Preseason
RIFC announced their first player signing on November 1, 2023, [1] and continued to add players to the team over the course of the winter. By mid-January, the team had announced 15 players under contract, and brought players and coaches together for training camp starting on January 15, 2024.
Training camp was held in outdoors in Smithfield, Rhode Island, and indoors at a facility in North Smithfield, Rhode Island. [2] The team worked out in Rhode Island before continuing on to a two-week session at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, including closed-door friendlies against MLS and MLS reserve clubs. A 6-day training session in Bermuda, capped by two exhibition matches against a Bermuda select team, was held in late February. [3] [4] A free friendly against Providence College's men's soccer team rounded out the team's preseason.
High-profile signings including Koke Vegas, [1] JJ Williams, [5] and reigning USL most valuable player and golden boot winner Albert Dikwa, [6] led to high expectations for an expansion team. The team entered the season with projections of making the USL playoffs, and being a contender for a home playoff game at the end of the season. [7]
Regular Season
March
The team played its inaugural regular season game against New Mexico United on March 16, 2024, at Beirne Stadium. [8] The game was announced as a complete sellout with attendance of 5,252 people. After falling behind in the second half, RIFC scored an equalizer in stoppage time to finish with a 1-1 draw. The goal was initially credited to Mark Doyle, [9] but was determined to be an own goal scored by New Mexico's Chris Gloster. [10]
After the inaugural home game, RIFC had a two-game road trip to Monterey Bay FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies. In their initial away game, Albert Dikwa scored the first goal by an RIFC player, following up with a second goal later in the game. [11] Despite Dikwa's brace, the team tied Monterey Bay 2-2. [12] In their game at Tampa, the team took a 1-0 first-half lead, but lost 4-1. [13]
April
RIFC opened April with a pair of scoreless draws, home against Charleston [14] and Pittsburgh. [15] Goalie Jackson Lee, playing in place of injured Koke Vegas, recorded the first two clean sheets of his career, and was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for each game. [16] [17]
After not scoring or conceding in consecutive games, RIFC scored and gave up four goals in its U.S. Open Cup debut on April 16 at USL League One side Charlotte Independence. In the Third Round cup game, RIFC was tied 3-3 at the end of regulation, and 4-4 after extra time. During the ensuing penalty shootout, RIFC had a chance to win 4-3 in penalties, but ended up losing 5-4 in seven rounds of shots, with Charlotte advancing over RIFC to the Fourth Round. [18] The eight-goal game was the highest-scoring to that point of the tournament. [19]
Once back in league play, RIFC played at Las Vegas on April 20. Goals by Stephen Turnbull and Noah Fuson were enough to secure the first victory in team history. [20] Turnbull and coach Khano Smith were named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for the goal and for the team's first win. [21]
Playing at home against defending champions Phoenix Rising FC, RIFC closed the month with a 3-1 loss. [22]
May
The team opened May with a goalless draw on the road at North Carolina. Koke Vegas returned from injury absence and recorded his first clean sheet for the team. [23]
On May 10, RIFC announced that New England Revolution midfielder Jack Panayotou was sent on loan to the team. [24] Panayotou played the following day in their game against unbeaten Western Conference first-place Sacramento Republic FC, providing an assist on the team's go-ahead goal. [25] A late Sacramento goal resulted in a 2-2 tie. [26]
On May 23, the Boston Globe reported that team President Brett Luy was leaving the team to take a special advisory position with Fortuitous Partners, the corporation that is developing the team's Tidewater Landing stadium. [27]
The team's final game in May was against second-place Louisville City FC. The goalless draw at home was the first time in the 2024 season that a clean sheet was recorded against the Louisville team. [28]
David Peart, a former cable and sports executive, was named team President on May 31. [29] [30] In subsequent interviews, Peart indicated that his top priority for the team was to help raise RIFC's profile and prepare for the opening of the team's new stadium in 2025. [31]
June
The team began the month of June with their first rivalry game away against Hartford Athletic. The as-yet-unnamed derby [32] featured the two closest teams geographically in the USL, [33] and drew a sellout crowd in Hartford. RIFC scored on a fourth-minute Mark Doyle goal, and held on for a 1-1 tie in the derby. [34]
Upon return to Rhode Island, the team lost to Detroit City FC 2-0, [35] but then started a streak of unbeaten games. In their away game against Memphis 901 FC they took an early 2-0 lead, and held on for a 2-2 tie after an 87th-minute Koke Vegas red card. [36]
In international play away from the team, Jojea Kwizera played for the Rwandan National Team, and Isaac Angking played for Puerto Rico. [37] Kwizera’s goal in international play was the first by an RIFC team member, and was the only goal in a 1-0 Rwandan victory. [38]
RIFC traveled to Kentucky on June 22, and recorded a 5-2 victory over Louisville City FC, setting a team record for goals, in what was reported as one of the most unexpected USL wins of the year. Louisville had been previously undefeated at home. RIFC’s 5 goals were the most ever given up by Louisville in a home match. [39] [40] Khano Smith was named USL Coach of the Week, and Jojea Kwizera named to the Team of the Week after the victory. [41]
Four days later, RIFC recorded their first home win, in a 3-0 victory over El Paso Locomotive. The victory came in their eighth home game, after 5 ties and two losses. Jackson Lee’s third clean sheet brought them up to 9th place at the end of the month, one space out of the playoffs. [42]
July
RIFC opened July with a home game against Indy Eleven. The team came back from a 2-0 deficit with two goals from Frank Nodarse, then a late Isaac Angking comeback goal secured a 3-3 tie. [43] At the end of the game, the team was in 8th place in the standings, the first time they’d been in a playoff position since late April.
The team had a two-game roadtrip to Miami FC and Birmingham Legion, with 3-2 and 3-1 respective victories. Albert Dikwa scored a brace in the Miami game. [44] In Birmingham, Noah Fuson scored in the first minute, and a brace from newly-signed Zachary Herivaux provided the rest of the offense. [45] At the completion of the Birmingham game, the team was on a five-game streak of scoring 3 or more goals.
Upon returning home at the end of July, RIFC beat North Carolina FC 2-1, coming back from another deficit to win. [46]
Over the entire month of July, the team’s three wins and a tie were enough to earn coach Khano Smith the USL Coach of the Month award. [47] The team ended the month on a 7-game undefeated streak.
Postseason
By finishing fifth in the USL Eastern Conference, RIFC qualified for the USL playoffs. They were the first true expansion team in 5 years to make the playoffs, [48] and missed the opportunity for a first-round home playoff game only by losing a tiebreaker with Indy Eleven.
Their first-round playoff game against Indy Eleven was held on Sunday, November 4. JJ Williams netted a hat trick in his second consecutive game as RIFC advanced with a 3-2 victory. [49]
RIFC traveled to Louisville, Kentucky for their Eastern Conference semi-final game, against Louisville City FC. RIFC was the only team to defeat Louisville at their home stadium during the regular season, and did it again in the playoffs, with a 3-0 win. JJ Williams again scored multiple goals, and Albert Dikwa scored late to seal the victory. [50]
RIFC defeated Charleston Battery 2-1 in the Eastern Conference Championship game on November 17.
Rhode Island played in the USL Championship Game on November 23 against the Colorado Springs Switchbacks. RIFC lost 3-0, and finished the season as Eastern Conference Champions.
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