Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
Kickoff: 7:30 P.M. ET
Venue: Al Lang Stadium – St. Petersburg, Florida
KNOW YOUR CLUB – MIAMI FC
Miami FC returns to USL Championship action Saturday night, traveling to St. Petersburg to take on the Tampa Bay Rowdies at Al Lang Stadium.
Miami enters the matchup in its strongest run of form this season after earning a commanding 4-1 victory over Sporting JAX on Wednesday night at Pitbull Stadium. Arney Rocha opened the scoring in the 38th minute before Miami pulled away in the second half, with Denilson Milanés scoring twice as the hosts secured all three points.
The victory extended Miami’s winning streak to three matches and its unbeaten run to five. After draws against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and Brooklyn FC, Miami has recorded consecutive victories over Rhode Island FC, Indy Eleven and Sporting JAX, collecting 11 of the last 15 available points. Miami has also scored eight goals across its three-game winning streak while conceding just two.
The result moved Miami to an 8-9-10 record with 33 points, with three regular-season matches remaining, as the club continues its push for a place in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Miami will now look to carry that momentum into another important Florida matchup and continue its late-season surge on the road.
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT – TAMPA BAY ROWDIES
Tampa Bay enters Saturday’s matchup following a scoreless draw against San Antonio FC on September 26 at Toyota Field. Goalkeeper Jahmali Waite recorded a five-save shutout as the Rowdies earned a point on the road.
The result moved Tampa Bay to 52 points and secured a top-four finish in the Eastern Conference, guaranteeing the Rowdies home-field advantage for the opening round of the 2026 USL Championship Playoffs.
Tampa Bay has put together one of the strongest campaigns in the Eastern Conference this season, entering the weekend with a 15-4-7 record. The Rowdies have also been particularly strong at Al Lang Stadium, where they hold an 8-2-2 record in league play.
With their playoff place already secured, the Rowdies will look to continue building momentum at home as the regular season enters its final stretch.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Saturday’s matchup will be the second regular-season meeting between Miami FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies in 2026.
The teams previously met on July 25 at Pitbull Stadium, where Miami battled back from a two-goal deficit before Tampa Bay ultimately earned a 3-2 victory. Arney Rocha and Jürgen Locadia brought Miami level in the second half before Marco Micaletto scored the deciding goal in the 80th minute.
The Florida rivals also met earlier this year in the Prinx Tires USL Cup, with Tampa Bay earning a 4-1 victory on May 16.
Miami will look to reverse those results Saturday night and extend its current three-match winning streak.
THE ROAD AHEAD
With three matches remaining in the regular season, Miami FC enters the final stretch carrying its strongest momentum of the campaign.
Miami has earned 11 points from its last five matches and enters Saturday on a three-game winning streak, with victories over Rhode Island FC, Indy Eleven and Sporting JAX. The club will look to continue that run against one of the Eastern Conference’s leading sides.
Following Saturday’s match in St. Petersburg, Miami will return to South Florida to host Loudoun United FC on Saturday, October 10 at 7:00 P.M. ET at Pitbull Stadium. The club will then close its regular-season home schedule against Charleston Battery on October 17.
Miami FC will look to carry the confidence from its recent run into Saturday’s Florida matchup and continue its push through the final weeks of the 2026 USL Championship regular season.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 P.M. ET at Al Lang Stadium.
