Circle the Date: USL League One, 2025 Season

USL League One is back for another season of professional soccer! The division three league featured a ton of great matchups last season and 2025 is sure to feature more of the same - contributors from Walkin90, Talkin Flock, League One Updater, the Spokane Soccer Show, Stormwatch Blog, 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 15 games you MUST NOT MISS. Circle the date!

SG Tormenta FC vs Richmond Kickers

March 7th, 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET at Tormenta Stadium in Statesboro, GA

What a way to kick off the season - you have two tenured coaches who have gone head-to-head for 5 seasons and two teams who peaked in 2022 and have struggled to re-establish their dominance since then. In 2022, Richmond ran riot over the league behind the goals of Kickers’ living legend Emiliano Terzahgi. They won the Player’s Shield but were knocked out of the playoffs and have finished 11th and 8th in the league since then. Meanwhile, Kazaiah Sterling poured in goals for Tormenta and helped them to finish 3rd - they went on to win the Playoff Final but have finished 7th and 10th since those heady days.

While Sterling has since moved on, Coach Ian Cameron has stayed on to lead an overhaul of Tormenta’s squad - the addition of Austin Pack in between the pipes and the return of title-winning midfielder Gabriel Carbal show an intent from the front office to see the Ibises return to championship form. Meanwhile, US Soccer Legend and Kickers’ gaffer Darren Sawatzky will do what he does best - get the most out of youth players and build experienced players into on-field leaders. Perhaps the most important addition to the team will be Darwin Espinal (who we recently interviewed here at Protagonist) who will slot in perfectly as a second striker, playing right behind the 9, and providing late runs and dragging defenders around the box.

Look for this game to set the pace for the rest of a long-awaited opening weekend for USL League One - if you’re not excited, you might not have a pulse.

Josh Duder - Protagonist Soccer / One League Under the C

SG Tormenta FC VS AV Alta FC

March 15th, 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET at Tormenta Stadium in Statesboro, GA

You only play your first-ever game once and for AV Alta, that will be March 15 when they travel across the country to Statesboro to take on South Georgia Tormenta. AV Alta manager Brian Kleiban will want to set the tone early in Antelope Valley and a win over one of the original franchises in the league would be a great start for AV Alta. Tormenta, under the direction of manager Ian Cameron, is looking to rebound after back-to-back seasons missing the playoffs and return to their 2022 form when they won it all.

Luke Martin - Stormwatch

Texoma FC vs Westchester SC

March 29th, 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET at Sherman Bearcat Stadium in Sherman, TX

Battle of the newbies. Neither have been flashy in the preseason, so we don't know what they bring to the league. However, it should be a new interesting matchup. Both would have only played one match for the season, so it's gonna be a mess but fun time trying to not only figure out themselves but the opponent

Eboni Christmas - Walkin’ 90 Podcast / Shea Butter FC

Greenville Triumph vs Spokane Velocity

March 29th, 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET at Paladin Stadium in Greenville, SC

Triumph were one of the more difficult encounters for Velocity FC in their first season as a club, including their opening game, a 3-1 loss on March 9th, 2024. Given all the high profile signings, this is going to be an excellent test of how it all fits together. Meanwhile, how does Greenville look without Mackinnon but with both Red Wolves strikers from last year instead?

Benji Wade - Spokane Soccer Show

AV Alta FC vs Westchester SC

April 5th, 7:30pm PT / 10:30pm ET at Lancaster Municipal Stadium in Lancaster, CA

AV Alta are starting their inaugural season with two road games, both of which will take them clear across the country. Much of their schedule will do the same, with only three other clubs on the same side of the Mississippi River. Alta players and fans will need to take advantage of their home games and put points on the board, as the travel is likely to take a toll. Playing against another expansion club should only add to the atmosphere for the local supporters as they look to make themselves heard.

James Knowles - RBLR Sports

Portland Hearts of Pine vs One Knox SC

May 4th, 3:00 pm PT / 6:00 pm ET at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland, ME

The James J. Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland, ME is a 6,300 seater and not one butt will be in the seats for kickoff - expect the joint to be filled to the legal limit and everybody standing as their team jogs out for the first competitive match in club history. Expect anticipation levels to be extra high; the league don’t have the Portland Hearts of Pine playing their home opener until the season is five weeks in, including an away game in the Jagermeister Cup a week prior to USL Championship side Hartfort Athletic. The upside is that Head Coach, and Sporting Director, Bobby Murphy will be given plenty of time to iron the wrinkles out and have his inaugural squad looking good for their home debut. First-ever signing, Michel Poon-Angeron, is joined by bonafide Mainer, Khalid Hersi, former NoCo Hailstorm player, Patrick Langlois, Jaden Jones-Riley from the MLS’ Portland Timbers, and Mikey Lopez, formerly of Birmingham Legion. 

Hearts host One Knox SC, who finished outside the playoffs in their inaugural season, but worked their way up the table last season and finished in a respectable 5th place. They went out in the quarterfinals and interim head coach Ilija Ilic performed admirably in the role - perhaps they drop the interim before the season starts. Kingsford Adjei, formerly of Tormenta, and Gio Calixtro, who has also played in the Portland Timbers system, as well as for FC Tucson, link up with Danger Man, Kempes Tekiela - who absolutely will score. This is a can’t miss home opener for Hearts of Pine, which should include a great atmosphere, goals, and historic firsts for the home side.

