The USL finally released the 2018 schedule and Nashville SC fans and owners must be thrilled. The team will play the 34 league games, 17 home and 17 away, with 12 of the home matches on the weekend (10 on Saturday). There are only two teams that will make the trip to Nashville twice and they both happen to be Nashville SC’s biggest rivals. Without question Atlanta United and FC Cincinnati are the club’s biggest rivals going into the 2018 season. I explained why here. All four of those games will sellout easily. Not just because those are the two fan bases that will bring the most support, but also because Nashville is clearly the best road trip in USL. To balance out the schedule Nashville SC will play at Charlotte Independence and Louisville City FC twice. The schedule graphic is a bit small so just goto our schedule page for the full list. There are some great road trips on the schedule as well that Andy Simmons at 615 Formation wrote about here. If you like fun I suggest you give it a read. Now mark those calendars as we highlight the schedules games.

Best Team February 10, 2018 versus Atlanta United. Yes, just a preseason match, but Atlanta United is the only MLS that will come to First Tennessee Park this season. Given it is the team’s first match they will likely play their entire roster. Atlanta is stacked. You might even see new signing Barco which Atlanta paid a $15 million transfer fee. Nashville SC’s entire roster payroll is surely less than $1 million so you can imagine the difference in talent.

Best Rivalry Saturday July 7, 2018 and Saturday October 13, 2018 versus FC Cincinnati. We’ve already written about why FC Cincinnati will be the club’s chief rival in 2018 and Nashville SC gets to play them twice at home. We’ll say the October match is the better one to see given it is the last match of the season there could be a lot on the line.

Best Road Trip Saturday May 26, 2018 versus Charleston Battery. We didn’t say easiest or closest road trip. While a bit further than many other away matches Charleston is a blast. The game is on a Saturday so you can make it an extended weekend trip. It’s the end of May so if you like the beach you could stay in Isle of Palms. If not just stay in the city with arguably the best seafood in the country. I’ll certainly do my fair share or oyster shooters if I’m lucky enough to make it.

Where Team Could Need Support Any of the three Tuesday matches. The schedule is loaded with games that are sure to easily sellout. However, the three Tuesday games are all against teams that will bring few away fans to the stadium. Richmond Kickers, Tampa Bay Rowdies and Toronto FC 2 are all too far for most fans to make a weekday match. Thus, Nashville SC will have to put 10,000 home fans in the stadium to get a sellout. I think they will do it, but if there are any games that don’t sellout this season it should be one of these.