Birmingham Legion and Hartford Athletic began their USL Championship seasons with a 0-0 draw at Protective Stadium on March 12, 2026. In a typical opening-day fixture marked by caution and rustiness, both teams created few clear-cut opportunities. Birmingham Legion controlled possession for large spells but found Hartford's compact defensive shape difficult to penetrate. The visitors from Connecticut offered a threat on the break, with their winger forcing a smart save from the Legion goalkeeper in the 65th minute. The result gives both teams a foundation to build on with a point and a clean sheet, though both will want to find more attacking fluency as the season progresses. The managers were philosophical afterwards, stressing the positives of a solid defensive start to the campaign.