2026 Richmond Kickers season

Richmond Kickers
2026 season
Chairman22 Holdings, LLC
ManagerDarren Sawatzky
StadiumCity Stadium
USL League One10th
U.S. Open CupSecond round
Prinx Tigres CupGroup stage
Top goalscorerLeague: Josh Kirkland (1)
All: Josh Kirkland (2)

The 2026 Richmond Kickers season is the club's 34th season in existence, their eighth season in USL League One, and their 22nd season in the third tier of American soccer. The Kickers are led by seventh-year head coach, Darren Sawatzky.

This is the first season since 2019 without Emiliano Terzaghi, who transferred to Portland Hearts of Pine, after playing for the Kickers for five seasons. This will also be the first season since 2021 without Simon Fitch and Chandler O'Dwyer who transferred to Spokane Velocity and Sarasota Paradise respectively.

Background

Main article: 2025 Richmond Kickers season

The 2025 season was the club's 34th season of existence, their sixth season in USL League One, and sixth year under head coach Darren Sawatzky. The Kickers worsened from the previous season getting of 8 wins, seventeen losses, and five draws. With Darwin Espinal being the top goalscorer with nine goals.They failed to reach league playoffs for the first time since 2023 by finishing in 13th.

Outside of USL League One, the Kickers participated in the U.S. Open Cup and the USL Cup. The Kickers lost the first round in the U.S. Open Cup losing to Virginia Dream 3–0 and also got eliminated in the group stage of the USL Cup.

Players and staff

Current roster

As of March 6, 2026

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  CAN Yann Fillion
2 DF  USA Dakota Barnathan
3 MF  USA Hayden Anderson
4 DF  AUS Sam Layton
5 DF  USA Ethan Kos
6 DF  USA Ali Sasankhah
7 MF  USA Landon Johnson
9 FW  USA Josh Kirkland
10 MF  GER Nils Seufert
11 FW  GER Tarik Pannholzer
12 FW  USA Owen O'Malley
13 GK  USA Alex Wintsch ([A])
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 MF  USA Austin Amer
19 FW  HON Darwin Espinal
22 DF  USA Sean Vinberg
23 FW  USA Tyler Freeman
26 DF  NGA Mujeeb Murana
34 DF  USA Beckett Howell
35 GK  USA James Sneddon
41 MF  USA Andrew Richman ([A])
44 DF  USA Axel Gallegos ([A])
70 FW  BRA Lucca Dourado
99 DF  USA Daniel Moore

Techinal staff

Position Name
Head Coach & Technical Director Darren Sawatzky
Assistant Coach Brian Ownby
Goalkeeping Coach Evan Munn

Transfers

Transfers in

Date Position No. Name From Fee Ref.
December 2, 2025 FW 11 Tarik Pannholzer Weiche Flensburg Free [1]
December 4, 2025 DF 26 Mujeeb Murana Miami FC [2]
December 9, 2025 DF 5 Ethan Kos Birmingham Legion [3]
December 11, 2025 GK 1 Yann Fillion Floriana [4]
December 17, 2025 DF 4 Sam Layton GC Knights [5]
December 18, 2025 DF 99 Daniel Moore Crown Legacy [6]
January 7, 2026 MF 18 Austin Amer None [7]
January 8, 2026 DF 12 Owen O'Malley Vermont Green [8]
January 13, 2026 DF 22 Sean Vinberg Portland Hearts of Pine [9]
January 14, 2026 FW 23 Tyler Freeman Western Suburbs [10]
February 19, 2026 DF 44 Axel Gallegos Richmond Strikers Academy contract [11]
GK 13 Alex Wintsch Richmond Strikers Academy contract [11]
March 3, 2026 FW 70 Lucca Dourado Birmingham Legion Free [12]
March 6, 2026 MF 6 Ali Sasankhah Sacramento State Hornets [13]

Transfers out

Date Position No. Name To Fee Ref.
November 12, 2025 DF 39 Brendan Dobzyniak VCU Rams Free[i] [14]
MF 42 Grafton Kahl West Virginia Mountaineers Free[i] [15]
FW 40 Nick Sarrantakos High Point Panthers Free[i] [16]
November 30, 2025 GK 1 Pablo Jara None Free [17]
DF 25 Marcelo Lage New York Cosmos Free [18]
DF 14 Guilherme Franca Sampaio Corrêa Free [17]
DF 16 Klaidi Cela KF Skënderbeu Option declined [17]
DF 4 Simon Fitch Spokane Velocity Free [17]
DF 5 Maxi Schenfeld None Free [17]
DF 6 Ryan Baer Tacoma Defiance End of loan [17]
MF 11 Rivendi Pierre-Lewis None Option declined [17]
MF 17 James Vaughan Chattanooga Red Wolves Free [17]
MF 20 Adrian Billhardt Union Omaha Free [17]
MF 33 Matt Bolduc None Free [17]
FW 27 Chandler O'Dwyer Sarasota Paradise Option declined [19]
FW 32 Emiliano Terzaghi Portland Hearts of Pine Free [20]
December 1, 2025 MF 18 Jonathan Kanagwa None Option declined [17]
February 12, 2026 DF 38 Griffin Garnett Ferencvárosi TC II Free [21]
Transfer notes
  1. ^ a b c Expired USL academy contract.

