Press Releases

Hounds to host NYCFC in Open Cup Round of 32

(Updated 4/17 at 5 p.m. with match date, time & TV info)

PITTSBURGH (April 17, 2025) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC will once again welcome MLS opposition to Highmark Stadium after being drawn to host New York City FC in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 on Wednesday, May 7.

The match will be a 7 p.m. kickoff broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network and streamed live on Paramount+.

It will be the first-ever matchup between the Hounds, Open Cup quarterfinalists in 2001 and 2023, and NYCFC, which began play in 2015 and has also reached the quarterfinals twice, in 2019 and 2022. The Hounds have hosted MLS teams at Highmark Stadium two times previously — in 2023 when they defeated the Columbus Crew, 1-0, and in 2015, when they lost in extra time to D.C. United, 3-1.

Tickets for the match will be available to the general public at 10 a.m. this Tuesday, April 22 through Ticketmaster and the Highmark Stadium Box Office. Hounds season ticket holders will be invoiced and can lock in their seats for the Open Cup match until the end of day Sunday, April 20, and special, limited pre-sales will be available on Monday, April 21.

The Hounds reached the Round of 32 by winning its Third Round match Tuesday, 1-0 over Columbus Crew 2 of MLS Next Pro, while MLS teams are entering the competition this round.

The winner of the Round of 32 match will advance to face the winner between the Philadelphia Union and Indy Eleven. The Union would host that match, while the Hounds would host if they advanced to face Indy.

To see the complete schedule for the Round of 32, visit ussoccer.com.

Defender Vacter inks deal with Hounds

*Guillaume Vacter, a first-year pro out of UConn, signed with the Hounds for 2025. (Photo: Mallory Neil/Riverhounds SC)*

PITTSBURGH (April 11, 2025) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC has signed defender Guillaume Vacter to a one-year contract with a club option for the 2026 season, pending USL and U.S. Soccer approval.

Vacter, 24, is a first-year pro out of the University of Connecticut who joined the Hounds in training near the end of their preseason, and he solidified his roster spot with his work in the team’s final preseason matches and in training.

“Gui is a physical defender who excels in 1v1 situations. He also reads the game well and makes good decisions on the ball,” Riverhounds head coach Bob Lilley said. “We’re glad to have him in Pittsburgh, and he will be a good addition to our team.”

Hailing from Paris, France, Vacter first arrived in the U.S. to play for Rider University in the Spring 2021 season, during which he started five matches and scored once for the Broncs. He then transferred to Connecticut, where he established himself as a pivotal player for the Huskies in the Big East Conference.

Vacter appeared in 64 matches, starting 56 of them, and he was among the top five in minutes played for the Huskies all four of his seasons there. He had two goals and an assist with Connecticut, and his defending helped the Huskies to a .500 or better record each year.

The Hounds will be back in action this Saturday, April 12, when they visit the Charleston Battery for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. The match will be televised live on KDKA+ and the CBS Sports Golazo Network.

Hounds to visit Crew 2 in Open Cup

(Updated with match details, 4/3 at 5 p.m.)

PITTSBURGH (April 3, 2025) — The Pittsburgh Riverhounds will be on the road to face Columbus Crew 2 out of MLS Next Pro in the Third Round of the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, a matchup revealed this afternoon during U.S. Soccer’s televised draw on CBS Sports Golazo Network.

The match will be the first of the Third Round to kick off with a 6 p.m. start Tuesday, April 15 at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio. The match will be shown live on Paramount+.

This will be the first-ever competitive matchup for the Hounds against a team from MLS Next Pro, the third-division league that launched in 2022. The Hounds did face Crew 2 in this year’s preseason, taking a 1-0 win at a snow-covered Highmark Stadium on Feb. 16 behind a goal by Jorge Garcia.

The Hounds have faced Crew 2’s parent club, MLS’s Columbus Crew, twice previously in the Open Cup. The Crew came out on top 1-0 in Columbus in 2019, but the Hounds turned the tables to win 1-0 in Pittsburgh in 2023 to advance to the quarterfinals for only the second time in club history.

Winners from the Third Round will advance to the Round of 32, where the advancing teams will be joined by 16 MLS clubs entering the competition. The Round of 32 draw will be held Thursday, April 17.

