Venue Location: Patriots Point Soccer Complex (Soccer Stadium at Patriots Point), Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. This ~5,000-capacity waterfront venue serves as the Charleston Battery’s home ground and will host the match under lights in a classic Open Cup atmosphere with passionate local support.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET. The game is part of the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup First Round (professional vs. amateur/open-division single-elimination matchup) and will stream live on YouTube (U.S. Soccer official channel). Gates typically open 60–90 minutes prior.
Weather Updates: Cool, comfortable evening conditions are forecast for kickoff along the South Carolina coast. Temperatures will drop to 45–52°F (7–11°C) by 6:30 p.m. ET with light winds (3–7 mph variable), humidity around 55–65%, and zero chance of precipitation. Skies will transition from partly cloudy to mostly clear. No weather delays or alerts expected—ideal for play, but fans should dress in layers for the chilly night.
Injury Report:
- Charleston Battery (USL Championship): No major injuries reported heading into the match. The squad is at full strength following their March 7 league opener and recent roster additions (including Jack Wayne, Cohen Rigsby, Kruz Held, Medgy Alexandre, and Maalique Foster). Veteran depth pieces are all available.
- Florida Badgers FC (UPSL): As an amateur/open-division side, no formal injury reports are issued. The team appears healthy with their core qualifying roster intact after recent league and playoff success.
Key
Player Matchups (Key Battles):
Charleston’s professional experience and depth should dominate most individual duels against the amateur Badgers, but set-piece threats and counters could create moments.
- GK (Charleston – likely Daniel Kuzemka or John Berner) vs. Badgers forwards Schimiliguen “Jhonny” Castin (8 goals in Fall, hat-trick in qualifying final round), Dave Altidor (6 goals), and Roodolph Jean (5 goals): Charleston’s pro-level keepers should handle the amateur finishing threats comfortably.
- Defensive core (Graham Smith, Joey Akpunonu, Sean Suber, Langston Blackstock) vs. Badgers attacking mids/forwards: Smith and Akpunonu form a solid backline built for USL Championship physicality.
- Midfield creators (Jeremy Kelly, Chris Allan, Emilio Ycaza, Wilmer Cabrera Jr.) vs. Badgers defensive unit: Kelly and Allan bring creativity and energy to control the center.
- Forwards Miguel Berry + Maalique Foster (new Jamaican signing) + Douglas Martínez vs. Badgers backline: Berry (veteran finisher) and Foster are pace/finishing threats against an untested amateur defense; expect set-piece dominance.
Expected Charleston lineup (typical 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 pro setup): Pro depth anchored by recent goal scorers Suber and Cabrera Jr. Badgers rely on Castin, Altidor, and Jean for any upset magic.
Recent Team Forms:
- Charleston Battery: W (2-1 vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC in USL Championship opener on March 7—goals from Sean Suber and Wilmer Cabrera Jr.). Attacking promise evident; form is sharp early.
- Florida Badgers FC: W (2-1 vs. Miami United FC on March 8 in UPSL); dominant qualifying run (including 5-3 ET win with Castin hat-trick). Offensively sharp but massive step up in opposition.
Series History:
This is the first-ever meeting between Charleston Battery and Florida Badgers FC. In broader Open Cup context, Charleston is 15-1-1 all-time against amateur/open-division sides (only losses: 2005 to Des Moines Menace and 2014 PKs to Orlando City U-23s). Pros hosting Open Division teams advance at ~85–90% historically in similar mismatches.
Betting Trends:
USL Championship pros hosting UPSL/open-division teams in First Round favor the home pro side at 85–90% (often by 2+ goals). Charleston has won 6 of last 7 Open Cup openers and boasts elite home form. Goal totals trend over in mismatches when pros push forward; unders possible if they control early. Badgers’ qualifying scoring streak contrasts with the quality gap—trends point to comfortable home wins or clean sheets in comparable games.
MATCH ODDS
Florida Badgers FC + 1000
Charleston Battery – 475
Draw + 500
Over 2.5 – 170 Under 2.5 + 130
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, March 17, 2026
