PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Pilots Men's Soccer announced on Thursday their full schedule for the 2026 fall season. The schedule features matchups against the defending national champions, numerous NCAA Tournament-level squads and the introduction of a conference tournament.
 
The Pilots play the Seattle U Redhawks and the Western Oregon Wolves on Aug. 11 and Aug. 14 respectively in exhibitions before opening the regular season on Friday, Aug. 21 at Merlo Field with a matchup against the California Golden Bears. California, led by former Pilots assistant coach Leonard Griffin, went 8-8-2 last season and advanced to the semifinals of the ACC Tournament before falling to the Virginia Cavaliers. The Pilots and Golden Bears last played in 2024, with the Pilots winning 2-0 in Portland.
 
The Pilots then travel up to Seattle to face the defending national champions, the Washington Huskies. The Huskies took home their first ever national championship last season with a 3-2 overtime victory over the NC State Wolfpack. They went 16-6-2 overall and 7-3 in Big Ten play. Portland last played the Huskies in the regular season in 2024, winning 2-1 at Merlo Field.
 
Portland will stay on the road for a matchup against the Princeton Tigers, the Ivy League champs who went 15-2-2 overall and 8-0-0 in Ivy League play. Princeton won the regular season title as well as the tournament and finished second in RPI. After that, the Pilots return home to begin a five-game homestand, starting on Sept. 5 against the Wisconsin Badgers. The Badgers were 8-8 overall and 4-6 in Big Ten play last year, with the Pilots beating the Badgers in Madison last season 1-0.
 
The Pilots host their in-state rival, the Oregon State Beavers, on Sept. 13. The Pilots and Beavers played each other to a 1-1 draw last season and the Pilots have gone 3-1-1 in their last five contests against the Beavers. Oregon State, who was a member of the WCC last 2 seasons and rejoins the Pac-12 this year, went 10-5-2 overall and 6-1-2 in WCC play, making the NCAA Tournament.
 
Portland hosts the New Hampshire Wildcats on Sept. 19, hosting a team that made the tournament each year from 2017-23. The Wildcats went 5-8-5 overall and 3-4-2 in a tough American East conference in 2025. After that, WCC play begins, with the Pilots hosting the LMU Lions on Sept. 26 and the Saint Mary's Gaels on Sept. 30. The Pilots tied the Lions 1-1 on the road last season and beat the Gaels 1-0 in Moraga as well. The Lions were 5-6-7 last season and the Gaels 2-8-6 overall and 2-5-2 in WCC play.
 
Portland plays their final nonconference game on the road against the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor. Michigan was one of the top teams in the Big Ten, going 12-4-4 overall and 6-2-2 in conference play to finish third in the conference. Michigan qualified for the NCAA Tournament before falling to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
 
Conference play resumes with a road match against the San Diego Toreros on Oct. 10, the winner of the WCC each of the last three seasons. San Diego went 13-3-3 last season and 7-1-1 in the WCC to make the NCAA Tournament and host a second-round matchup against the Grand Canyon Antelopes. The Toreros fell to Grand Canyon in that tournament game before the Pilots played the 'Lopes in the Round of 16, with Portland beating Grand Canyon 1-0.
 
Portland returns home to host a familiar foe in a new conference, the Denver Pioneers, who join the WCC ahead of the 2026 season. The Pilots have gone unbeaten in their last five matches against the Pioneers, including a regular season 3-2-win last season and a victory in penalty kicks for their first ever postseason PK victory. Portland then plays the Seattle U Redhawks on the road on Oct. 21, who they beat 2-0 last season in their first year as conference opponents.
 
The final regular season home match takes place on Oct. 24, when the Pilots host the Santa Clara Broncos. Santa Clara took the matchup last year against the Pilots on the road, finishing 6-5-7 overall and 3-3-3 in WCC play. Portland heads to the Bay Area after that, taking on the Pacific Tigers on Oct. 31 and the San Francisco Dons on Nov. 6. The Tigers and Dons went 4-14 and 10-6-1 respectively last season.
 
With the conclusion of the regular season comes the first conference tournament for the WCC. That tournament will take place from Nov. 11 and Nov.14, with the top four teams competing and the highest seed hosting each event. The semifinals will be played on the 11th and the championship on the 14^th.

Momentum is strong for Portland, who put together one of the best seasons in program history this past season. Their 14-2-4 record gave them their best winning percentage since 1988 (.800) and helped them earn the 8-seed in the NCAA Tournament. It was the third time in program history the Pilots have earned the first-round bye and the second time under Carlin-Voigt. They advanced to the Elite Eight for the second time under Carlin-Voigt and third time since 1995, becoming one of just four programs to reach the Elite Eight twice in the last four years. It was the first time they've ever hosted the Elite Eight as well.
 
The Pilots were ranked in the top 10 nationally from Sept. 9 onward, including ranking as high as first in the nation. It was the first time in program history the Pilots have ranked first overall in the United Soccer Coaches Poll. Along with the team success, the Pilots have had eight players selected to the MLS SuperDraft the last three seasons and three players earn invites to U.S. Men's National Team camps. Three of the Pilots' most recent MLS SuperDraft selections – Efetobo Aror (12^th overall in 2025), Joe Highfield (11^th overall in 2026) and Nikos Clarke-Tosczak (19^th overall in 2026) – have all elected to return for the 2026 season as well, and the Pilots added another MLS SuperDraft pick in Isaac Emojong earlier this season.
 
Deposits for season tickets are available now at PortlandPilots.com/Tickets. Visit the link here or in the righthand column to claim your ticket today!
 
See below for the full schedule.
 
2026 Fall Schedule 
Aug. 14 vs. Western Oregon (Exh.), 7 p.m.
Aug. 21 vs. California , 7 p.m. 
Aug. 27 at Washington , TBA 
Aug. 31 at Princeton, TBA  
Sept. 5 vs. Wisconsin, 5 p.m. 
Sept. 13 vs. Oregon State, 6 p.m. 
Sept. 19 vs. New Hampshire, 7 p.m. 
Sept. 26 vs. Loyola Marymount*, 7 p.m. 
Sept. 30 vs. Saint Mary's*, 5 p.m. 
Oc. 4 at Michigan, TBA
Oct. 10 at San Diego*, TBA 
Oct. 17 vs. Denver*, 7 p.m. 
Oct. 21 at Seattle U*, TBA 
Oct. 24 vs. Santa Clara*, 7 p.m.
Oct. 31 at Pacific*, TBA 
Nov. 6 at San Francisco*, TBA 
Nov. 11-14 WCC Tournament, TBA 
Nov. 19 NCAA First Round, TBA
Nov. 22 NCAA Second Round, TBA
Nov. 28-29 NCAA Third Round, TBA
Dec. 4-5 NCAA Quarterfinals, TBA
Dec. 11 NCAA College Cup Semifinals, TBA
Dec. 14 NCAA College Cup Final, TBA

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