To see the complete Third Round pairings, visit ussoccer.com/us-open-cup.

Ydrach named to Team of the Week

Pittsburgh Riverhounds defender Beto Ydrach was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 4 after his performance in the team's 2-0 win over Birmingham Legion FC on March 29, 2025, at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh. (Photo: Chris Cowger/Riverhounds SC) — Hounds defender Beto Ydrach was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 4 after his performance in the team’s 2-0 win over Birmingham last Saturday. (Photo: Chris Cowger/Riverhounds SC)

PITTSBURGH (April 1, 2025) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC defender Beto Ydrach was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 4, the league announced this afternoon.

Ydrach assisted the Hounds’ second goal in their 2-0 win Saturday night over Birmingham Legion FC, slipping a well-weighted pass through the middle for Danny Griffin to apply a sliding finish. Spending most of the match at center back before moving to a holding midfield role, Ydrach also won all five of his aerial duels, claimed possession a team-high nine times and led the Hounds with nine clearances.

It is the first time in the weekly best 11 for Ydrach, a first-year pro who has started all four matches this season for the Hounds. It comes on the heels of a busy week in which he also suited up for the Puerto Rico National Team last Tuesday to make his 13th international appearance in a midweek friendly in the Dominican Republic.

Hounds midfielder Robbie Mertz also appeared in the weekly honors for the first time in 2025 by taking a bench spot after scoring the opening goal in the win over Birmingham. The Pittsburgh native also led the team with eight crosses and two chances created, and he won possession seven times, trailing only Ydrach for the Hounds.

The Hounds are off this weekend before returning to action with a visit to their longest-running rival, the Charleston Battery, in a 7:30 p.m. match Saturday, April 12. That game can be seen on KDKA+ and CBS Sports Golazo.

USL to adopt promotion and relegation system across leagues

TAMPA, Fla. (March 19, 2025) — The United Soccer League (USL) announced today that a supermajority of club owners voted to implement a promotion and relegation system, marking a groundbreaking decision that will reshape the future of professional soccer in the United States.

The USL becomes the first professional sports league in the U.S. to adopt this global model, creating an interconnected three-tiered men’s professional soccer system, where teams earn promotion to a higher division or face relegation to a lower division based on their performance during the season. With this historic step, the USL aligns with the world’s top leagues—including the English Premier League, La Liga and Bundesliga—where promotion and relegation raises the stakes of every match, drives fan engagement, and elevates the overall competition of the game.

“A new chapter in American soccer begins. The decision by our owners to approve and move forward with this bold direction is a testament to their commitment to the long-term growth of soccer in the United States,” said Alec Papadakis, CEO of the United Soccer League. “This is a significant milestone for the USL and highlights our shared vision with our team ownership to build a league that not only provides top-tier competition but also champions community engagement. Now, just as it is in the global game, more communities in America can aspire to compete at the highest level of soccer. It’s time.”

Last month, the USL announced plans to launch a new Division One league in 2027-28, a pivotal step in its vision to establish a fully integrated three-tier professional system. As defined by U.S. Soccer Federation sanctioning standards, Division One is the highest level of professional soccer in the United States. With the USL Championship (Division Two) and USL League One (Division Three) already providing a strong foundation for player development and competition, the addition of a Division One league completes the structure. All three leagues will be interconnected through a structured promotion and relegation system, where more matches matter, rewarding performance and unlocking new opportunities for clubs, players, and fans.

“Promotion and relegation transforms the competitive landscape of American soccer,” said Paul McDonough, President and Chief Soccer Officer of the USL. “With the 2026 World Cup and other major international events approaching, we have a unique opportunity to build on that momentum and create a sustainable future for the sport in the U.S. Fans and stakeholders have been clear—they want something different. They’re drawn to the intensity of high-stakes competition, where more matches have real consequences—just like we see in European leagues. This shift challenges the status quo and brings a level of excitement and relevance that can elevate the game across the country.”

More details about the implementation and structure of promotion and relegation will be shared in the coming months. For updates, please visit uslsoccer.com.

