MATCHDAY GUIDE | Revs vs. Charlotte FC (September 30, 2023)

THE BASICS

New England Revolution vs. Charlotte FC

Saturday, September 30 | 7:30 p.m.

Gillette Stadium | Foxborough, Mass.

Predicted Weather: Showers | High 66 | Low 52

TIMELINE TO KICKOFF

Parking lots open at 5:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. for Season Members)

Gates open at 6:30 p.m. (6:15 p.m. for Season Members)

Kickoff vs. Charlotte FC at 7:30 p.m.

Santander, the Official Bank of the New England Revolution, is providing fans attending the match with phone wallets and the opportunity to win special on-field experiences. Be sure to check out their activation in the Fan Zone for your chance to win!

FIGHT CHILDHOOD CANCER MATCH

Saturday will be the Revolution's annual Fight Childhood Cancer Match, featuring several initiatives and activations designed to support Childhood Cancer Awareness Month while also raising critical funds for pediatric cancer research.

Highlighting the evening's events, the Revolution will posthumously honor Malia Jusczyk as the club's Hero of the Match. Malia, a resident of Plainville, Mass., who loved soccer (and especially Matt Turner), lost her third battle with cancer this past June, and her family will accept the honor on her behalf.

Local teenager and Special Olympics Unified Team member Remy St. Germain will embark on a 75-mile bike ride from "Why Me and Sherry's House" (an organization committed to fighting childhood cancer) in Worcester to Gillette Stadium, arriving ahead of Saturday's game. Remy is raising funds in honor of his cousin, Sophia, who passed away at the age of four years old after a battle with leukemia.

Additionally, Saturday night will feature the Boston Children's Hospital Dream Team, as the Revs will host Boston Children's Hospital patients and their families in suites at the match. These patients and their siblings will serve as the player escorts prior to kickoff of the match between the Revs and Charlotte FC.

There will also be several Fight Childhood Cancer activations in the Fan Zone, each Revolution player's Kick Childhood Cancer warmup top will feature the name of a local pediatric cancer patient (with each patient receiving the autographed jersey with their name on it), and the standard match elements like gold nets, gold match balls, and gold corner flags will all be in use.

PABLOVE FOUNDATION SHUTTERBUGS PHOTO GALLERY

For the second straight year the Revs have partnered with the Pablove Foundation to provide four local pediatric cancer patients with an unforgettable experience. Earlier this month the Pablove "shutterbugs" spent a Revolution matchday photographing warmups and all of the action during the Revs' 2-2 draw with Austin FC. The shutterbugs and their families will be in attendance at the Fight Childhood Cancer Match on Saturday night, when their photographs will be highlighted in a gallery show at Gillette Stadium before being auctioned off for charity.

DRIVE SERIES PRESENTED BY DAN O'BRIEN AUTOMOTIVE GROUP

Fans attending Saturday night's match are encouraged to bring birthday party supplies for donation to the Confetti Foundation, whose mission is to supply birthday parties to children who have to spend their birthdays in a hospital, pediatric oncology clinic, or hospice facility.

Additionally, prior to the match in the Fan Zone, fans will have the opportunity to support the Confetti Foundation by creating birthday cards for patients that will be hospitalized on their birthdays.

Donations will be accepted at all Gillette Stadium points of entry beginning at 5:30 p.m. and ending at 7:45 p.m., and fans who donate will receive a car air freshener courtesy of the Revolution and Dan O'Brien Automotive Group.

HOW TO TUNE IN

WATCH
TV/Streaming: **_MLS Season Pass_ on Apple TV**

LISTEN
Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub (English), 1260 AM Nossa Radio (Portuguese)

RECENT FORM VS. CHARLOTTE FC

This will be the fourth meeting between the Revs and recent expansion side Charlotte FC - new to MLS in 2022 - and just the second at New England's home ground in Foxborough. After dropping the inaugural encounter last March the Revs responded with back-to-back victories in the series, including a 2-1 triumph at Gillette Stadium last April, and a dramatic 1-0 win in this year's season opener as Henry Kessler claimed all three points for the Revs with an 89th-minute winner.

This past weekend's 2-2 draw at Chicago Fire FC helped the Revs (13-6-10, 49 pts.) officially clinch a return to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs with still five games remaining on the regular season schedule, though they find themselves embroiled in a heated battle for positioning and homefield advantage. Currently sixth in the Eastern Conference standings the Revs are tied on 49 points with a trio of other teams, while sitting just two points back of second-place Orlando and holding games in hand on four of the five teams in front of them. That leaves New England in an advantageous position as they return home to play three of their final five games in Foxborough, where they boast the only unbeaten home record in MLS (10-0-4).

Charlotte (7-10-12, 33 pts.) sits just two places off the foot of the Eastern Conference table in 13th, but they remain just four points back of the final playoff place and with games in hand on all five teams directly in front of them. A tough out since the resumption of league play in August, Charlotte had gone unbeaten in five (1-0-4) prior to this past weekend's 3-0 loss to Supporters' Shield leaders FC Cincinnati, though they continue to struggle defensively as their 48 goals against are tied for third-most in all of Major League Soccer.

Saturday night's meeting with Charlotte begins a critical five-day stretch for the Revs, who will also host the Columbus Crew at Gillette Stadium next Wednesday evening.

Overall Record vs. Charlotte FC: 2-1-0
Home Record vs. Charlotte FC: 1-0-0

Last meeting at Gillette Stadium: Revs 2, Charlotte 1 (April 16, 2022)
Last meeting at Bank of America Stadium: Revs 1, Charlotte 0 (February 25, 2023)

SHOW YOUR COLORS

The Revs will be sporting their primary kit, “The Liberty.” The bespoke pattern is inspired by Boston’s Freedom Trail, a walking trail through the heart of Boston which passes 16 historical sites from the American Revolution – which gives a nod to the club name. This sleek new look will be paired with blue shorts, conveying a defiant, bold and strong look.

You can purchase "The Liberty" kit HERE.