Non-competitive

Preseason

Friendlies

February 2 Friendly Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2–0 Richmond Kickers Coraopolis, PA
5:00 p.m. EDT Larsen 72', 78' Report Stadium: AHN Health + Sports Medicine Center Montour
February 7 Friendly Loudoun United 3–1 Richmond Kickers Leesburg, VA
TBD EDT Report Stadium: RavenTek Park
February 14 Friendly Crown Legacy 0–0 Richmond Kickers Matthews, NC
TBD EDT Stadium: Sportsplex at Matthews

Competitions

USL League One

Table

Main article: 2026 USL League One season


Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
8 Corpus Christi FC 1 0 0 1 2 2 0 1 Playoffs
9 AV Alta FC 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 1
10 Richmond Kickers 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 1
11 Charlotte Independence 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 1
12 Westchester SC 2 0 1 1 3 4 −1 1
Updated to match(es) played on March 16, 2026. Source: USL League One
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) points earned against top four finishers; 6) disciplinary points; 7) drawing of lots.
March 7 1 AV Alta 1–1 Richmond Kickers Lancaster, CA
10:30 p.m. EDT Desdunes 26' (pen.)
Relerford  50'
Pehlivanov  90+4'		 Report Kirkland 9'
Barnathan  52'
Murana  74'		 Stadium: Lancaster Municipal Stadium
Attendance: 4,508
Referee: Corbyn May
March 21 2 Richmond Kickers v FC Naples Richmond, VA
6:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: City Stadium
March 27 3 One Knoxville v Richmond Kickers Knoxville, TN
7:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: Covenant Health Park
April 4 4 Richmond Kickers v Tormenta Richmond, VA
6:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: City Stadium
Note: Game cancelled following South Georgia Tormenta FC's withdrawal from USL League One.[22]
April 11 5 Spokane Velocity v Richmond Kickers Spokane, WA
9:30 p.m. EDT Stadium: One Spokane Stadium
April 18 6 Richmond Kickers v Union Omaha Richmond, VA
6:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: City Stadium
May 1 7 Richmond Kickers v Westchester Richmond, VA
7:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: City Stadium
May 9 8 Greenville Triumph v Richmond Kickers Mauldin, SC
7:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: GE Vernova Park
May 23 9 Tormenta v Richmond Kickers Statesboro, GA
7:30 p.m. EDT Stadium: Tormenta Stadium
Note: Game cancelled following South Georgia Tormenta FC's withdrawal from USL League One.[22]
May 27 10 Chattanooga Red Wolves v Richmond Kickers East Ridge, TN
7:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: CHI Memorial Stadium
May 30 11 Richmond Kickers v Athletic Club Boise Richmond, VA
7:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: City Stadium
June 10 12 Athletic Club Boise v Richmond Kickers Boise, ID
9:30 p.m. EDT Stadium: Stadium at Expo Idaho
June 13 13 Corpus Christi v Richmond Kickers Corpus Christi, TX
8:30 p.m. EDT Stadium: Corpus Christi Sports Complex
June 20 14 Richmond Kickers v Fort Wayne Richmond, VA
7:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: City Stadium
June 24 15 Portland Hearts of Pine v Richmond Kickers Portland, ME
7:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: Fitzpatrick Stadium
July 3 16 Richmond Kickers v Sarasota Paradise Richmond, VA
7:30 p.m. EDT Stadium: City Stadium
July 15 17 Forward Madison v Richmond Kickers Madison, WI
8:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: Breese Stevens Field
July 18 18 Richmond Kickers v Spokane Velocity Richmond, VA
7:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: City Stadium
July 25 19 Charlotte Independence v Richmond Kickers Charlotte, NC
7:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: American Legion Memorial Stadium
August 1 20 Richmond Kickers v AV Alta Richmond, VA
7:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: City Stadium
August 5 21 Richmond Kickers v New York Cosmos Richmond, VA
7:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: City Stadium
August 16 22 Union Omaha v Richmond Kickers Omaha, NE
5:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: Morrison Stadium
August 22 23 Richmond Kickers v Portland Hearts of Pine Richmond, VA
7:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: City Stadium
August 29 24 Richmond Kickers v Forward Madison Richmond, VA
7:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: City Stadium
September 2 25 Fort Wayne v Richmond Kickers Fort Wayne, IN
7:30 p.m. EDT Stadium: Fort Wayne FC Park
September 12 26 Richmond Kickers v Chattanooga Red Wolves Richmond, VA
6:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: City Stadium
September 16 27 Westchester v Richmond Kickers Mount Vernon, NY
7:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: The Stadium at Memorial Field
September 19 28 Richmond Kickers v Charlotte Independence Richmond, VA
6:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: City Stadium
September 26 29 New York Cosmos v Richmond Kickers Paterson, NJ
5:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: Hinchliffe Stadium
October 3 30 Richmond Kickers v One Knoxville Richmond, VA
6:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: City Stadium
October 7 31 FC Naples v Richmond Kickers Naples, FL
7:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: Paradise Coast Sports Complex Stadium
October 11 32 Sarasota Paradise v Richmond Kickers Lakewood Ranch, FL
7:30 p.m. EDT Stadium: Premier Sports Campus
October 17 33 Richmond Kickers v Corpus Christi Richmond, VA
6:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: City Stadium
October 24 34 Richmond Kickers v Greenville Triumph Richmond, VA
6:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: City Stadium

