Rowdies 2 Joins USL Academy League for 2026 Season
USL Tampa Bay Rowdies

Rowdies 2 Joins USL Academy League for 2026 Season

Published on May 14, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Tampa Bay Rowdies News Release


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Tampa Bay Rowdies are proud to announce the club's development team, Tampa Bay Rowdies 2, has joined the USL Academy League for the 2026 season.

Rowdies 2 kicks off its slate of 12 matches in the USL Academy League season this Friday, May 15 at home against Inter Gainesville KF. Rowdies 2 will host home matches at the Rowdies training facility in Tampa. All home matches will be closed to the public.

Tampa Bay's development squad has been placed in the USL Academy League's North Florida division. The squad's divisional competition includes Brave SC, Inter Gainesville KF, Shark Coast FC, Sporting Club Tallahassee, as well as the development teams for Sarasota Paradise and Sporting JAX.

Experienced UEFA A and USSF A licensed coach Russell Stirling will continue to lead the program as Rowdies 2 Head Coach. Assisting Stirling will be legendary Rowdies players Yann Erka and Leo Fernandes. Ekra joined the Rowdies senior technical staff as an assistant last season and will continue in that role in addition to his duties with Rowdies 2, while Fernandes has been serving as head scout for the club since retiring in the offseason. Former Rowdies Goalkeeper Phil Breno will also serve as goalkeeper coach for Rowdies 2.

Launched in 2021, the USL Academy League provides clubs in the USL Championship, USL League One, and USL League Two with an elite training and competition platform to develop local young players. This year, the league will feature 90 clubs across 15 men's divisions, including 28 new teams.

Rowdies 2 was established in August of last year with the goal of offering talented local players from the region the chance to train and develop in a professional environment. Tampa Bay is a hotbed for soccer talent, as shown by the success of former Rowdies USL Academy players Tate Johnson and Santi Castaneda, both of whom earned their first professional appearances with the Rowdies. Johnson has become a regular with Major League Soccer's Vancouver Whitecaps, helping the team reach last year's MLS Cup Final. Castaneda, who recently earned his first call-up to the U.S. U-23 Men's National Team, has made nearly 100 appearances for MSV Duisburg and SC Paderborn in Germany since leaving the Rowdies in 2023.

Rowdies 2 players train at the Rowdies training facility throughout the week, utilizing the same facilities as the first team, with some players consistently training with the first team as well. Since its inception, the team has played select exhibition matches with other teams based in Florida. In December, Rowdies 2 also participated in the USL Academy League Finals invitational, defeating Orange County SC II and drawing with Miami FC.

Rowdies USL Academy signing Alex Rodriguez, Jesse Tita, Caleb Klepacz, and Joshua Kacurak have all spent time with Rowdies 2. Rodriguez and Klepacz are both in their second season with the Rowdies on USL Academy contracts, while Tita and Kachurak are in their debut season after first being identified through Rowdies 2.

Match Kickoff Time

May 15, vs Inter Gainesville KF 7 p.m.

May 31, vs Sporting JAX 2 p.m.

June 6, at Sporting JAX 2 p.m.

July 8, at Brave SC 6 p.m.

July 12, vs Sporting Club Tallahassee 5 p.m.

July 17, at Inter Gainesville KF 7 p.m.

July 25, at Sporting Club Tallahassee 7 p.m.

July 31, at Sarasota Paradise 6 p.m.

August 14, at Shark Coast FC 6:30 p.m.

August 21, vs Brave SC 7 p.m.

August 28, vs Sarasota Paradise 7 p.m.

September 4, Shark Coast FC 7 p.m.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 14, 2026


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