RICHMOND, Va. — The Richmond Kickers welcome MLS side Columbus Crew to City Stadium for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 on Wednesday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast on Paramount+ with live updates and links available at richmondkickers.com or @RichmondKickers on X (Twitter).
Last Time Out
- Richmond claimed a 1–0 victory over in-state foe Loudoun United FC on April 1 at City Stadium, advancing to the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32.
- Richmond found the 96th-minute winner, as Lucca Dourado fired home a Tarik Pannholzer assist to secure the victory and send the Kickers through in the U.S. Open Cup.
- Goalkeeper Yann Fillion led a Kickers backline that held strong, coming up with key stops to keep the game level through stoppage time.
- Richmond only allowed two shots on goal across 96 minutes of action.
- With the result, the Kickers are now 31-9-2 all-time at City Stadium in U.S. Open Cup competition.
U.S. Open Cup History
- The Kickers go into Wednesday’s match holding a 31-9-2 record all-time at City Stadium in U.S. Open Cup competition.
- Richmond holds a 5-16 record all-time vs. MLS teams in the Open Cup competition and a 3-8 marks when playing at City Stadium.
- 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.
- This season marks the club’s 26th appearance in the U.S. Open Cup overall.
- 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
The Other Side: Columbus Crew
- Richmond currently holds a 1-2-0 record all-time against Columbus Crew in U.S. Open Cup play.
- The two clubs last faced each other on June 17, 2015, with Columbus claiming a 3-1 win to advance to the Open Cup round of 16.
- The Kickers claimed a 2-1 road win over Columbus on June 28, 2011 to advance to the Open Cup Quarterfinals.
- Richmond would go on to defeat Sporting KC 2-0 on July 12, 2011 to advance to the Semifinals.
- The Kickers road victory over Sporting KC was it’s last win against an MLS side in Open Cup play.
- Beginning play in 1994 Columbus is a founding member of the MLS.
- The Crew have been one of the most successful organizations in the MLS over the last half decade, claiming the MLS Cup (2024), Leagues Cup (2023) and Campeones Cup (2021) since the 2020 season.
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 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 return to USL1 Regular Season play, welcoming Union Omaha to City Stadium on Saturday, April 18 at 6:00 p.m. EST. 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).
