Kickoff: Saturday, July 25, 2026 (7:00 PM PDT)
Where: How to Watch: ESPN+
Available in the U.K.: USL on YouTube
After a brief return home to Championship Soccer Stadium for its final Prinx Tires USL Cup group-stage match, Orange County SC heads back on the road Saturday night to resume USL Championship play against Monterey Bay FC at Cardinale Stadium in Seaside, California.
While the result of the cup match will quickly be forgotten, the performance represented an important milestone for the club’s future. With injuries and a demanding schedule continuing to test the squad’s depth, Orange County SC fielded the youngest starting lineup in club history, averaging just 20.0 years old, while a club record five players made their professional debuts. The experience gained by Orange County’s next generation could prove invaluable as the Western Conference leaders enter the second half of the regular season.
League play tells a much different story for Orange County SC. OCSC enters the weekend sitting atop the Western Conference standings and riding a six-match unbeaten streak in USL Championship competition. The Black and Orange have also become one of the league’s strongest road teams, leading the Championship with 18 goals scored away from home, a testament to the club’s resilience during an extended stretch that included 77 days away from Championship Soccer Stadium while serving as the U.S. Men’s National Team’s FIFA World Cup training base.
Saturday presents another difficult road test against a Monterey Bay side that has shown improved form in recent weeks despite sitting 12th in the Western Conference. Monterey has become a much tougher team to beat at Cardinale Stadium, where nearly all of its points have been earned this season, making this one of Orange County’s more challenging road assignments of the year.
The series between the clubs has been one of the most competitive in the Championship since Monterey joined the league. Orange County holds a narrow 6-5-2 advantage through 13 all-time meetings, with many of those contests decided by a single goal or ending level after 90 minutes.
Orange County hopes to welcome back several experienced players following a stretch that forced numerous academy players into meaningful first-team minutes. The return of veteran contributors would provide an important boost to a squad that has relied heavily on its young talent throughout July.
With first place in the Western Conference on the line for Orange County SC and Monterey Bay looking to continue climbing the standings, Saturday night’s matchup promises another tightly contested chapter in one of the USL Championship’s most evenly matched regional rivalries. Orange County enters with momentum, confidence, and the league’s most productive road attack, while Monterey Bay will look to use Cardinale Stadium as the catalyst for another statement result.
Orange County SC returns to Championship Soccer Stadium on Friday, August 1, for the club’s inaugural Margaritaville Night. OCSC will host El Paso Locomotive FC in a pivotal USL Championship matchup. For tickets and more information, click HERE
OCSC Keys to the Match:
Orange County SC must continue doing what has fueled their road success throughout the season: defend collectively, remain organized, and attack with purpose in transition. Stephen Kelly and Chris Hegardt need to control possession through midfield and create opportunities for Ethan Zubak and Ousmane Sylla in the final third. If Nico Benalcazar and Tom Brewitt can limit Monterey Bay’s opportunities on set pieces while Orange County converts its chances in transition, the visitors will put themselves in an excellent position to extend their unbeaten league run.
OCSC 2025 USL Championship Regular Season Record: 10-11-9 (7th)
Goals Scored: 44 | Goals Allowed: 45 | Clean Sheets: 8
Orange County SC is 6-5-2 all-time against Monterey Bay Union FC(Last 5 against MB – 2-2-1)
Players to Watch:
M Ousmane Sylla
D Tom Brewitt
Previous Matchup: 2025 USL Championship
Orange County SC 1-2 Monterey Bay Union FC (July 11, 2025, Monterey, CA)
Scoring Summary: 39’ Ivanovic (MB), 52’ Benalcazar (OC), 55’ Horup (MB)
Monterey Bay Union FC Keys to the Match:
Monterey Bay must use its home-field advantage to apply early pressure and force Orange County’s young squad into uncomfortable moments. Ilijah Paul will need quality service around the penalty area, while Adrian Rebollar must control the tempo and prevent Orange County from finding space behind the defense. Defensively, Monterey will need to stay compact against one of the Championship’s most dangerous road attacks and avoid allowing Kelly, Sylla, and MacKinnon room to operate in transition. Winning second balls and capitalizing on set-piece opportunities could be the difference for the hosts.
Monterey Bay Union FC 2025 USL Championship Regular Season Record: 7-15-8 (11th)
Goals Scored: 27 | Goals Allowed: 45 | Clean Sheets: 5
Players to Watch:
F Paul Gindiri
F Fidel Barajas