About United Soccer League

Founded in 1986, the United Soccer League (USL) is the largest and fastest-growing soccer organization in the United States, impacting more than 200 communities nationwide. The USL is the first and only organization to offer a comprehensive youth-to-professional pathway for both men and women under one ecosystem. This structure includes four men’s leagues: the newly announced, top-tier professional Division I league, the USL Championship (Division II), USL League One (Division III), and USL League Two (pre-professional). The women’s pathway includes the top-tier USL Super League (Division I), which debuted in 2024, and USL W League, the country’s leading pre-professional women’s league. The USL also oversees USL Academy, a progressive talent development platform, and USL Youth, a premier national youth platform.

With multi-year national and international media rights agreements across various platforms including CBS Sports, ESPN and Peacock, the USL is the most widely accessible soccer league in the country.

Ydrach receives Puerto Rico call-up

*Riverhounds defender Beto Ydrach has been called up to the Puerto Rico National Team during the March 2025 international window. (Photo: Mallory Neil/Riverhounds SC)*

PITTSBURGH (March 18, 2025) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC defender Beto Ydrach has been called into the Puerto Rico National Team for the upcoming international window.

Ydrach, 23, will remain with the Hounds through Saturday night’s home opener against Hartford Athletic before joining Puerto Rico for their Tuesday friendly against the Dominican Republic to be played in Santiago, Dominican Republic.

A first-year pro who signed last month with the Hounds, Ydrach received multiple call-ups to the Puerto Rican team during his college career at Central Florida and Akron. He has appeared in 12 matches total for El Huracán Azul, including qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup and CONCACAF Gold Cup. Ydrach scored his first international goal in his last appearance for Puerto Rico, a win over Anguilla in World Cup qualifying on June 12, 2024.

Ydrach has started both matches this season for the Hounds, earning Modelo Man of the Match honors last Saturday in the team’s match at San Antonio FC.

This marks the fifth consecutive season — each year since the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign — that the Hounds have had at least one player called up for international duty during the season.

Las Palmas, Hounds connect in exciting partnership

PITTSBURGH (March 14, 2025) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and Las Palmas Pittsburgh are excited to announce a robust new partnership connecting the popular Hispanic supermarket with Pittsburgh’s professional soccer club beginning in the 2025 season.

Highlighting the new partnership, Las Palmas will be featured on the jersey sleeve of the Hounds’ kits — home, away and alternate — putting them in the spotlight throughout the USL Championship season. They also will feature prominently on match days at Highmark Stadium in other ways, including:

• Las Palmas tacos available in the Tailgate Zone every match day.
• A DJ from Radio Las Palmas, 92.9 FM HD2, providing music and entertainment at select matches
• Tickets to Hounds matches on sale at Las Palmas locations
• Las Palmas will be the presenting sponsor of Hispanic Heritage Night, Sept. 27 vs. Las Vegas

In addition, Radio Las Palmas will enhance the partnership and bring the Hounds closer than ever to Pittsburgh’s Hispanic community with Spanish-language radio broadcasts of the team’s home matches, marking the first such deal with a Spanish outlet in the team’s history.

“We are very proud that Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and Las Palmas are part of this mutually beneficial partnership,” Las Palmas owner Gabriel Berumen Cruz said. “On behalf of the Las Palmas team, we welcome this collaboration that will help the growth and development of soccer and unite our Latino and American communities into one team in our wonderful City of Pittsburgh. The Berumen family and the Las Palmas group are truly excited to begin working together with the Riverhounds organization.”

“We are excited to announce our new partnership with Las Palmas, recognizing the significant opportunities it presents for both Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and our community,” said Zack Kaminski, Riverhounds Director of Corporate Partnerships. “This partnership underscores our vision of enhancing the soccer experience in our region, leveraging our unique strengths to foster growth and engagement in the sport. Partnering with Las Palmas allows us to amplify our efforts and broaden our reach within the local soccer community, and specifically with the Hispanic community, in Pittsburgh.”

Las Palmas and the Riverhounds are eager to welcome fans to Highmark Stadium when the Hounds play their home opener on Saturday, March 22 at 7 p.m. against Hartford Athletic. Tickets are on sale through Riverhounds.com and at Las Palmas’ four area locations in Brookline, Beechview, Oakland and Washington, Pa.

