Prinx Tires USL Cup Group Stage Round 1
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Sarasota Paradise
Saturday, April 25, 7:30 p.m. ET
Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg, FL
2026 League Records:
Rowdies: 4W-0L-2D (2-0-1 at home), 14 pts, 11th in the East
Sarasota: 2W-4L-1D (0-2-0 on the road), 7 pts, 9th in USL League One
The USL Championship regular season moves to the back burner this week as the Tampa Bay Rowdies prepare to open their run in the Prinx Tires USL Cup. First up for the Rowdies in the USL’s interleague tournament is a home matchup with USL League one newcomers, Sarasota Paradise.
After missing out on a spot in the knockout round of last year’s tournament on the final day of group play, the Rowdies are eager to come out of the gate strong this time around. Momentum is with them after extending their unbeaten streak to start the regular season to six matches last week, leaving the Rowdies as the only team without a loss in league play this year.
This weekend’s matchup at Al Lang Stadium marks the first competitive meeting between Tampa Bay and Sarasota, who are new to USL League One this year. The two sides met in the preseason, with the Rowdies claiming a 1-0 win in the inaugural charity Cochol Cup. Based strictly by geography, Sarasota are now the closest local rival for the Rowdies. The home venues for the teams are merely 40 miles apart. Expect plenty of banter being coming out of the supporters stands this Saturday as the Rowdies look to defend their home turf from their new in-state foes.
Cup Format
Saturday is first of four group stage matches for the Rowdies in the Prinx Tires USL Cup. The field for this year’s edition of the tournament is made up of 42 total teams from across USL Championship and League One, with teams split into seven regional groups. The top team from each group and one wild card team at the end of group play will advance to the single-elimination knockout rounds.
In group play, teams earn the usual three points for a win and one point for a draw. However, any match that ends in a stalemate after 90 minutes will immediately move to a penalty shootout, with the winner of the shootout claiming an extra point.
Click here to read more on the tournament format and view the Rowdies view group stage schedule.
Sunshine State Supremacy
The group stage for this year’s Prinx Tires USL Cup will serve as an unofficial USL Florida Derby. The Rowdies have been placed in a group with four other teams based in the Sunshine State. The Green and Gold will be aiming to come out on top over fellow USL Championship sides Miami FC and Sporting JAX, as well as FC Naples and Sarasota from USL League One.
Waite Hits 100
Rowdies Goalkeeper Jahmali Waite hit a personal milestone this past Saturday in Charleston with the 100th regular season appearance of his USL Championship career. Next up, the Jamaican international has his eyes set on recording the 30th regular season clean sheet of his career. Waite needs one more to reach 30 shutouts. He’s already posted two shutouts through his first four appearances for the Rowdies.
Club Firsts
A couple of Rowdies players recorded memorable firsts last week in Charleston. Defender Yanis Leerman made his first appearance for the club, entering as a halftime substitute to help keep the Rowdies unbeaten streak intact. On the other end of the pitch, attacking midfielder Mattheus Oliveira notched his first assist for the club with a perfectly-weighted through ball into the box for wingback Sebastian Cruz to convert into Tampa Bay’s lone goal.
Scouting Sarasota
Sarasota sits 9th in the USL League One standings through the first seven matches of the club’s first season in USL League One. The club moved up to the professional ranks in League One this year on the heels of its inaugural season in USL League Two last year. Sarasota heads to Al Lang this weekend fresh off their second win of the year on Wednesday, as they held off Corpus Christi FC for a 2-1 result at home. Norwegian attacker Sander Røed and South Florida native Jonathan Bolanos currently lead the club in scoring with two goals each so far in 2026.
Upcoming Rowdies Milestones
- Approaching 30 regular season assists: Russell Cicerone (29)
- Approaching 30 regular season shutouts: Jahmali Waite (29)
- Rowdies Defender Laurence Wyke (99 appearances) is nearing his 100th appearance for the Rowdies across all competitions. Wyke would be the 11th player from the Rowdies 2021 Players’ Shield winning squad to hit 100 club appearances.
Rowdies Availability Report
OUT: Archer, Nigro
