COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC and Rhode Island FC will meet in the 2024 USL Championship Final at Weidner Field on Saturday with the Switchbacks aiming to cap their 10th anniversary season with a league title, and RIFC looking to become only the second expansion side to win Championship title in its inaugural season. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET and the game will air live on the CBS Television Network, TUDN and SiriusXM.

How They Got Here

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (15-12-7, 52pts) – The Switchbacks claimed the first silverware in club history as it defeated Las Vegas Lights FC 1-0 in the Western Conference Final last Sunday night at Weidner Field. Juan Tejada scored the only goal of the game as goalkeeper Christian Herrera posted a four-save shutout to preserve the result and earn Colorado Springs its first Western Conference title. Herrera and the Switchbacks back line – led by Championship All-League First Team selection Matt Mahoney – have been outstanding over the final stretch of the season and the playoffs, recording shutouts in four of their past five games and conceding only once in 480 minutes.

The side has also made Weidner Field one of the most difficult places to visit in the Championship this season, going 13-4-3 across the regular season and playoffs with a goal differential of +16 and eight shutouts. The Switchbacks are also undefeated in the postseason at Weidner Field since it opened in 2021, posting a 5-0 record with three shutouts to this point.

Rhode Island FC (12-15-7, 51pts) – RIFC became the first expansion team since 2016 to reach the USL Championship Final as it took a 2-1 victory against the Charleston Battery in the Eastern Conference Final last Saturday night through goals by Zach Herivaux and Noah Fuson either side of halftime. The No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference, Rhode Island set a league record with 15 drawn contests in the regular season but surged in the second half of the campaign. Starting with a 5-2 victory against Louisville City FC on June 22, RIFC has gone 14-3-6 across the regular season and playoffs, recording a league-high 51 goals in that span.

The attacking trio of Fuson, JJ Williams and Albert Dikwa have helped fuel that success, combining for 31 goals and 21 assists across the regular season and playoffs. Rhode Island is now in position to both be the second team to win the league title in its expansion season after Sacramento Republic FC in 2014, and the second to win four consecutive road games to claim the league title after Phoenix Rising FC a season ago.

All-Time Series

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC took a 3-1 victory against Rhode Island FC in the lone prior meeting between the teams at Weidner Field on May 17 as Ronaldo Damus scored a pair of goals for the hosts.

Opta Says

3,360 – Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC goalkeeper Christian Herrera and center back Matt Mahoney have each logged 3,360 minutes of action this season, having played every minute of every game in the regular season and playoffs for the side.

35 – Rhode Island FC has recorded 35 goals in the second halves of games across the regular season and playoffs, accounting for 55 percent of their overall scoring. In that total, 18 came in the final 15 minutes and second-half stoppage time.

Players to Watch

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC – Ronaldo Damus: The Haitian international scored twice when these sides first met and could become the first player to win the Championship Final MVP award, having previously earned the honor in 2021 when he scored twice in Orange County SC’s victory against the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

Rhode Island FC – Noah Fuson: The winner of the Championship’s Golden Playmaker award with 10 regular season assists, Fuson leads RIFC with 19 goal contributions this season after bagging his ninth goal of the campaign against Charleston in the Eastern Conference Final.

Uniforms

Discipline Report

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC – No suspensions

Rhode Island FC – No suspensions

Officials
REF: Ricardo Fierro
AR1: Stephen McGonagle
AR2: Rhett Hammil
4TH: Abdou Ndiaye