Group format and matchups announced ahead of third edition of interleague tournament
PAWTUCKET, R.I. (Dec. 16, 2025) – The United Soccer League today announced the structure and schedule for the 2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup, the third edition of the interleague cup competition which will feature all 43 teams across the USL Championship and League One aiming to reach the Final in the opening weekend in October.
The 2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup will kick off on Saturday, April 25, with teams split into seven regional groups. Six groups will include six teams and one will include seven teams, with each club set to play four group stage games in the opening phase of the tournament, which will conclude on Saturday, July 11.
Rhode Island FC will compete in Group 5 alongside regional rival Hartford Athletic, USL Championship expansion club Brooklyn FC, USL League One clubs Westchester SC and Portland Hearts of Pine, and USL League One expansion club New York Cosmos. It will open up its 2026 campaign when it travels to Trinity Health Stadium to take on Hartford Athletic on April 25, before traveling up north to Fitzpatrick Stadium to face Portland Hearts of Pine on May 16. It will round out the group stage with a pair of home games, first welcoming Westchester SC to Pawtucket on June 6 before playing host to Brooklyn FC for its group stage finale on July 11.
2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup – Rhode Island FC Group Stage Schedule
| GAME | DAY | DATE | TIME | OPPONENT |
| 1 | Saturday | April 25 | TBD | Hartford Athletic |
| 2 | Saturday | May 16 | TBD | Portland Hearts of Pine |
| 3 | Saturday | June 6 | TBD | Westchester SC |
| 4 | Saturday | July 11 | TBD | Brooklyn FC |
Following the group stage, the seven group winners and one wild card will advance to the knockout stage, with the wild card to be awarded to the second-placed team with the most points in group play, followed by the first tiebreaker of most goals scored. The Quarterfinals will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 13, followed by the Semifinals on Wednesday, Sept. 9, before the final on the weekend of October 2-4, 2026.
2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup Competition Schedule
| STAGE | DATES |
| Group Stage | April 25-July 11 |
| Quarterfinals | Aug. 12 |
| Semifinals | Sept. 9 |
| Final | Oct. 2-4 |
For Rhode Island FC news and updates, visit rhodeislandfc.com, download the official team app, and follow the club on Instagram, Facebook, X and LinkedIn.
