2026 Birmingham Legion FC season
American soccer club season
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The 2026 Birmingham Legion season is the eighth season of play in the club's history in the USL Championship, the second division of American soccer.
General ManagerJay Heaps
Head CoachJay Heaps
StadiumProtective Stadium
USL ChampionshipEastern Conference: TBD
| 2026 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| General Manager | Jay Heaps | ||
| Head Coach | Jay Heaps | ||
| Stadium | Protective Stadium | ||
| USL Championship | Eastern Conference: TBD | ||
| Playoffs | TBD | ||
| U.S. Open Cup | DNQ | ||
| USL Cup | Group stage | ||
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| |||
Over the offseason, the Legion underwent a coaching change. Mark Briggs, the coach for the 2025 season, left the club to become the lead assistant head coach for FC Dallas of first division league Major League Soccer.[1] Jay Heaps, who had previously coached the New England Revolution for six seasons from 2011 to 2017 and has been the general manager of the Legion since the club's founding, stepped into the head coaching role for the 2026 season.[2]
Due to not qualifying for the 2025 USL Championship playoffs, the Legion didn't qualify for the 2026 US Open Cup, which was shortened to accommodate the 2026 FIFA World Cup.[3]
Squad information
Roster
- As of January 26, 2026[4]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Team management
| Front office | |
|---|---|
| Owners | Jack Bryant Billy Harbert John Harbert Jeff Logan James Outland Jim Rein Lee Styslinger III |
| President and general manager | Jay Heaps |
| Vice president of operations | Jason Coleman |
| Director of ticketing | Cason Gooch |
| Coaching staff | |
| Head coach | Jay Heaps |
| Assistant coach | Eric Avila |
| Assistant coach | Braeden Cloutier |
Competitions
USL Championship
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Hartford Athletic | 16 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 14 | −2 | 20 |
| 10 | Loudoun United FC | 16 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 19 | 29 | −10 | 15 |
| 11 | Birmingham Legion FC | 16 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 17 | 21 | −4 | 14 |
| 12 | Brooklyn FC | 16 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 17 | 27 | −10 | 13 |
| 13 | Sporting Club Jacksonville | 18 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 23 | 46 | −23 | 8 |
Updated to match(es) played on July 29, 2026. Source: USL Championship Standings
Rules for classification: 1) total wins against conference opponents; 2) goal differential against conference opponents; 3) goals scored against conference opponents; 4) head-to-head points against conference opponents; 5) points per game against conference opponents; 6) points per game against non-conference opponents; 7) fewest disciplinary points; 8) coin toss or drawing of lots
Rules for classification: 1) total wins against conference opponents; 2) goal differential against conference opponents; 3) goals scored against conference opponents; 4) head-to-head points against conference opponents; 5) points per game against conference opponents; 6) points per game against non-conference opponents; 7) fewest disciplinary points; 8) coin toss or drawing of lots
Match results
On December 16, 2025, the USL Championship released the schedule for all 25 teams for both the regular season and the USL Cup.[5][6]
All times in Central Time Zone.
| March 7, 2026 1 | Birmingham Legion FC | 0 – 1 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 7:00 PM | Report, USL |
|
Stadium: Protective Stadium Attendance: 4,787 Referee: Brad Jensen |
| March 11, 2026 2 | Birmingham Legion FC | 0 – 0 | Hartford Athletic | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 11:00 AM | Report | Stadium: Protective Stadium Attendance: 3,974 Referee: Ekaterina Koroleva |
| March 21, 2026 3 | Charleston Battery | 3–2 | Birmingham Legion FC | Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina |
| 7:00 PM | Report | Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex Attendance: 3,945 Referee: Muhammad Kaleia |
| April 4, 2026 4 | Loudoun United FC | 2–2 | Birmingham Legion FC | Leesburg, Virginia |
| 4:00 PM | Report | Pasher  16', 54' |
Stadium: Segra Field Attendance: 1,168 Referee: Joe Surgan |
| April 11, 2026 5 | Birmingham Legion FC | 1–0 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 4:00 PM | Tregarthen 25' |
Report | Stadium: Protective Stadium Attendance: 3,316 Referee: Mark Verso |
| April 18, 2026 6 | Birmingham Legion FC | 2–2 | Indy Eleven | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 5:00 PM | Report | Stadium: Protective Stadium Attendance: 3,657 Referee: Calin Radosav |
| May 2, 2026 7 | Rhode Island FC | 1–3 | Birmingham Legion FC | Pawtucket, Rhode Island |
| 6:30 PM | Afonso 17' |
Report | Stadium: Centreville Bank Stadium Attendance: 7,596 Referee: Nabil Bensalah |
| May 7, 2026 8 | Birmingham Legion FC | 0–0 | Miami FC | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 7:00 PM | Report | Stadium: Protective Stadium Attendance: 5,084 Referee: Benjamin Meyer |
| May 23, 2026 9 | Monterey Bay FC | 2–0 | Birmingham Legion FC | Seaside, California |
| 9:00 PM |
|
Report | Stadium: Cardinale Stadium Referee: Matthew Corrigan |
| June 3, 2026 10 | Birmingham Legion FC | 1–1 | Louisville City FC | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 7:00 PM | Diarbian 10' |
