With just eight games remaining in the regular season, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks of the United Soccer League (USL) Championship sit just barely above the playoff line. Seventh out of 12 teams in the Western Conference, the Switchbacks have been marred by inconsistency throughout the 2026 season, as evidenced by their evenly split 9-9-4 record.
Though the Switchbacks’ inability to win consistently this season has inhibited a sustained push towards the upper echelons of the Western Conference, their 1-0 win over Lexington, South Carolina, on Aug. 29th propelled them back into a playoff spot and broke a two-game losing streak.
The lone goal of the game, scored from distance by Jonas Fjeldberg, could prove crucial as the playoff race nears its conclusion. The Switchbacks sit just six points behind second-place New Mexico United while also holding just a five-point advantage over 11th place Oakland Roots in the crowded Western Conference. With so much on the table in the final stretch of the season, the Switchbacks have every reason to believe they can succeed.
But if the Switchbacks rotate their squad in the next few weeks, it’s likely because they find themselves in the USL Cup semifinals. The Switchbacks are just one of four teams left in a tournament contested between USL Championship and USL League One teams. A penalty shootout win over the Spokane Velocity in the quarterfinals set up a semifinal against Hartford Athletic on Tuesday, Sept. 8th. While this game will be played in Hartford, a win would send the Switchbacks to the final against either San Antonio FC or Louisville City. Just two years removed from winning the USL Championship title, the Switchbacks have put themselves in a position to have a good chance at silverware yet again.
To bolster the squad, the Switchbacks made a handful of moves right before the transfer window closed. Midfielder Sam Williams, who was on loan from Major League Soccer (MLS) side Chicago Fire, was recalled for six days due to injuries to other players in Chicago before then returning to the Switchbacks for the rest of the season. Williams has been crucial to the team this year, meaning his return was vital for the Switchbacks. In addition to Williams, three more players joined the team over the past two months. In mid-July, the Switchbacks picked up backup goalkeeper Sam Jones from the South Georgia Tormenta, before adding winger Bryce Jamison and right back Jabari De Coteau on loan from the Colorado Rapids. In just three games, both players have tallied substantial minutes, with Jamison already registering an assist.
In the next week, Colorado Springs heads to Leesburg, Virginia, to take on Loudoun United Friday, Sept. 4, before traveling to Connecticut for the USL Cup semifinal on Tuesday, Sept. 8. These two games are crucial to the Switchbacks’ season. Wins in both would solidify the Switchbacks spot in the playoffs and put them one game away from a trophy. Loudoun is winless in four games, only scoring once over that period. Hartford, meanwhile, is undefeated in four, with their last loss coming against Loudoun on Aug.1st. There are several games left to play, but this upcoming week may well define how the rest of the Switchbacks’ season goes.