USL and Jägermeister are back for year two of their partnership and in 2025 they’ve teamed up to make the Cup bigger and better! The inaugural winners, Northern Colorado Hailstorm, are no longer in the league, so we won’t see our first back-to-back champion… and that is the only certainty we have going into this iteration.

If you’re not familiar, the USL Cup is sponsored by Jägermeister and in most instances will be referred to as such; however, some situations due to reasons that would take too long to explain in this space, it is just called the USL Cup. Much like the US Open Cup, this competition creates matchups between teams from different sanctioned divisions in US Soccer, but unlike the US Open Cup, the teams involved only come from the ranks of the USL’s Championship and League One, hence, The USL Cup. To satisfy the obvious next question, no, USL League Two sides are NOT involved… for now. Last year, only USL League One sides were involved, so we never know what’s in the pipeline at USL HQ.

As mentioned, the competition includes all the clubs in both USL Championship and League One - they have been broken apart from their respective leagues and put back together in six regional groups. Group play has been spread out over four months, from April 25th and ending on July 26th and each team will play twice at home and twice on the road - home games have been randomly drawn. A total of eight teams will advance from the Group Stages; the six group winners and two additional teams, from those who did not win their groups, who scored the most goals. Keep that in mind - this tournament has been rigged to reward the teams who attack and while the opening salvo of matches may be cagey, by the end we should see absolute barn-burners. Anything can, and will happen!

So let’s get stuck into the games our volunteer bloggers, podcasters, and USL sickos picked out as must-see TV. They’ll tell us a little bit about why you should circle that date on your calendar.

North Carolina FC (USLC) vs Charlotte Independence (USLL1)

04/25, 4:00pm PT / 7:00pm ET at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC

This is a rivalry that extends farther than the field. There’s a true hate. This is one of several matchups in Group E of the Jager Cup. A rivalry that stretches back to the NASL, this one will be chippy, fierce, and an outright fight. Expect the fans to be loud and intense.

Eboni Christmas - Walkin’ 90 Podcast

FC Naples (USLL1) vs Charleston Battery (USLC)

04/26, 4:00pm PT / 7:00pm ET at Paradise Sports Complex in Naples, FL

It’s the first ever Jager Cup match for both clubs as the expansion FC Naples hosts the USLC Eastern Conference finalist, Charleston Battery. Naples’ head coach and sporting director, Matt Poland, has quickly built a strong veteran defensive core to his squad that will be sorely tested by Charleston’s vaunted attack. A month into the season, will Naples have enough up top (teamed up with inaugural signing Jayden Onen) to keep the Battery worried?

Dan Creel - Protagonist Soccer / This Week In Soccer

Forward Madison (USLL1) vs Indy Eleven (USLC)

04/26, 4:00pm PT / 7:00pm ET at Breese Stevens Field in Madison, WI

This will be the first time ever that Forward Madison host a USL Championship side, and only the third time they’ve played against one. (The Mingos upset El Paso Locomotive before falling to St Louis FC in the 2019 US Open Cup.) It’s early in the season and Indy will have a couple more weeks under their belt, but Madison is also bringing back the majority of its roster so the lack of cohesion you often see in those first few matches won’t be a big issue. It feels like a winnable match for Madison. Plus, it’s always fun when two Peter Wilt startups meet.

Rob Chappell - Talkin’ Flock Podcast

New Mexico United (USLC) vs Union Omaha (USLL1)

04/26, 6:00pm PT / 9:00pm ET at Rio Grande CY Field at Isotopes Park

I love this matchup. New Mexico has a great home atmosphere and always delivers in cup matches. Union Omaha might be the underdog on paper, but talk about an up-punching club! This is a can’t miss matchup of the J cup!

Dan Vaughn - Ed. Protagonist Soccer

Texoma FC (USLL1) vs El Paso Locomotive (USLC)

04/26, 5:00pm PT / 8pm ET at Sherman Bearcat Stadium in Sherman, TX

Texoma is an unknown quantity as they enter their first season. While the other expansion clubs have made flashier signings, Texoma shouldn’t be ruled out as a potential scrappy and solid team. El Paso has historically struggled with USL1 teams losing to Forward Madison in 2019, Central Valley Fuego in 2022, Union Omaha in 2023 and 2024. Texoma could be another USL1 team added to the list in this Texas showdown.

Kyle Carr - Walkin’ 90 Podcast

Spokane Velocity (USLL1) vs Oakland Roots SC (USLC)

04/27, 4:00pm PT / 7:00pm ET at ONE Spokane Stadium in Spokane, WA

Spokane is a team Roots cannot sleep on, so it will be interesting to see what kind of team Oakland elects to run out there. Roots have been public about its quest for a trophy in 2025, will they give the match some priority now that they’ve been knocked out of the U.S. Open Cup? Spokane definitely has enough talent to get the job done with former Roots’ striker Anuar Pelaez, former USL Championship forward Neco Brett, and former FC Tulsa midfielder Collin Fernandez.

Jonathan Comeaux - Oakland Roots Blog

Birmingham Legion (USLC) vs Chattanooga Red Wolves (USLL1)

04/27, 2:00pm PT / 5:00pm ET at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, AL

After wreaking havoc in the Open Cup, taking down amateur, MLS NextPro and USL Championship sides all on the road, and all in PKs, Chattanooga will bring its particular brand of chaos to Birmingham to kick off the Jägermeister Cup. The hosts are inconsistent at best in USL Championship play, something Chattanooga will be all too eager to exploit. Key to the match for Birmingham: don’t let Chattanooga bait fouls. Key to Chattanooga: if they can’t score in regulation, hold tight for 90 minutes and gamble with penalty kicks.