About Las Palmas Pittsburgh

Las Palmas Pittsburgh is a Hispanic grocery store and supermarket located in the heart of Pittsburgh. For many years, Las Palmas Supermercado has been dedicated to serving the local Hispanic community by offering a diverse array of authentic Latin American products and fresh groceries. They provide a wide selection of fresh produce, pantry staples, meats and specialty items from countries across Latin America. Las Palmas is pleased to serve customers from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at any of their four locations. In 2023, they launched Radio Las Palmas, playing music from Central America, South America and the Caribbean and providing Spanish-language news and sports over the 92.9 FM HD2 frequency, radiolaspalmaspgh.com and the Radio Las Palmas mobile app.

About Pittsburgh Riverhounds Soccer Club

Established in 1999, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC is Pennsylvania’s oldest professional soccer team and one of the longest-operating pro soccer teams in the United States. The team plays its home games at Highmark Stadium, which opened in 2013 as a team-owned, soccer-specific stadium in Pittsburgh’s South Shore neighborhood. The team is an original member of the USL Championship, which began play in 2011 and has grown to become one of the largest second-division pro soccer leagues in the world.

Kenardo Forbes announces retirement

PITTSBURGH (March 13, 2025) — Kenardo Forbes, the most decorated player in Pittsburgh Riverhounds history and holder of multiple USL Championship and club records, has announced his retirement from playing and will move into a coaching role with the Riverhounds.

Forbes, 36, completes a professional career spanning nearly two decades, beginning as a teenager in his native Jamaica and appearing three times for the Jamaican National Team. He then came to the United States, originally to play indoor soccer, before eventually becoming one of the most recognizable players in the USL Championship.

He made his announcement official with a statement posted today to social media:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by kenardo forbes (@kenardoforbes_11)

Forbes retires as the all-time record holder in the USL Championship for regular-season assists (66), matches played (295) and minutes played (22,224), accomplishing those feats in 10 seasons with the Rochester Rhinos (2015-17) and Riverhounds (2018-24). He was also named either First Team or Second Team All-League seven times in his career, more than any other player. With the Rhinos, Forbes won the league title in 2015 on an extra time goal in the final that, fittingly, was assisted by Forbes.

With the Riverhounds, he steps away as the team’s all-time leader in assists (55) and matches played (226). In 2019, Forbes was one of the three finalists for USL Championship Most Valuable Player after leading the team to the best record in the Eastern Conference. And in his final season as the team’s captain, 2023, he became the first player to post consecutive double-digit assist seasons in league history while guiding the Hounds to their first official trophy, the USL Championship Players’ Shield.

Forbes’ tenure in Pittsburgh coincides with the Riverhounds’ most successful run in team history. The club amassed a record of 118-54-67 with Forbes on the roster, putting together a club-best run of seven consecutive seasons both reaching the playoffs and having a winning record.

“For all of his accomplishments, and they’re too many to count, Kenny has always put others first. For 10 years, and the last seven in Pittsburgh, he has championed his teammates, entertained the fans and cherished the club and people associated with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC,” Riverhounds head coach Bob Lilley said.

“He has been loyal, but more importantly, invested; consistent, but more importantly constant; and of service to all those around him in an effortless and humble manner. We have all been blessed to share our journeys with King Kenny, and I can assure you the bar has risen because of him.”

Forbes’ unmatched playing career will be honored with a special pre-match ceremony before the Riverhounds home opener at Highmark Stadium on Saturday, March 22 at 7 p.m. against Hartford Athletic.

Hounds lock up hometown GK Ben Martino

Pittsburgh native and former Academy player Ben Martino is the latest addition to the Riverhounds' goalkeeper room for 2025. (Photo: Mallory Neil/Riverhounds SC) — *Pittsburgh native and former Academy player Ben Martino is the latest addition to the Riverhounds’ goalkeeper room for 2025. (Photo: Mallory Neil/Riverhounds SC)*

PITTSBURGH (March 6, 2025) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC has signed goalkeeper and Pittsburgh native Ben Martino to a one-year deal with a club option for 2026, pending USL and U.S. Soccer approval.

