Preseason to Feature Split-Squad Action Throughout February
TULSA – With its USL Championship regular season set to commence in mid-March, FC Tulsa has finalized its preseason schedule to kick off in early February. The club will play a total of seven preseason matches, all of which will feature split-squad action. Six of the seven preseason contests will be played in Tulsa with the other taking place in San Antonio.
Match length will gradually increase from match to match as player fitness continues to escalate in preparation for the start of the regular season. The intrasquad scrimmage will feature two 15-minute matches before match times increase to 45 minutes, 60 minutes, 75 minutes, and finally 90 minutes to conclude the preseason. All matches will be closed to the general public, but one contest that will be revealed at a later date will be opened exclusively to Club 918 Members.
“This preseason has been built on the understanding of a new group coming together that is looking to build a game model,” said FC Tulsa head coach Blair Gavin. “We have prioritized trainings in order to build the daily habits needed for a winning culture and establish a collective understanding regarding our attacking style of play. Each week will build into a game that will give us an opportunity to evaluate how we are progressing to our goals.”
FC Tulsa’s preseason schedule is as follows:
Feb 5 – Intrasquad Scrimmage (Tulsa, 11 a.m.)
Feb 11 – vs. Oral Roberts University (Tulsa, 1 p.m.)
Feb 18 – at San Antonio FC (San Antonio, 1 p.m.)
Feb 25 – vs. Union Omaha (Tulsa, 11:30 a.m.)
Feb 25 – vs. University of Tulsa (Tulsa, 1 p.m.)
March 4 – vs. Sporting KC II (Tulsa, 1 p.m. CT)
March 4 – vs. University of Tulsa (Tulsa, 6 p.m. CT)
Throughout preseason play, the FC Tulsa roster will be split into two sides, each of which will play one match against its opponent. The roster will be pitted against itself in the club’s intrasquad scrimmage on February 5 before both subsets of FC Tulsa’s roster play a full 45-minute match vs. the Golden Eagles of ORU on February 11.
A week later, FC Tulsa hits the road to take on San Antonio FC where the roster will again be split into two halves, each of which will be tasked to take on last season’s USL Championship title winners in a 60-minute affair. On February 25, a round robin style competition will be held between FC Tulsa, reigning USL League One champs Union Omaha, and the University of Tulsa. Once again, the Tulsa roster will be divided with one half taking on Union Omaha, the other battling TU.
To conclude the preseason, half of the Tulsa squad will square off against TU once more while the other faces Sporting KC II of MLS Next Pro. Both matches will last a full 90 minutes with the following weekend marking the start of the USL Championship regular season.
FC Tulsa kicks off the regular season on March 11 in Miami followed by one more road match at Birmingham Legion FC on March 17 before the club’s home opener on March 25 vs. Loudoun United FC. Tickets to FC Tulsa home opener can be secured with a Club 918 Membership, the details of which can be found here.
