LAKELAND — New for the Florida Tropics arena soccer club this year: A local rival.

The Florida Tropics arena soccer team released its 2018-19 schedule Tuesday, and it features six games against the Orlando SeaWolves, a team new to the Major Arena Soccer League and to the Tropics' South Central Division.

The new schedule focuses heavily on the South Central. In all, 20 of the Tropics' 24 games will be against divisional foes St. Louis, Kansas City, Milwaukee and Orlando.

The Tropics play their home games at Sykes Field at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland, starting with the home opener Dec. 1 against St. Louis and concluding with the last home game April 6 against the Baltimore Blast, who have won the last three MASL championships. This is the third season for the Tropics in Lakeland.

Nine of the 12 homes games will be played on Saturday nights. All Saturday games will be at 7:05 p.m. There are two Sunday matinees, March 10 against St. Louis and March 17 against Kansas City, both starting at 3:05 p.m.. And there's one Friday night home date, Dec. 14 against the Harrisburg Heat.

Orlando will play its home games at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, 50 miles from the RP Funding Center. With 12 home games and three more played in Kissimmee, nearly two-thirds of the Tropics' games will be played in Central Florida.

Season tickets are now on sale at www.fltropics.com, or by calling 863-240-0101.

Individual game tickets will start at $10.

TROPICS SCHEDULE

Saturday, Dec. 1 vs. St. Louis

Saturday, Dec. 8 at Mississagua

Sunday Dec. 9 at Utica City

Friday, Dec. 14 vs. Harrisburg

Saturday, Dec. 22 vs. Milwaukee

Saturday, Dec. 29 vs. Orlando

Saturday, Jan. 5 at St. Louis

Sunday, Jan. 6 at Kansas City

Saturday, Jan. 12 vs. Orlando

Saturday, Jan. 19 vs Milwaukee

Saturday, Jan. 26 vs. St. Louis

Friday, Feb. 1 at St. Louis

Saturday, Feb. 2 at Kansas City

Saturday, Feb. 9 at Milwaukee

Saturday, Feb. 16 vs. Orlando

Sunday, Feb. 24 at St. Louis

Saturday, March 2 at Orlando

Sunday, March 10 vs. St. Louis

Friday, March 15 at Orlando

Sunday, March 17 vs. Kansas City

Saturday, March 23 at Milwaukee

Saturday, March 30 vs. Kansas City

Saturday, April 6 vs. Baltimore

Saturday, April 13 at Orlando