Martino, 22, was previously under contract with Nashville SC of MLS, and he played the past two seasons with Huntsville City FC, Nashville’s reserve team in MLS Next Pro. He began his youth career in the Riverhounds Development Academy, making him the second player to sign a professional deal with the First Team after previously playing for the Hounds’ youth teams.

“Ben is a young keeper with good technical qualities and pro experience already under his belt. We are excited to see his progression this year back in Pittsburgh,” Riverhounds head coach Bob Lilley said.

Martino played in the RDA while attending Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh through the age of 16, when he left to join the Philadelphia Union Academy. The goalkeeper made his senior-level debut in the USL Championship at age 17, appearing in three matches as an academy player with Philadelphia Union II before graduating and playing college soccer at Virginia Tech.

After two seasons and 34 starts with the Hokies, Martino turned pro after his sophomore season by signing with Nashville, which acquired his rights in a transfer deal with the Union in January 2023. Martino became a regular in net for the club’s Huntsville team in MLS Next Pro, making 30 appearances and recording three clean sheets across two seasons.

The Hounds now have three goalkeepers under contract for the 2025 season, which kicks off this Saturday, March 8, when the team travels to face North Carolina FC at 7 p.m. in a match that will be shown live on SportsNet Pittsburgh and streamed on ESPN+.

Hounds announce 2025 TV schedule

PITTSBURGH (March 4, 2025) — Fans will have plenty of ways to watch all the action of the 2025 Pittsburgh Riverhounds season, as renewed partnerships with KDKA+ and SportsNet Pittsburgh — coupled with the Hounds’ national TV matches — will have all 34 regular-season matches airing live locally.

KDKA+ will enter its third season as the over-the-air home of the Hounds’ by showing 18 matches, including marquee home meetings with Eastern Conference champ Rhode Island (May 31) and Detroit (June 7). Their coverage will stretch all the way to the team’s season finale on Oct. 26 against Phoenix, and Hounds coverage and interviews will be carried on KDKA newscasts throughout the season.

SportsNet Pittsburgh is on board for a second year of Hounds action, starting with the season opener at 7 p.m. this Saturday at North Carolina FC. Also the cable home of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Pittsburgh Pirates, SportsNet Pittsburgh will carry 13 Hounds matches on its channels, utilizing their SNP+ alternate channel to ensure every minute is carried live where overlap could occur with Pirates baseball coverage.

“We are proud to announce the return of KDKA+ for a third season and SportsNet Pittsburgh for a second season as our official broadcast partners for the 2025 Riverhounds season. These partnerships are instrumental in expanding our reach and making Riverhounds soccer more readily available to fans across the region,” Riverhounds Director of Corporate Partnerships Zack Kaminski said.

“Both KDKA+ and SportsNet Pittsburgh share our vision of fostering a vibrant soccer culture in our community. Their commitment to quality coverage not only brings our matches into the living rooms of dedicated fans but also introduces new audiences to the excitement and passion of Riverhounds soccer. We are excited to continue working together to enhance the experience for our supporters and to build a strong connection with the Pittsburgh community as we embark on another thrilling season.”

In addition, three Hounds matches have already been selected for national TV broadcasts as part of the USL Championship’s league-wide deal, starting with a home match against Loudoun on July 13 at 5 p.m. on CBS Sports Network. After being picked up by ESPN2, the Hounds’ road match at Detroit was moved a day earlier to July 18 at 7 p.m., and ESPN2 also will have the broadcast when the Hounds host Miami on July 29 at 7 p.m.

Fans will also be able to catch matches on the go, with ESPN+ and CBS Sports Golazo streaming all 34 matches throughout the season, in addition to a stream on the KDKA website for in-market fans during KDKA+ telecasts.

The Hounds will be in the national focus even more for their home opener against Hartford Athletic on March 22 with the 7 p.m. match being broadcast nationally on the Spanish-language TUDN network in addition to the local SportsNet Pittsburgh coverage.

Two Hounds matches also have been picked up for national radio broadcasts on SiriusXM FC, Channel 157 — March 29 vs. Birmingham and May 10 at Louisville.

Broadcast schedules and match times are subject to change. For the latest information, visit Riverhounds.com or follow the team @RiverhoundsSC on Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter.

Downloadable 2025 TV schedule Download

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