Alex Ashton - League One Updater

One Knox SC (USLL1) vs Indy Eleven (USLC)

05/24, 4:00pm PT / 7:00pm ET at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, TN

All sources available say this is the first meeting between One Knoxville SC and Indy Eleven. One Knox were founded in 2021 as an amateur team in USL League Two then made the jump up to the professional ranks the following season. An ambitious and well-run club, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they are not only excited at the idea of promotion to USL Championship, but have been plotting it all along.

But first, and well-before any additional upward movement in the greater USL system, they will have to get past Indy Eleven. This game, coming fairly early in the Group Play schedule for Indy, may be the perfect trap-door game for One Knox, who will see a good opportunity to, if not win the group outright, at least advance by scoring loads of goals. Expect them to push extra hard at home against an unsuspecting Indy Eleven side.

Josh Duder - Protagonist Soccer / One League Under the C / The C Podcast

Portland Hearts of Pine (USLL1) vs Detroit City FC (USLC)

05/31, 2:00pm PT / 5:00pm ET at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland, ME

It won’t be the first game in its history, and it’s not even the first home game at Fitzpatrick Stadium. But - barring a surprise run in the Open Cup, this will be the first big match in Hearts of Pine history. And DCFC’s faithful travel well, so the atmosphere could be raucous. This one is not to be missed.

John Howard-Fusco - Protagonist Soccer / The Super Show

Rhode Island FC (USLC) vs Portland Hearts of Pine (USLL1)

06/28, 4:00pm PT / 7:00pm ET at The Stadium at Tidewater Landing in Pawtucket, RI

Revenge is a dish best served… freshly plucked from the Atlantic - as Portland Hearts of Pine look to make lobster rolls outta these clam cakes from Pawtucket. When last they met, Rhode Island FC knocked the USL League One rookies out of the US Open Cup in the third round, despite Portland dominating possession, out-passing, and out-shooting them. But its goals which win games and last year’s USL Championship runners-up scored two first half goals then held on for the win.

It was a bit of chippy game too - there were 36 fouls between the two; 5 yellow cards; and two red cards. However, both Mikey Lopez for Portland and Karifa Yao for Rhode Island, should be back… but for how long?

Josh Duder - Protagonist Soccer / One League Under the C / The C Podcast

Orange County SC (USLC) vs Sacramento Republic (USLC)

06/28, 7:00pm PT / 10:00pm ET at Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine, CA

Two of the big boys going head to head in a California matchup, this is a can’t miss. While Sacramento will be on the road for this one, the Republic are used to big matches against Championship level competitors, especially ones from their home state.

Dan Vaughn - Ed. Protagonist Soccer

San Antonio FC (USLC) vs Union Omaha (USLL1)

06/28, 6:00pm PT / 9:00pm ET at Toyota Field in San Antonio, FC

In a way, this is a reverse-fixture and San Antonio might be thinking they owe Los Buhos a little something - something. The last time they met, Dion Acoff scored against the run of play, in the 36th for Union Omaha, then they held on while the visitors, San Antonio FC outshot, out-possessed, and out-passed the Owls but were ultimately unable to score a single goal.

This time around, in a tournament which favors goals, San Antonio will be looking to pour it on. This will also be their only match against a USL League One team in the Group Play - with games against tough Western Conference opponents, Phoenix Rising, Colorado Switchbacks, and New Mexico United to round out their Group 2 schedule. But don’t count out the owls yet, they have a funny way of punching up, and knocking out, upper division opponents.

Josh Duder - Protagonist Soccer / One League Under the C / The C Podcast

FC Naples (USLL1) vs Tampa Bay Rowdies (USLC)

07/04, 4:30pm PT / 7:30pm ET at Paradise Coast Sports Complex in Naples, FL

This is an easy pick to be one of the most compelling of the Jägermeister Cup fixtures, as it will be the first meeting between these teams in their history (barring a draw in the Open Cup). FC Naples have slowly put together a team capable of competing in League 1, while the Rowdies continue to rebuild from a season below their usual standard. Igniting a local rivalry is sure to bring some fireworks, which couldn’t go any better with the occasion!

James Knowles - RBLR Sports

Birmingham Legion (USLC) vs Forward Madison (USLL1)

07/26, 5:00pm PT / 8:00pm ET at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, AL

Unless you consider a friendly in 2020 to be an official match, this is the first time in Legion history that they have taken on Forward Madison. While Legion bolstered on a poor attack, Madison has maintained if not improved on a team that was one of the best in League One. It is going to be a fascinating battle in the Deep South on Christmas in July Day in Birmingham, AL.

Kaylor Hodges - The USL Show

Detroit City FC (USLC) vs Westchester SC (USLL1)

07/26, 4:00pm PT / 7:00pm ET at Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck, MI

Another rematch from the US Open Cup, Third Round; this one is a little less likely with New York and Michigan not exactly in the same geographic neighborhood. The first time around, Detroit City put the gap between the Championship and League One on full display - outshooting the League One newcomers 24 to 6 and outscoring them 3-1.

But maybe it wasn’t as lopsided during the game as the final stats might imply - it did take DCFC 71 minutes to score and Westchester’s Juan Carlos Obregon pulled one back in the 76th to make a real fist of it. However, Detroit converted a penalty in the 85th then sealed the deal in the 94th with a goal from Darren Smith. Who knows if it will play out the same, but don’t put it past Westchester to bring their A game to Hamtramck.

Josh Duder - Protagonist Soccer / One League Under the C / The C Podcast