TAMPA, Fla. – The United Soccer League and ESPN announced today that the national USL Game of the Week broadcast featuring FC Cincinnati and the Charlotte Independence scheduled for July 18 at Nippert Stadium will now air on ESPN2. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.

The Queen Cities Cup contest was originally scheduled to air on ESPNews as one of six over-the-air regular season broadcasts this season – part of the multi-year partnership between USL and ESPN which includes all the league’s matches airing on the innovative ESPN+ platform.

“The Queen Cities Cup will be an exciting, action-filled match and we are thrilled to have it air on ESPN2,” said USL President Jake Edwards. “Our partnership with ESPN has delivered significant awareness to the league, and this match will further extend the reach of our league to millions of viewers nationwide. We look forward to the first whistle on July 18 for these clubs and our fans.”

FC Cincinnati currently sits on top of the USL’s Eastern Conference with a conference-leading nine victories this season. The side is led by Emmanuel Ledesma, who has recorded seven goals and a league-leading seven assists and was recently nominated for the USL’s Player of the Month award for May. Danish striker Danni Konig has also scored seven goals this season to sit tied for the team lead. Konig is six away from recording his 50th career regular-season goal in the league since arriving before the 2015 season.

The Independence, meanwhile, are currently on course for a third consecutive trip to the USL Cup Playoffs, sitting in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with new addition Cordell Cato and veteran forward Jorge Herrera each having scored six goals this season. The Independence took a 4-1 victory when the sides met on May 12, and earned a 1-1 draw when they visited Nippert Stadium a season ago.

The Queen Cities Cup clash is the fourth of six USL regular season games scheduled to be aired on a linear network by ESPN this summer. The schedule kicks off on June 26 when USL newcomers Nashville SC and Indy Eleven square off at Nashville’s First Tennessee Park on ESPNews at 8:30 p.m. ET.