Rising travels to the Sunshine State for its final away match against Eastern Conference opposition in 2026
Written by Zoë Lam
Coming off its fourth win in seven matches across all competitions, Phoenix Rising heads back to Florida to face Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday, May 23, at Al Lang Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PT and will air on 3TV, AZFS, ESPN+ and Rising Radio (English).
Rising travels to St. Petersburg in search of its first win in the all-time series, currently holding an 0-3-2 record against the Rowdies. Both clubs have scored 13 goals this season, setting up an evenly-matched offensive battle, while Rising’s recent successes also helped the club climb into the Top 10 of the USL Week 11 Power Rankings.
“You keep doing good and you’re bound to get good results,” Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah said. “You keep doing your work, trusting the process and going together as a team… as a club, you’re always bound to get the results that you deserve.”
GAMEDAY INFORMATION –
WHAT: Phoenix Rising vs Tampa Bay Rowdies
WHEN: Saturday, May 23 (4:30 p.m. PT)
WHERE: Al Lang Stadium
HOW TO WATCH: 3TV, AZFS, ESPN+, Rising Radio (English)
DEPTH DELIVERING FOR RISING
Depth continues to be one of Rising’s calling cards early in the 2026 season, with contributions coming from across the roster. On May 19, defender Pape Mar Boye and midfielder Jean-Éric Moursou were both named to the Team of the Round 2 of the 2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup after impactful performances in the club’s 2-1 win over Orange County SC, with Moursou scoring his first goal for the club and Boye recording his first goal contribution of the year.
Defender Eziah Ramirez was also recognized in the Week 11 Rising Stars Spotlight following his first goal of the season and second goal contribution overall. Rising continues to add reinforcements, as Damián Rivera returned from injury to make his first competitive appearance of the season while Gilberto Rivera earned his first start for the club, highlighting the squad’s growing depth and versatility across the pitch.
“I fully trust each and every person on that pitch in front of me, regardless of if they’re double my age or if they’re a few years younger than me, like some of the boys are,” goalkeeper Chituru Odunze said. “Every single person here is on the pitch because they deserve to be. You go out there and you believe in yourself, because we believe in you.”
THE STREAK CONTINUES
With the win against Orange County, Phoenix Rising continued its strong stretch against USL Championship opponents, improving to 4-1-1 since April 11. The club has also found consistent success at home, earning results in six of seven matches across all competitions while moving to 3-1-3 when in Phoenix.
“You kind of do nothing but smile when you see the way that (the team) plays,” Kah said. “Truly entertaining and creating a lot of opportunities. We continue to build that momentum and I think, like you say, we had a lot of games.”
UNTOUCHED IN TAMPA
Heading into this weekend’s contest, the Rowdies remain unbeaten in the 2026 USL Championship season, posting a 5-0-3 record and a 3-0-1 mark at home. Tampa Bay enters the match following a commanding 4-1 victory over Miami FC, with five different players each finding the back of the net twice this season: Evan Conway, Matt Myers, Marco Micaletto, Russell Cicerone and Sebastian Cruz. Additionally, goalkeeper Jahmali Waite has recorded three clean sheets this season.
“We go in with every game with the mindset of trying to win, and I think it’s going to be a great game, because we’re facing the only team that is undefeated,” Kah said. “This is a great opportunity for us to go there and play our game, take three points and face the challenge.”
