USL League One's seventh season is nearly here!Ahead of Week 1, find information for this week's matches,the Discipline Report, News & Notes, and current player, team and league records below.
Season seven starts in Statesboro
Matchup: South Georgia Tormenta FC vs. Richmond Kickers
Venue: Tormenta Stadium; Statesboro, Ga.
Kickoff: Friday, March7; 7p.m. ET
Weather: Partly cloudy, 60°
Broadcast:ESPN+
Series (First Meeting): 5-4-8, RIC (2019)
The Ibises and Roos will officially kick off the 2025 USL League One season at Tormenta Stadium on Friday evening. A new-look Tormenta FC side is seeking its first home victory against the Kickers since June 2019 and its first home opener win since its debut League One season in 2019.
High-powered attacks clash in the Upstate
Matchup: Greenville Triumph SC vs. Westchester SC
Venue: Paladin Stadium; Greenville, S.C.
Kickoff: Saturday, March 8; 4p.m. ET
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 72°
Broadcast:ESPN+
Series (First Meeting): N/A
Following the departure of Player of the Year and Golden Boot winner Lyam MacKinnon over the offseason, Greenville reloaded up top with the former Chattanooga attacking tandem of Ropapa Mensah and Chevone Marsh. Triumph SC will be tasked with containing Golden Boot runner-up Juan Carlos Obregón, Jr. and the remainder of Westchester SC's daunting roster in the club's first competitive match.
Paradise Coast party
Matchup: FC Naples vs. Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
Venue: Paradise Coast Sports Complex; Naples, Fla.
Kickoff: Saturday, March 8; 7p.m. ET
Weather: Sunny, 72°
Broadcast:ESPN+
Series (First Meeting): N/A
The first of five expansion sides to officially welcome League One to town, FC Naples will host the League One-original Red Wolves in what will likely be a raucous, sold-out Paradise Coast Sports Complex. Featuring a pair of fairly equal rosters, we'll see if Naples can capitalize on its home-field advantage to come out on top.
Discipline Report – Week 1
No player or coaches enter the 2025 USL League One regular season on the discipline report.
NEWS & NOTES
ONWARD AND UPWARD
League One is set for its biggest season yet, thanks to the addition of five new expansion sides - the largest single-season batch of additions in league history. All five newcomers - AV ALTA FC in California’s Antelope Valley, FC Naples located along Florida’s Paradise Coast, Maine’s Portland Hearts of Pine, Texoma FC positioned in North Texas, and Westchester SC nestled within New York City - bring professional soccer to communities eager to cheer on a club of their own.
In addition to the introduction of five new clubs, League One’s field of 14 clubs for 2025 is the largest in the league’s seven-year history, and its nearly 17% membership growth rate from 2024 to 2025 is a single-season record. The league’s rapid growth is poised to continue, especially with recent interest from several clubs and communities eager to hop on board.
WHO SCORES FIRST?
A pair of League One originals in South Georgia Tormenta FC and the Richmond Kickers will officially kick off the 2025 campaign from Tormenta Stadium on Friday, March 7. Both South Georgia and Richmond have previously earned the distinction of scoring the first League One goal of the season, we'll see if that trend continues on Friday.
First League One goal of the season:
- 2019 - Alex Morrell (TRM) vs. GVL (3/29/19)
- 2020 - Alex Morrell (GVL) vs. FLT (7/18/20)
- 2021 - Ryan Sierakowski (NE)vs. FTL (4/9/21)
- 2022 - Emiliano Terzaghi (RIC) vs. TUC (4/2/22)
- 2023 - Mukwelle Akale (TRM)vs. NC (3/17/23)
- 2024 - Josh Dolling (SPK)vs. GVL (3/9/24)
A WEEKEND OF FIRSTS
Only two of the five newcomers will take the pitch in Week 1 - Westchester and Naples - but over the course of the next few weeks, five players will etch their name into history as the first League One goalscorer in club history.
First League One goalscorers in club history:
- TRM - Alex Morrell vs. GVL (3/29/19)
- CHA - Steven Beattie vs. NTX (3/30/19)
- TUC - Guillermo Delgado vs. ORL (3/30/19)
- LAN - Tumi Moshobane vs. RIC (3/30/19)
- ORL - Koby Osei-Wusu vs. TUC (3/30/19)
- NTX - Ricardo Pepi vs. CHA (3/30/19)
- RIC - Maxi Rodriguez vs. LAN (3/30/19)
- TOR - Luca Petrasso vs. ORL (4/5/19)
- GVL - Jake Keegan vs. LAN (4/6/19)
- MAD - Josiel Núñez vs. ORL (4/19/19)
- FTL - Ricky Lopez-Espin vs. TUC (7/25/20)
- OMA - Evan Conway vs. NTX (8/1/20)
- NE - Nick Firmino vs. NTX (8/15/20)
- NC -Selmir Miščić vs. GVL (5/8/21)
- CV - Christian Chaney vs. GVL (4/2/22)
- CLT - Tresor Mbuyu vs. CV (4/8/22)
- NCO - Ethan Vanacore-Decker vs. RIC (4/9/22)
- LEX - Don Smart vs. KNX (3/18/23)
- KNX - Jimmie Villalobos vs. LEX (3/18/23)
- SPK - Josh Dolling vs. GVL (3/9/24)
