Triumph to play first few home games at Stone Stadium
The Greenville Triumph will open the 2026 season hosting their first three matches at Eugene Stone Stadium on the campus of Furman University. This will give the fans one last group of games at Furman ahead of the spring opening of the new stadium GE Vernova Park at BridgeWay Station in Mauldin. The season opener versus Chattanooga on March 14, a mid-week clash versus the USL1 expansion Cosmos on March 25, and a Sunday night match against Westchester on March 29 will be the three matches at Stone Stadium. All three matches kickoff at 7 PM.
UPSL Mid-Atlantic Conference alignment announced
The UPSL Premier Mid-Atlantic Conference has announced the Spring 2026 teams vying for one of the most competitive UPSL crowns in the nation. Perennial powers Soda City and the SC United Heat will have new South Carolina foes Electric City (Spring 2025 UPSL D1 Promotion Champs) and the South Carolina Surf (rebranding of former Charleston United franchise) battling it out for state bragging rights. Boiling Springs United will skip the Spring UPSL season leaving South Carolina with four franchises. Fall expansion team the Coastal Kings are back from Savannah, Georgia with several clubs from North Carolina (Asheville FC, Ballers FC, Mint Hill, Charlotte SA, Gastonia FC, Combine Academy, and Pre-College DA) rounding out the 12-team conference. The spring season will kickoff in early March.
Battery transfer Viggo Ortiz to Independence
The Charleston Battery preseason roster build continues as Viggo Ortiz has been permanently transferred to the USL1 Charlotte Independence. Ortiz played two seasons with the Battery organization beginning his journey in the USL Academy side before making his professional debut in the US Open Cup versus Tormenta in 2025. His first professional goal versus the Colorado Springs Switchbacks on October 13 put him in the Battery record books as the second-youngest goalscorer in club history at 17 years, 4 months old. The Battery will host MLS Next Pro side Crown Legacy this Saturday at 5 PM in their next preseason match.