USL Championship Matchday 28
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Indy Eleven
Saturday, October 10, 7:00 p.m. ET
Michael A. Carroll Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
2026 League Records:
Rowdies: 15W-5L-7D (7-2-5 on the road), 52 pts, 1st in the East
Indy: 9W-11L-7D (8-3-3 at home), 34 pts, 9th in the East
Broadcast: Tampa Bay 44, ESPN+
The Tampa Bay Rowdies head to Indianapolis this weekend for what they hope will be their final road trip of the year. With three matches left in the regular season, the Rowdies are aiming to officially lock up home field advantage throughout the playoffs as the winner of the USL Championship Players’ Shield.
The runway to successfully claiming the Players’ Shield got a little shorter for the Rowdies following last week’s loss to Miami FC. However, the Rowdies remain in control in the race to be named the top team in the regular season. A win at Indy Eleven this Saturday would not be enough to take the Rowdies over the line, but it could set the stage for them to do so in their final two fixtures back at Al Lang Stadium.
Indy will also be desperate for all three points this weekend. Heading into the weekend, Indy sits just below the playoff line as the ninth team in the Eastern Conference and are on the edge of being eliminated from contention for a playoff spot after going winless in their last four league matches.
Series History
The Rowdies knocked off Indy Eleven when the sides met at Al Lang Stadium in early May. This weekend, they’ll hope to make it a clean sweep of Indy while maintaining their lengthy undefeated streak in the series. The Rowdies are unbeaten in their last 11 outings against Indy, with seven wins and four draws in that span. Their last defeat at the hands of Indy was back in September of the 2018 season.
Locadia Returns
Striker Jurgen Locadia returns to Tampa Bay after a two-absence while on international duty with the Curacao Men’s National Team. Locadia bagged one goal and appeared in all four group stage matches for Curacao in the Concacaf Nations League, helping the country finish as the top team from Group A and earn a spot in the Quarterfinals of the tournament next month. Locadia, who arrived in Tampa Bay via transfer from Miami FC on September 10, made two appearances for the Rowdies before joining Curacao for Nations League action.
Back in the Fold
While last week’s loss was a tough pill to swallow, the match did see the return of two players from injury. Defender Leland Archer earned his first appearance since being sidelined by injury on July 4. Attacker Gino Vivi also made his return to the pitch for the first time since July. Vivi, on loan from LA Galaxy, notched a goal for the Rowdies on July 4 and made an additional appearance that month before being forced to missed time due to injury.
Wyke Hits (Another) Century Mark
Defender Laurence Wyke made his 100th regular season appearance for the Rowdies in last week’s match versus Miami FC. He’s the eighth player to hit the milestone for Tampa Bay since the club joined the league in 2017. Wyke hit 100 matches in all competitions for the Rowdies back in May of this year. The Englishman now has 116 total appearances for the Rowdies.
Club Connections
Several current Rowdies have suited up for Indy Eleven in the past. Karsen Henderlong, a native of Indiana, began his professional career with Indy in 2024 before moving on to FC Naples the following year. Henderlong and Rowdies Midfielder Max Schneider were teammates in Indy during that 2024 season. Defender Brian Schaefer also earned his first minutes in the USL Championship while on loan to Indy in the final months of the 2026 season. On the other side, former Rowdies Charlie Sharp and Jack Blake now call Indy home.
Milestone Watch
- Rowdies Midfielder Lewis Hilton (37 assists) is nearing 40 USL Championship regular season career assists.
- Rowdies Goalkeeper Jahmali Waite (39 shutouts) is nearing 40 USL Championship regular season career shutouts.
- With 14 clean sheets in the regular season, the Rowdies are one away from matching the club record for most shutouts in a single season. The Rowdies posted 15 shutouts during the 2021 season on their way to claiming the club’s first USL Championship Players’ Shield.
Broadcast: Tampa Bay 44, ESPN+
Rowdies Availability Report
OUT: None
