USL Championship Announces 2020 Schedule

TAMPA – The United Soccer League Championship has revealed the schedule for the revised 2020 season, with teams now grouped regionally and facing minimal travel following COVID-19.

There will be four Florida derbies, in Miami on August 7^th and September 26^th and in St. Petersburg on August 16^th and September 2^nd. While there’s no ruling from USL on if fans will be allowed, given the spike in cases in both parts of Florida it would be best for the safety of fans if at least the earliest games are closed.

READ MORE: Rowdies, Miami FC Learn Group Opponents for USL Championship Resumption

The Rowdies will open the restarted season with two home games, facing Atlanta United 2 on July 11^th and North Carolina FC, an out-of-group opponent, on July 17^th. The first away match for Tampa Bay will be an out-of-group match against Birmingham Legion FC on July 25th.

The remaining out-of-group game will be at Al Lang Stadium against Philadelphia Union II on September 6^th. The regular-season will complete on October 3^rd against Charleston Battery.

For the Miami FC, the first match will be an out-of-group opponent in Charlotte Independence at home on July 22^nd. That will be the first of two meetings between the sides with the return fixture taking place on September 23^rd.

Birmingham will be Miami’s other out-of-group opponent, with that match slated for September 16^th in Florida. The big news for FC is that the season will finish with three straight games at Riccardo Silva Stadium beginning on September 26^th. That will be a Floridian derby before visits from Charleston and Atlanta round out the regular season.

With two teams from the group advancing to the modified playoffs, it seems likely that one of the two Floridian teams will play.

But that assumes the season will be completed. With over 10,000 cases in Florida alone on Friday, it’s already looking like the season shouldn’t go ahead. Still, the USL has so far ignored all of that despite its headquarters being based in Tampa, so it seems like nothing, not even the worst day yet for cases will stop USL.