Phoenix Rising FC will pursue a home playoff game, while New Mexico United will try to keep its playoff hopes alive as the sides clash on Saturday night. | Photo courtesy Brandino / New Mexico United
Welcome to the latest edition of the USL Championship Race to the Playoffs, in which we provide weekly information on where each team stands in their bid to reach the 2023 USL Championship Playoffs in October.
Only four berths are now available for the postseason after Wednesday night’s action, which saw both Orange County SC and Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC secure their places, and Birmingham Legion FC seems poised to join them as early as Saturday night. There’s still a lot to watch out for in this weekend’s 12-game slate in terms of positioning, and the potential that Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC could clinch the Players’ Shield.
Here are four games to keep an eye on, and where everyone stands.
The Charleston Battery are almost locked into third place in the Eastern Conference standings, but after last week’s loss they’ll be aiming to bounce back and try to keep their hopes of a second-place finish alive as they host eighth-placed Miami FC. The visitors, meanwhile, are on a three-game winning streak and could clinch a playoff place with a win, pending results for Detroit City FC and FC Tulsa. A loss on the road, however, and Miami could drop below the playoff line against.
Everything is on the line for the top two teams in the Eastern Conference in downtown St. Petersburg, with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC assured of claiming the Players’ Shield if it can take victory against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. There are multiple complex scenarios that could play out if either Tampa Bay takes victory, or the teams end up playing to a draw, including the potential that the Hounds would be the No. 1 seed in the East, while the Rowdies win the Players’ Shield. Read more about how that bizarre circumstance could occur here.
Memphis 901 FC has clinched a playoff berth, but it could secure a home playoff game if it takes victory against El Paso Locomotive FC and Louisville City FC falls at home against Hartford Athletic. Locomotive FC has plenty to gain as it hits the road, though, as a win would put it in position to clinch a playoff place should either Oakland Roots SC or Monterey Bay F.C. drop points this weekend as well.
Sitting in fifth place in the Western Conference, Phoenix Rising FC can still host a playoff game despite a three-point gap to make up on both third-placed Orange County SC and fourth-placed San Diego Loyal SC, but it would need to win here to ensure that opportunity remains on the final weekend of the season. 10th-placed New Mexico United, meanwhile, needs to win, or else its playoff chances could end this weekend depending on how the teams above it in the standings fare. That should add some added edge to what has been a strong rivalry over the years.
Eliminated: Las Vegas Lights FC
Eliminated: Loudoun United FC, Hartford Athletic
Tag(s): Features San Antonio FC CO Spring Switchbacks Orange County SC Phoenix Rising FC Rio Grande Valley FC Sacramento Republic FC FC Tulsa Charleston Battery Louisville City FC Pittsburgh Riverhounds Tampa Bay Rowdies Birmingham Legion FC Indy Eleven Memphis 901 FC El Paso Locomotive FC New Mexico United San Diego Loyal SC Miami FC Oakland Roots SC Detroit City FC Monterey Bay F.C.