Schedules released as Steel City FC, Riveters SC set to compete in USL W-League’s Great Forest Division

Photo courtesy Randy Warner

Two Pittsburgh-based women’s pre-professional clubs, Steel City FC and Riveters SC, learned of their 2025 W-League schedules on Tuesday.

Both clubs will compete in the newly aligned USL W-League’s Great Forest Division, with Steel City FC kicking off its 10th season but first in this league, while the Riveters SC will make its much ballyhooed debut.

The Great Forest Division in the Central Conference is one of 15 divisions divided among four geographically aligned conferences in the 93-team W League for 2025.

The schedule kicks off with the historic first match for Riveters SC on Friday, May 16 at Highmark Stadium, against Cleveland Force SC.

After their opening tilt, the Riveters will play three of their next four on the road, including trips to Rochester, N.Y. team Flower City 1872 (May 24), the return engagement with the Force (May 27) and a short trip northward to face Villarreal Erie (June 5).

From there, the Riveters will finish with three of its final five matches at home, including the first-ever all-Pittsburgh W-League derby as they’ll face Steel City FC at Founders Field on June 11.

Steel City FC will start its season on May 24 on the road against Erie before embarking on a four-match homestand that concludes with the aforementioned Derby match vs the Riveters.

The return match between the two clubs will take place at Highmark Stadium on June 27.

The Riveters are boasting strong ticket sales as they anticipate and plan an ambitious first ever season.

Riverhounds SC President Jeff Garner boasted in an interview on Sounding Off on Soccer Podcast that Riveters ticket sales have been going strong ahead of the club’s debut on the field.  In fact, ticket sales are so strong that Garner stated that W-League club has sold more season ticket packages than what the Riverhounds season ticket sales were in 2022 when he started with the organization.

With Steel City FC established as a pre-professional club and also entering the W-League in the same year as the new Riveters SC, Garner shared his thoughts on having two women’s clubs in Pittsburgh in the same league and same division, as they’ll be playing each other twice in the regular season.

“Obviously we look forward to the competition. It’s good for Pittsburgh,” Garner added.

Steel City FC’s Tom Ovenden is excited about his club’s move into the W-League after spending three seasons in the UWS and numerous season prior to that in the WPSL.

“The goal has always been to continue to go up in the pyramid,” Ovenden told

“It’s a testament to the people we have involved with running all things we have going on.  It’s about doing the right things and putting the right things first. We are looking forward to our first season in W-League.”

Rosters for both clubs — which will consist mostly of current and recent college players — are still being finalized.  For more on latest signings and roster updates, check out last week’s Pulse of Pittsburgh Soccer.

Pulse of Pittsburgh Soccer: Riveters SC, Steel City FC to compete in USL W-League’s Great Forest Division

The moment you've all been waiting for! 🤩 The countdown is on, are you ready? ⏰

Get your season tickets now: https://t.co/Re7ZZQIGnD 🎟️
#RivetersRise pic.twitter.com/vvQHV6gYJt

— Pittsburgh Riveters SC (@RivetersSC) February 18, 2025

🚨 Schedule Release – Save the Date

We can not wait to kick off our @USLLeagueTwo and @USLWLeague seasons! Dont forget to grab your tickets 🎟️
Take a look at the full schedule ⬇️
🔗 https://t.co/ITwTO6GexQ#strongertogether #homegrown #pittsburghsoccer pic.twitter.com/860hF1zrwX

— Steel City FC (@SteelCityFC) February 18, 2025

Sounding Off on Soccer: Steel City FC men’s and women’s first teams to USL with club owner / director Tom Ovenden

 

Steel City FC Women’s 2025 Schedule