USL Prinx Tigres Cup

April 25 1 Richmond Kickers v Charlotte Independence Richmond, VA
6:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: City Stadium
May 16 2 Richmond Kickers v Charleston Battery Richmond, VA
7:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: City Stadium
June 6 3 Loudoun United v Richmond Kickers Leesburg, VA
6:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: Segra Field
July 11 4 Greenville Triumph v Richmond Kickers Mauldin, SC
7:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: GE Vernova Park

U.S. Open Cup

March 17 First round Richmond Kickers (USL1) 2–0 Northern Virginia FC (USL2) Richmond, VA
6:30 p.m. EDT Kirkland 31'
Dourado 89'
Murana  90+4'
Sasankhah  90+4'		 Report Silva  27'
Niblock  37'
Gold  43'
Dean  90+1'		 Stadium: City Stadium

Statistics

Appearances and goals

As of March 18, 2026. Numbers after plus–sign (+) denote appearances as a substitute.
No. Pos Nat Player Total USL1 USL.1 Playoffs U.S. Open Cup Prinx Tigres Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1 GK  CAN Yann Fillion 2 0 1+0 0 1+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
2 MF  USA Dakota Barnathan 2 0 1+0 0 1+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
3 MF  USA Hayden Anderson 1 0 1+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
4 DF  AUS Sam Layton 1 0 1+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
5 DF  USA Ethan Kos 0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
6 MF  USA Ali Sasankhah 1 0 0+0 0 0+1 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
7 FW  USA Landon Johnson 2 0 1+0 0 0+1 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
9 FW  USA Josh Kirkland 2 2 1+0 1 1+0 1 0+0 0 0+0 0
10 MF  GER Nils Seufert 0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
11 FW  GER Tarik Pannholzer 2 0 0+1 0 1+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
12 FW  USA Owen O'Malley 2 0 1+0 0 1+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
13 GK  USA Alex Wintsch 0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
18 MF  USA Austin Amer 2 0 1+0 0 1+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
19 FW  HON Darwin Espinal 0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
22 DF  USA Sean Vinberg 1 0 1+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
23 FW  USA Tyler Freeman 2 0 1+0 0 1+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
26 DF  NGA Mujeeb Murana 1 0 1+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
34 DF  USA Beckett Howell 2 0 0+1 0 0+1 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
35 GK  USA James Sneddon 0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
41 MF  USA Andrew Richman 0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
44 DF  USA Axel Gallegos 0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
70 FW  BRA Lucca Dourado 2 1 0+1 0 0+1 1 0+0 0 0+0 0
99 DF  USA Daniel Moore 1 0 0+1 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
  • Source:

Disciplinary record

No. Pos. Player USL League One Regular Season USL Cup U.S. Open Cup USL League One Playoffs Total
         
1 GK Yann Fillion 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 MF Dakota Barnathan 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
3 MF Hayden Anderson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 DF Sam Layton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 DF Ethan Kos 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 MF Ali Sasankhah 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
7 MF Landon Johnson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 FW Joshua Kirkland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 MF Nils Seufert 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 FW Tarik Pannholzer 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 FW Owen O'Malley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 GK Alex Wintsch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
18 MF Austin Amer 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
19 FW Darwin Espinal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
22 DF Sean Vinberg 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
23 FW Tyler Freeman 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
26 DF Mujeeb Murana 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0
35 DF Beckett Howell 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
36 GK James Sneddon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
41 MF Andrew Richman 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
44 MF Axel Gallagos 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
70 FW Lucca Dourado 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
99 DF Daniel Moore 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Top Goalscorers

