RICHMOND, Va. — The Richmond Kickers return to City Stadium, challenging NoVa FC in U.S. Open Cup action on Tuesday, March 17 with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast on Youtube with live updates and links available at richmondkickers.com or @RichmondKickers on X (Twitter).
Last Time Out
- Richmond (0-0-1) earned a hard fought 1-1 draw in their USL League One season opener against AV Alta FC (0-0-1) on Saturday, March 7.
- Striker Josh Kirkland scored Richmond’s first goal of the 2026 season and lone tally of the match.
- Richmond improved to 3-2-2 in season opening matchups under Head Coach Darren Sawatzky and picked up its first point of the regular season.
- The match also marked the Kickers debut for 10 players, all seeing their first regular season minutes for the club.
- Goalkeeper Yann Fillion earned team of the week honors after Goalkeeper Yann Fillion made six saves including multiple in key moments to preserve the 1-1 draw
U.S. Open Cup History
- The Kickers are the only active professional soccer club outside of the MLS to have won a U.S. Open Cup, claiming the 1995 title.
- Tuesday’s matchup marks the clubs 26th U.S. Open Cup appearance.
- Richmond Chairman and CEO Rob Ukrop starred for the victorious 1995 side, playing striker and winning matchup MVP in the final vs. the El Paso Patriots.
- Chief Sporting Officer and Head Coach Darren Sawatzky played in the 1999 Open Cup and was a member of the Seattle Sounders FC coaching staff that won four titles between 2009 and 2014
34th Season Synopsis
- The Kickers enter the 2026 season with a new look roster featuring nine returners and 13 newcomers.
- Richmond returns it’s top goal scorer from a season ago as Darwin Espinal enters 2026 off a campaign which saw the El Progreso, Honduras native score nine goals including eight from outside the box.
- The Kickers also return striker Josh Kirkland who added eight goals a season ago and captain Dakota Barnathan who will look to anchor the midfield in his fifth season with the team.
- Richmond will feature a new look backline with the addition of goalkeeper Yann Fillion and backs Ethan Kos, Sam Layton, Daniel Moore, Mujeeb Murana and Sean Vinberg.
Kickers Release Crossing Kit
- As their 34th consecutive season begins, the Richmond Kickers reveal the Crossing Kit — a classic silhouette crafted to honor a uniquely Richmond landmark.The Kickers will debut their 2026 primary kit at AV Alta in the 2026 USL League One season opener.
- The Kickers will debut the club’s 2026 primary kit on March 7 at AV Alta, in the 2026 USL League One season opener.
- The kit is inspired by Richmond’s Triple Crossing — one of only two places in the United States where three railroads intersect — is a significant piece of industrial architecture that stands as a powerful symbol of the city’s enduring connection to the railways that helped shape its growth.
- The design incorporates a tonal triangular pattern subtly layering depth into the fabric, while referencing the intersecting geometry of the railway. The custom jocktag features the names of the original three operating railroad companies receding into the distance.
- The Crossing Kit is available in long-sleeve and offers supporters additional ways to style the kit on and off the pitch.
Kickers Unveil Give Me Liberty Kit
- The Richmond Kickers unveiled their Give Me Liberty Kit on February 11, 2026 — a design inspired by one of the most historic moments in the City of Richmond and one that sparked the American Revolution.
- At the heart of the 2026 secondary kit’s narrative is Patrick Henry’s legendary speech, delivered at the Second Virginia Convention in Richmond’s historic Church Hill neighborhood. Widely regarded as a catalyst for the American Revolution, the speech’s most infamous line — “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” — is featured in a custom jocktag, anchoring the kit in one of the most pivotal moments in American history.
- The kit features dark blue-on-blue vertical stripes, contrasted by the Kickers’ primary red at the collar and cuffs. The complete text of Henry’s enduring words are integrated subtly into the vertical stripes across the full body of the kit.
- The kit was designed by Alex Kocher of Easy Friday Co., marking the third year of partnership between the club and the agency. Easy Friday Co. led the Kickers’ rebrand that launched in 2025 and the 2026 primary kit..
The Kickers welcome FC Naples to City Stadium for their USL League One home opener on Saturday, March 21 at 6:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast on CBS 6.3 and ESPN+ with live updates and links available at richmondkickers.com or @RichmondKickers on X (Twitter).