Report | Niang 42' |
Stadium: Protective Stadium Attendance: 3,659 Referee: Abdou Ndiaye |
| June 13, 2026 11 | Birmingham Legion FC | 1–2 | Las Vegas Lights FC | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 7:00 PM | Saucedo 89' |
Report | Stadium: Protective Stadium Attendance: 3,619 Referee: Cristian Campo Hernández |
| June 17, 2026 12 | Oakland Roots SC | 1–1 | Birmingham Legion FC | Oakland, California |
| 2:00 PM | Wilson 90+3' |
Report | Vassell 45+2' |
Stadium: Oakland Coliseum Attendance: 4,601 Referee: Trevor Wiseman |
| June 20, 2026 13 | Birmingham Legion FC | 1–1 | Loudoun United FC | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 7:00 PM | Tregarthen 89' |
Report | Aboukoura 67' |
Stadium: Protective Stadium Attendance: 2,662 Referee: Alyssa Pennington |
| July 2, 2026 14 | Birmingham Legion FC | 1–2 | Detroit City FC | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 7:00 PM | Report |
|
Stadium: Protective Stadium Attendance: 3,615 Referee: Kalilou Jarju |
| July 5, 2026 15 | Miami FC | 1–1 | Birmingham Legion FC | Miami, Florida |
| 6:00 PM | Rocha 41' |
Report | Vassell 78' |
Stadium: Pitbull Stadium Attendance: 606 Referee: Elvis Osmanovic |
| July 25, 2026 16 | Birmingham Legion FC | PP | New Mexico United | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 7:00 PM | Report | Stadium: Protective Stadium | ||
| Note: Match postponed due to inclement weather. | ||||
| July 29, 2026 17 | Louisville City FC | 2–1 | Birmingham Legion FC | Louisville, Kentucky |
| 6:30 PM | Lambert 6', 74' |
Report | Shashoua 42' |
Stadium: Lynn Family Stadium Attendance: 8,258 Referee: Jeremy Scheer |
| August 2, 2026 18 | Birmingham Legion FC | v | Rhode Island FC | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 7:00 PM | Stadium: Protective Stadium |
| August 8, 2026 19 | Brooklyn FC | v | Birmingham Legion FC | Brooklyn, New York |
| 6:00 PM | Stadium: Maimonides Park |
| August 15, 2026 20 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC | v | Birmingham Legion FC | Colorado Springs, Colorado |
| 8:00 PM | Stadium: Weidner Field |
| August 22, 2026 21 | Birmingham Legion FC | v | Sporting Club Jacksonville | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 7:00 PM | Stadium: Protective Stadium |
| August 29, 2026 22 | Hartford Athletic | v | Birmingham Legion FC | Hartford, Connecticut |
| 6:00 PM | Stadium: Trinity Health Stadium |
| September 5, 2026 23 | Indy Eleven | v | Birmingham Legion FC | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| 6:00 PM | Stadium: Carroll Stadium |
| September 13, 2026 24 | Birmingham Legion FC | v | Charleston Battery | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 6:00 PM | Stadium: Protective Stadium |
| September 19, 2026 25 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | v | Birmingham Legion FC | St. Petersburg, Florida |
| 6:30 PM | Stadium: Al Lang Stadium |
| September 23, 2026 26 | Birmingham Legion FC | v | Brooklyn FC | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 11:00 AM | Stadium: Protective Stadium |
| October 3, 2026 27 | Detroit City FC | v | Birmingham Legion FC | Hamtramck, Michigan |
| 6:00 PM | Stadium: Keyworth Stadium |
| October 10, 2026 28 | Sporting Club Jacksonville | v | Birmingham Legion FC | Jacksonville, Florida |
| 4:00 PM | Stadium: Hodges Stadium |
| October 18, 2026 29 | Birmingham Legion FC | v | Loudoun United FC | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 4:00 AM | Stadium: Protective Stadium |
| October 24, 2026 30 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | v | Birmingham Legion FC | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| 6:00 PM | Stadium: Highmark Stadium |
USL Cup
The Legion participated in the third edition of the USL Cup, and the second edition to feature teams from both the USL Championship and League One.[7]
Group standings
| Pos | Lg | Team | Pld | W | PKW | PKL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USLC | San Antonio FC | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 11 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | USLC | Birmingham Legion FC | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | +5 | 9 | |
| 3 | USL1 | One Knoxville SC | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 6 | |
| 4 | USLC | FC Tulsa | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | −2 | 4 | |
| 5 | USL1 | Corpus Christi FC | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 4 |
Group stage
| April 25, 2026 | San Antonio FC | 0–0 (3–2 p) | Birmingham Legion FC | San Antonio, Texas |
| 7:30 PM CDT | Report | Stadium: Toyota Field Attendance: 5,850 Referee: Atahan Yaya | ||
| Penalties | ||||
| May 16, 2026 | Chattanooga Red Wolves SC | 1–1 (2–3 p) | Birmingham Legion FC | Chattanooga, Tennessee |
| 6:00 PM CDT |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: CHI Memorial Stadium Attendance: 1,551 Referee: Natalie Simon |
| Penalties | ||||
| June 9, 2026 | Birmingham Legion FC | 3–0 | Corpus Christi FC | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 7:00 PM CDT | Report | Stadium: Protective Stadium Attendance: 2,565 Referee: Muhammad Hassan |
| July 11, 2026 | Birmingham Legion FC | 3–1 | FC Tulsa | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 7:00 PM CDT | Report |
|
Stadium: Protective Stadium Attendance: 3,237 Referee: Gerald Flores |