
Max Schneider Earns USL Championship Team of the Week Honors from Opening Weekend
Published on March 10, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Tampa Bay Rowdies News Release
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The USL Championship revealed the Team of Week for the Week 1 of the 2026 regular season on Tuesday, with Tampa Bay Rowdies Midfielder Max Schneider earning a spot for his efforts in the club's 1-0 victory over Birmingham Legion FC this past Saturday.
Schneider made his club debut along with 11 other newcomers to this year's Rowdies squad in the first match of the campaign. The German midfielder was a standout in the center of midfield for the Rowdies, winning 5 of 8 duels and completing 21 of 24 passes into the final third. Schneider also made six recoveries and recorded two clearances during his 90-minute shift.
Schneider joined the Rowdies in the offseason via transfer from USL League One's Union Omaha. Before his stint in Omaha, he played in the USL Championship with Indy Eleven and St. Louis City 2 in MLS Next Pro.
Last Saturday's win was the first for the Rowdies in a season opener since the 2021 season. Securing the shutout against Birmingham was also a nice feather in the cap for the Rowdies, considering the club didn't record a clean sheet in league play last year until July 16.
The Rowdies are off from league action this weekend before returning to Al Lang Stadium for their Home Opener on Saturday, March 21 against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC at 7:30 p.m. ET.
USL Championship Team of the Week - Week 1
GK - Danny Vitiello, Sacramento Republic FC
D - Isaiah Foster, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
D - Alex Crognale, San Antonio FC
D - Freddy Kleemann, Sacramento Republic FC
D - Matt Real, Hartford Athletic
M - Samuel Careaga, Hartford Athletic
M - Max Schneider, Tampa Bay Rowdies
M - Sean Suber, Charleston Battery
F - Juan Carlos Obregón Jr., Brooklyn FC
F - Rubio Rubín, El Paso Locomotive FC
F - Cristian Parano, San Antonio FC
Coach - Brendan Burke, Hartford Athletic
Bench - Antony Siaha (HFD), Mark Fisher (OAK), Ryan Spaulding (SAC), Michee Ngalina (HFD), Christian Pinzón (LV), Jorge Hernández (SA), Mukwelle Akale (LOU)
United Soccer League Championship Stories from March 10, 2026
- Match Preview: Phoenix Rising vs. Orange County SC - Phoenix Rising FC
- Monterey Bay FC Sign Japanese Midfielder to Join for the 2026 Season - Monterey Bay FC
- Athletic Make USL Team of the Week - Hartford Athletic
- Juan Carlos Obregón Named to USL Championship Team of the Week - Brooklyn FC
- Pegasus Development Joins Republic FC Stadium Development Team to Lead District Transformation - Sacramento Republic FC
- Isaiah Foster Named to Team of the Week for Week 1 - Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
- Las Vegas Lights FC Forward Christian Pinzon Named to USL Championship Team of the Week Bench for Week 1 - Las Vegas Lights FC
- Max Schneider Earns USL Championship Team of the Week Honors from Opening Weekend - Tampa Bay Rowdies
- San Antonio FC Lands Three on USL Championship Team of the Week - San Antonio FC
- Strong Week 1 Performances Earns Three Selections to Team of the Week - Sacramento Republic FC
- Battery's Sean Suber Named to USLC Team of the Week for Week 1 - Charleston Battery
- United Soccer League Announces Third Year of Its Pro Residency Program - USL
- Loudoun United FC Sign Midfielder Pacifique Niyongabire Through 2026 - Loudoun United FC
- Indy Eleven Partners with Northside Soccer Through Club Affiliate Program - Indy Eleven
- Last Week around the Leagues - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Tampa Bay Rowdies Stories
- Leo Fernandes Embracing New Role as Rowdies Head Scout
- Max Schneider Earns USL Championship Team of the Week Honors from Opening Weekend
- Rowdies Top Birmingham, 1-0, in Season Opener
- Rowdies Sign Alex Rodriguez, Jesse Tita to USL Academy Contracts for 2026
- Rowdies Open Season at Birmingham


