RIFC Returns Home Fighting for Franchise’s First Win
= Following Thursday’s U.S. Open Cup draw, Rhode Island FC will travel to North Carolina to face Charlotte Independence of USL League One on Tuesday, April 16 at 7 p.m. at American Legion Memorial Stadium. The Third Round matchup will be streamed live via usopencup.com, mlssoccer.com and uslsoccer.com. The national competition pairs teams from every level of play into a single elimination tournament.
Rhode Island FC joins 16 other USL Championship clubs entering the competition in the Third Round. The Ocean State club drew Charlotte Independence Thursday afternoon from the Northeast regional pool. The match will be RIFC’s first appearance in the historic competition, and its first-ever competitive matchup against a non-USL Championship opponent.
The USL League One club advanced to the Third Round after a dramatic penalty-shootout win over semi-professional side South Carolina United Heat of the United Premier Soccer League on Tuesday, April 2. After nothing could separate the two sides through 120 minutes in a scoreless draw, Charlotte goalkeeper Austin Pack made two saves in the shootout to keep his team’s Open Cup dreams alive.
Khano Smith’s squad will balance the tournament with regular season action in the coming weeks as the club continues to search for its first-ever win. RIFC is set to host Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Saturday, April 13 at 7:30 p.m. ahead of its mid-week Open Cup matchup with Charlotte, before embarking on a cross-country road trip for a meeting with Las Vegas Lights FC on Saturday, April 20 at 8 p.m.
Before that, Rhode Island FC continues its 34-match USL Championship slate on Saturday, April 6 (7:30 p.m. ET) when the club returns home to face off against defending Eastern Conference Champions Charleston Battery at Beirne Stadium. Tickets to the match are available now at rhodeislandfc.com/tickets.
###
ABOUT RHODE ISLAND FOOTBALL CLUB
Rhode Island FC, A Club for All Rhode Island, is independently owned and operated, and is the only homegrown men’s professional team in the state. It is led by co-founders Brett Johnson and former MLS and USMNT player Michael Parkhurst, a Rhode Island native. The club began play in March 2024 in its temporary venue, Beirne Stadium on the campus of Bryant University, while its permanent home stadium is completed for the 2025 season. The Stadium at Tidewater Landing in downtown Pawtucket will be a state-of-the-art stadium with a 10,000+ capacity. For more information visit rhodeislandfc.com.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Rhode Island FC 2024 Single Match Tickets, Group Tickets, Season Ticket Memberships, Flex Plans and Mini Plans are on sale now starting at just $15 per match. Tickets can be purchased by calling 401-955-RIFC (7432) or by visiting rhodeislandfc.com/tickets.
