Huntsville and Birmingham to clash in all-Alabama 'friendly' soccer match

310154837 540934724699659 7428635085731892730 n 1 — Huntsville and Birmingham will play an exhibition game in February. Get ready to see some rowdy soccer fans! (Legion FC via Facebook)

While I wouldn’t say there is a “heated rivalry” between Huntsville and Birmingham, there certainly exists a bevy of “us vs. them” comparisons, and now that Huntsville has a pro soccer team like Birmingham, why not create a little friendly rivalry?

Well, you got it! Birmingham’s Legion FC will host the Huntsville City Football Club in a “friendly” match scheduled for Feb. 11. Here are all the details:

326092254 712738543808054 6969192660667742684 n 1 — New HCFC head coach Jack Collison will take his team to Birmingham to take on the Legion FC in February. (Legion FC via Facebook)

Before anyone sees this friendly (if you didn’t know, a soccer match that does not count toward standings in a league is referred to as a “friendly”) as a preview of a soccer rivalry between Huntsville and Birmingham, let’s make it clear that the HCFC and Legion FC are not in the same league or level of play.

Birmingham competes in the United Soccer League Championship Level, while Huntsville will compete in the Major League Soccer NEXT Pro League.

USL Championship is the Division II sanctioned league by the United States Soccer Federation, placing it under Major League Soccer (Division I) in the pro soccer hierarcy.

MLS Next Pro, affiliated with Major League Soccer, launched in 2022 with 21 teams and will expand to 28 in 2023 (including Huntsville). The league comprises 27 reserve sides for MLS clubs and the independent Rochester New York FC.

See the match between Huntsville and Birmingham

PXL 20221110 011616104 1 — The match between HCFC and Legion FC is Feb. 11 at 4PM in Birmingham. (Michael Seale / Hville Blast)

The preseason match between Huntsville and Birmingham takes place Saturday, February 11 at 4PM at Birmingham’s Protective Stadium. The exhibition match will be the first time in history two professional soccer teams from the state of Alabama will compete against each other.

More information about pre-game festivities around the stadium is coming soon, and any questions regarding tickets to the match can be directed to the Legion FC Ticket Office at tickets@bhmlegion.com or 205-791-7145.

HCFC recently announced the hiring of the team’s first head coach in Jack Collison, and its first player in Isaiah Johnston.

Keep up with what’s happening in and around Huntsville by following Hville Blast on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram, and by subscribing to our newsletter!