The United Soccer League (USL) confirmed Tuesday the group pairings and match dates for the 2026 edition of the Prinx Tires USL Cup, which pits Championship and League One teams against each other in a World Cup-style tournament.
The Charleston Battery will compete in Group 6, and are set to travel to face Loudoun United FC (USLC) on April 25 and the Richmond Kickers (USL1) on May 16, and host Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (USLC) on June 6 and Charlotte Independence (USL1) on July 11. Kickoff times are TBD.
There will be seven regional groups, and the seven group winners and one wild card team will advance to the knockout stage. The wild card will be awarded to the second-placed team with the most points won in group play, with the first tiebreaker being the most goals scored.
A draw will set the matchups for the single-elimination knockout rounds. The Quarterfinals will be held on August 13, the Semifinals on September 9, and the Final on the weekend of October 2-4.
It will be a set of rivalries renewed when Charleston face Richmond and Charlotte. The Battery and Kickers, both teams founded in 1993, have not met since 2018, when the Battery claimed a 3-0 victory in July of that year for the most recent meeting. Meanwhile, Charleston and Charlotte, former Southern Derby foes, last faced each other in 2023 during the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, a 1-0 Charleston win after extra time.
The Battery have enjoyed success against Pittsburgh and Loudoun, posting records of 18W-11L-17D and 9W-1L-4D, respectively, in the all-time fixtures.
League One side Greenville Triumph SC are also part of Group 6, however, the Battery will not face them in the group stage of this year’s tournament.