Rank Position Number Name USL1 Season U.S. Open Cup USL Cup USL League One Playoffs Total
1 FW 9 Joshua Kirkland 1 1 0 0 2
2 FW 70 Lucca Dourado 0 1 0 0 1
Total 1 2 0 0 3

Assist scorers

Rank Position Number Name USL1 Season U.S. Open Cup USL Cup USL League One Playoffs Total
1 MF 2 Dakota Barnathan 0 1 0 0 1
2 FW 23 Tyler Freeman 0 1 0 0 1
Total 0 2 0 0 2

Clean sheets

Rank Position Number Name USL1 Season U.S. Open Cup USL Cup USL League One Playoffs Total
1 GK 1 Yann Fillion 0 1 0 0 1
Total 0 1 0 0 1

References

  1. ^ Di Gangi, Gabriella (December 2, 2025). "Richmond Kickers Sign Dynamic German Winger Ahead of 2026 Season". Richmond Kickers.
  2. ^ Di Gangi, Gabriella (December 4, 2025). "Richmond Kickers Sign Houston Dynamo Academy Product Mujeeb Murana". Richmond Kickers.
  3. ^ Di Gangi, Gabriella (December 9, 2025). "Richmond Kickers Sign Hard-Nosed Central Defender Ethan Kos". Richmond Kickers.
  4. ^ Di Gangi, Gabriella (December 11, 2025). "Richmond Kickers Sign Veteran Canadian Goalkeeper Yann Fillion". Richmond Kickers.
  5. ^ Di Gangi, Gabriella (December 17, 2025). "Richmond Kickers Sign Australian Defensive Anchor Sam Layton". Richmond Kickers.
  6. ^ Di Gangi, Gabriella (December 18, 2025). "Richmond Kickers Sign Dynamic Left Back Daniel Moore". Richmond Kickers.
  7. ^ Di Gangi, Gabriella (January 7, 2026). "Richmond Kickers Sign Versatile Midfielder Austin Amer". Richmond Kickers.
  8. ^ Di Gangi, Gabriella (January 8, 2026). "Richmond Kickers Sign USL League Two National Champion Owen O'Malley". Richmond Kickers.
  9. ^ Di Gangi, Gabriella (January 13, 2026). "Richmond Kickers Sign Skilled Veteran Sean Vinberg". Richmond Kickers.
  10. ^ Di Gangi, Gabriella (January 14, 2026). "Richmond Kickers Sign Dynamic Forward Tyler Freeman". Richmond Kickers.
  11. ^ a b Allard, Sam (February 19, 2026). "Richmond Kickers Sign Three Players to USL Academy Contracts". Richmond Kickers.
  12. ^ Di Gangi, Gabriella (March 3, 2026). "Richmond Kickers Sign Brazilian Powerhouse Lucca Dourado". Richmond Kickers.
  13. ^ Di Gangi, Gabriella (March 6, 2026). "Richmond Kickers Sign Defensive Midfielder Ali Sasankhah". Richmond Kickers.
  14. ^ Gardiner, Julia (August 5, 2025). "Eleven Players Join Men's Soccer Ranks for 2025". vcuathletics.com. Virginia Commonwealth University Athletics. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  15. ^ @WVUMensSoccer (November 12, 2025). "𝓢𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓭 ✍️ Welcome to Morgantown, Grafton!" (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
  16. ^ @hpumsoccer; (November 12, 2025). "Welcome to HPU, @nick_sarantakos 🟣⚪️" – via Instagram.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Di Gangi, Gabriella (November 18, 2025). "Richmond Kickers Announce Initial Roster Decisions for 2026". Richmond Kickers.
  18. ^ Patterson, NJ (December 12, 2025). "New York Cosmos continue to bolster roster ahead of USL League One debut with three additional signings". New York (NY) Cosmos.
  19. ^ USL, Digital (December 15, 2025). "Sarasota Paradise Announces the Signing of Midfielder Chandler O'Dwyer". Sarasota Paradise.
  20. ^ USLLeagueOne.com Staff (January 5, 2026). "Portland Hearts of Pine signs League One standout Emiliano Terzaghi". USL League One.
  21. ^ Allard, Sam (February 12, 2026). "Griffin Garnett Completes Transfer to Hungarian Side Ferencvárosi TC". Richmond Kickers.
  22. ^ a b O'Donnell, Bernadette (February 23, 2026). "Statement from Tormenta FC on the 2026 Season". TormentaFC.com. South Georgia Tormenta FC. Archived from the original on February 23, 2026. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
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