Preview: Rowdies vs Hartford
USL Tampa Bay Rowdies

Preview: Rowdies vs Hartford

Published on June 12, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Tampa Bay Rowdies News Release


The Tampa Bay Rowdies take the pitch at Al Lang Stadium on short rest this Saturday for their first meeting with Hartford Athletic of the regular season. A late equalizer from midfielder Mattheus Oliveira on Wednesday night against the Charleston Battery helped the Rowdies extend their remarkable undefeated streak to 15 matches in all competitions.

A win or draw for the Rowdies this Saturday versus Hartford would put this year's squad in exclusive company as one of just three teams in league history to remain unbeaten through their first 16 matches in all competitions. The last team to achieve the feat was San Antonio FC in 2017.

Finding the Response

For the first time in 2026, the Rowdies found themselves trailing in a match. Louis Perez gave the Rowdies the lead in the 30th minute in Wednesday's match with Charleston, continuing the trend of the Rowdies scoring first in all of their matches this year, but the visitors responded with two goals in the second half to put overtake the Rowdies. Tampa Bay met the moment with a late surge to find a late goal and finish the night with at least one point.

Stars and Hoops Kit

The Rowdies are set to trade the Green and Gold for the Red, White, and Blue this Saturday as they debut the club's 2026 alternate kit from CHARLY. The Stars and Hoops Kit is a celebration of the World Cup returning to America this summer as the country also celebrates its 250th anniversary. Featuring red and blue hoops on the sleeves, the design for the kit draws inspiration from a jersey the Rowdies wore in a Fourth of July exhibition against the U.S. Men's National Team at Tampa Stadium in 1985. This year's kit also features white stars on top of the shoulders. Fans can purchase the Stars and Hoops Kit from The Bay Republic team store at Al Lang Stadium.

Scouting Hartford

Hartford heads to Al Lang with just one win in their last five regular season matches. Now in his second year at the helm, Hartford Head Coach Brendan Burke is hoping to build off the success of last season. Burke helped lead Hartford to their first-ever appearance in the USL Championship Playoffs and earned them their first trophy as USL Cup champions.

With only three wins so far, Hartford's trouble can largely be attributed to the club's lack of production up front. The club ranks last in the league with only 9 goals through its first 10 matches. However, Hartford started off in similar fashion last year as the club only registered two goals in the first 10 matches before going on to finish fifth in the Eastern Conference and reach the Conference Quarterfinals in the playoffs.

Rowdies Availability Report

OUT: Nigro

QUESTIONABLE: Archer

USL Championship Matchday 13

Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Hartford Athletic

Saturday, June 13, 7:30 p.m. ET

Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg, FL

2026 League Records:

Rowdies: 8W-0L-34D (4-0-2 at home), 28 pts, 1st in the East

Hartford: 3W-2L-5D (2-1-2 on the road), 14 pts, 8th in the East

Broadcast: Tampa Bay 44, ESPN+

Check out the Tampa Bay Rowdies Statistics

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from June 12, 2026


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