​Local soccer fans craving more high-stakes action beyond the World Cup will get their wish this weekend, with a nearby matchup that eliminates the need for travel. Ambassadors FC Ohio will host the Michigan Rangers FC at 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 18, at Malone University, in a National Premier Soccer League quarterfinal. The winner will advance to the NPSL semifinals on July 25.
Ambassadors FC Ohio is in only its second season in the NPSL. “This is a chance for Canton, Akron, Cleveland and the entire Northeast Ohio soccer community to rally behind a local team made up mostly of local talent competing on the national stage,” said Bob Dean, Director of Men’s Football Operations for Ambassadors FC Ohio, in a press release. “Our players have earned the right to bring this match home, and we’d love to see King Field packed with fans who want to experience meaningful, high-level summer soccer right in their own backyard.”
The squad features several names familiar to local supporters, including Amir Spratt (Mount Union), Diego Pinto (St. Vincent-St. Mary), Zach Zemanski (Stow), Asher Heart (Mount Union), Dylan Metz (Malone), Kostas Paxos (Hoover), Logan Scherer (Malone), Omar Najjarr (Mount Union), Reese Utter (Mount Union) and Colton Fry (Malone).
The game marks the culmination of Ambassadors FC Ohio’s climb through the tournament, having advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Flower City Union 2-1 to claim the club’s first NPSL Great Lakes Conference championship. Zemanski and Pinto netted goals in the second half to seal the victory, while Flower City Union had won the 2023 National Independent Soccer Association professional title.
Earlier rounds also saw wins over Cleveland SC (the predecessor to AFC Cleveland, which captured the 2016 NPSL national title) and Erie Commodores FC (a six-time conference champion and three-time regional champion). Pinto earned the NPSL Great Lakes Conference Most Valuable Player honors for this season and was the NPSL National Player of the Month in June after tallying nine goals. Spratt had previously earned the conference MVP award in 2025, a season in which the club finished as the conference tournament runner-up.
Admission for Saturday’s match is $16.25 for general admission, $11.25 for youth general admission (17 and under), and $11.25 for seniors (65 and older). A Drive In pass is available for $46, which includes up to four adult general admission tickets when all attendees arrive in the same vehicle. The club is partnering with the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, offering a half-price discount on cash ticket sales at the venue if fans pay with cash and bring a canned or non-perishable food item to donate. This initiative not only supports a local cause but also helps boost attendance and provides an extra incentive for fans to attend in person.