Josh Duder - Protagonist Soccer / One League Under the C

Westchester SC vs Charlotte Independence

May 10th, 1:00pm PST / 4:00pm EST at The Stadium at Memorial Field in Mount Vernon, NY

Following a five-straight away games in the regular season, Westchester’s inaugural USL League One home game sees them play 2023 league finalist Charlotte. With a still building roster it is hard to judge where WSC will be. However, familiar faces to the area like Kemar Lawrence (New York Red Bulls) and Conor McGlynn (Queens, NY) will make this an easy team to support for locals. Charlotte provides a perfect opponent to introduce Hudson Valley to pro soccer (minus the USL Cup and potential U.S. Open Cup). Charlotte will be a great test for them as the Independence also try to find their identity.

Michael Battista - North American Soccer Reporters / Hudson River Blue

Chattanooga Red Wolves vs Richmond Kickers

May 10th, 4:00pm PST / 7:00pm EST at CHI Memorial Stadium in East Ridge, TN

Okay this reason why this game stands is for the very simple reason that since 2019, the first year of the Red Wolves, the Richmond Kickers have never won at Chattanooga. In 8 away matches, The Kickers have only earned 1 point and have been out scored 13-6. Is this the year that the Kickers finally get over the hump.

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

Greenville Triumph vs FC Naples

June 7th, 4:00pm PST / 7:00pm EST at Historic Riggs Field in Clemson, University

The Triumph are scheduled for just one game at Historic Riggs Field on the campus of Clemson University, and this is it. The 2020 Champions, and two-times runners-up, will bring all their pedigree to bear on one of the new kids on the block, FC Naples. Both teams should have experienced defenses; Tyler Polack and Brandon Fricke return for Triumph while goalkeeper Lalo Delgado and defender Brecc Evans move to Naples from NoCo Hailstorm. The biggest challenge for Greenville will be replacing the production of Lyam McKinnon but the addition of Ropapa Mensah and Chevone Marsh should really give defenses fits. 

After 11 games in, we should see if Naples’ Head Coach, Matt Poland, can transfer his lower league success at AC House in Chicago and Naples United to the professional ranks. This will be a maker game for them as they navigate their first season in USL League One but it will be important for Greenville too, as they haven’t been to a league final since 2001 and all points matter as they look to reclaim their throne.

Josh Duder - Protagonist Soccer / One League Under the C

AV Alta FC vs Portland Hearts of Pine

June 21st, 8:00pm PST / 11:00pm EST at Lancaster Municipal Stadium in Lancaster, CA
(and July 2nd at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland, ME)

Both AV Alta and Hearts have done a great job starting up their new teams and getting their fans (and other teams’ fans) hyped for their debut season in USL 1. And while you could point to a number of reasons to watch how the new teams will perform, this is as much a test of the League’s scheduling process as it is the teams themselves. With 3,064 miles separating the two teams, and 11 days separating the fixtures, it’ll be interesting to see how the teams respond to an in-season back-to-back that would beat Newcastle United’s Premier League whole-season travel number by 1,400 miles. Welcome to the League, hope you’ve got some sturdy luggage.

Tim Howerton - Ranting Blue Penguin Media

Westchester SC vs Chattanooga Red Wolves

August 1st, 4:00pm PST / 7:00pm EST at The Stadium at Memorial Field in Mount Vernon, NY

The Jager Cup group stages would be over. It’s the hottest part of the summer. The real playoff push begins. Where are these two teams at this point? One expansion and one founding USL1 member just three seasons past a run to the final. Westchester built a core roster of star vets. Has that come together as they’d hoped? Red Wolves are in transition. Is it building for a better future or turmoil?

Dan Creel - Protagonist Soccer / One League Under the C

Spokane Velocity FC vs Union Omaha

August 2nd, 7:00pm PST / 10:00pm EST at ONE Spokane Stadium

I have a picture of a forlorn Luis Gil and Leigh Viedman watching from the sidelines during Union Omaha’s 2024 USL 1 Championship ceremony. As burned in my mind as that image is, I’m sure it’s equally burned into Spokane’s, and having to wait until August for this fixture will only make it burn hotter. Both sides return 12 members of that day’s team sheet who saw Los Búhos completely dismantle their guests at Werner Park. This time it’ll be in Spokane, where Omaha has never managed to earn a single point.

Tim Howerton - Ranting Blue Penguin Media

Portland Hearts of Pine vs Richmond Kickers

August 9th, 2:00pm PST / 5:00pm EST at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland, ME

By this point in the season we’ll know for sure if Richmond’s off-season moves paid off, and if Portland built something competitive. At best, this is going to be a battle between two teams fighting for a playoff spot. And if not, we’re still going to see an early evening high-scoring battle in front of 5,000 fans, including a number of Richmond fans making the trip.

Alex Ashton - League One Updater

Union Omaha vs Forward Madison

October 19th, time TBD at Werner Park in Omaha, NE

Of course traveling to Richmond for the second leg of the Henny Derby on the final day of the regular season is a tempting one to pick, but I’ve really got my eye on the match a week earlier. If the season goes as I expect, the penultimate match of the season will have a lot on the line for both the Owls and Mingos. Both teams will likely have secured playoff spots, but the Players’ Shield and home playoff matches will be up for grabs, and could be determined in this game. It’ll also be the end of an era – the final league match ever in one of the best rivalries in USL1.

Rob Chappell - Madison 365 / Talkin’ Flock

Richmond Kickers vs Forward Madison in the Henny Derby

October 25th, 3:00pm PST / 6:00pm EST at City Stadium in Richmond, VA

Let me just set the scene… the final game of the regular season is a Henny Derby, which will likely have some weight on it from playoff expectations. The cool about this date is that Virginia State University, my beloved college, will be having its Homecoming on that day. So if you want to get the best of both worlds from a HOCO standpoint in soccer and culture this is the day to come to the 804.

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

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