A supporter-led celebration of Black culture and its just two days before Juneteenth… in Richmond! Plus, both teams are fighting for a playoff position in the super tight USL League One.
- Saturday, June 17th 7pm EST on ESPN+

Josh Duder - NPSL, Kingston Stockade Stockade vs Valeo FC
- Kingston Stockade started the season with 4 consecutive wins, then drew 1 - 1 away to Syracuse FC last weekend. I’m interested to see if Head Coach Jamal Lis-Simmons can get the Stockade back on track to defeat Valeo FC or if the visitors rain on Kingston’s unbeaten parade.
- Saturday, June 17th at 6:30p EST on Kingston Stockade FC Live
Harry Austin - USL Championship, Tampa Bay Rowdies vs El Paso Locomotive
- Rowdies have reloaded and are on a 7-game unbeaten streak - El Paso just drew against San Antonio last night and are on their own 11-game unbeaten streak! Both overcame slow starts, but Rowdies are now in 3rd in the East and Locomotive are 1st in the West - is this a USL Championship Final sneak preview?
- Saturday, June 17th 7pm EST on ESPN+
Dennis Pope - SoCal Premier League, AC Brea vs Inland Empire FC
- No. 2 vs. No. 3 in the SoCal Premier League Men’s Under-23 division. AC Brea (3-0-0), the only unbeaten team remaining, hosts IEFC (2-1-1) with a chance to move to the top of the table. Real Sociedad Royals (3-1-1) are the current leaders.
- Saturday, June 17th 10:15p EST from OC Great Park, Irvine, CA - no stream listed.
Danielle Gawronski - United Women’s Soccer, Calgary Foothills vs SC Blue Heat
- Both teams have multiple goal games, have zero losses, and play exciting skillful soccer. It’s also the last time for a while where they will have youth players who are dynamic and bring a spark to teams before going off to youth club playoffs. This will determine who goes top of the UWS West Division.
- Saturday, June 17th 5p EST from Broadview Park, Calgary, Canada - no stream listed.
Ryan Stallings - USL League Two, “The Old River Rivalry”, Mississippi Brilla FC vs Little Rock Rangers SC
- It's the Mid-South Division's current #3 hosting #2 in a midseason tilt where the result could hold major postseason wildcard implications. I swore off another trip to the Jackson MS metro after a lackluster 2022 experience, but Hulu's recent release of Searching For Soul Food has emphatically drawn me back into another away day.
- Saturday, June 17th 8pm EST on ELEVEN
John Howard Fusco - USASA Region 1 Werner Fricker Cup Final- Lansdowne Yonkers FC v West Chester United
- It’s always must-watch when two of the heavyweights in men's amateur soccer in the northeast face off, especially when there’s silverware on the line. The winner heads off for the national semifinals of the Werner Fricker Cup. Oh by the way, these two clubs represent the last two national winners of the cup, with West Chester having won in all last year and the Bhoys having done so in 2021.
- Sunday, June 18th 1p EST on USASA Youtube Channel