TAMPA, Fla. -- A budding rivalry for supremacy in the Hawkeye state will kick off the sixth year of Major Arena Soccer League 2 action in the 2022-23 season.

The Iowa Raptors, based in Cedar Rapids, will host the Iowa Demon Hawks, whose home city is Des Moines but will play and be based out of Cedar Rapids this season, at the Alliant Energy Powerhouse (formerly U.S. Cellular Arena). The match kicks off on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 6:30pm CT, the first of four regular season meetings between the two clubs. The regular season will conclude on March 26. 

Professional indoor soccer is no stranger in Cedar Rapids, where the Rampage played in the Major Arena Soccer League for three seasons starting in late 2016. The Demon Hawks are new to M2 this year. The two will square off in a home-and-home series Jan. 7 and 8 starting in Cedar Rapids, with the finale of their battles coming March 12th.  The Demon Hawks competed in Major Arena Soccer League 3 action last season as Des Moines United FC, earning a spot in the Midwest division championship game after winning the regular season crown.

In all, M2’s 15 teams will play a total of 90 regular season games, with all 90 of them coming on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday, according to Commissioner Chris Economides.

"With more teams in bigger arenas, it's tremendous that all our games will still be on the weekend. It’s a great schedule for fans, and the competition should be intense in each division,” Economides said. “Every team plays games only in their division this season, so every game will be extremely meaningful since winning your division is the one sure ticket to the playoffs.” 

The weekend following will see the Demon Hawks home opener vs. Muskegon Dec. 10, with many of the teams in Great Lakes, Midwest and West divisions opening play the following weekend.

Teams in action that weekend include the Chihuahua Savage 2 hosting the RGV Barracudas on Friday, Dec. 16, the Muskegon Risers with ther home opener Dec. 17 against the Demon Hawks, the Colorado Inferno hosting the Amarillo Bombers Dec. 17, the Kansas (Dodge City) Bandits hosting the New Mexico Runners on Dec. 18, And the Empire Jets (Ontario, California) hosting defending league champion San Diego Sockers 2 on Sunday, Dec. 18.

The Jets home opener will be Dec. 18 against San Diego, while the iconic Wichita Wings will start their campaign on Dec. 23 when the host their instate rival Kansas Bandits. Newcomer Club Deportivo de Baja California will open at home Jan. 7 against Empire, while Turlock will host them in their home opener on Jan. 13.  

In addition, the Runners will open their home schedule on Jan. 7 vs. Amarillo, while the Bombers start their six home games on Jan. 20 vs. Wichita. The home opener for the Barracudas will be Jan. 22 vs. the Jets. 

The Rochester Lancers will have a back loaded  home schedule, playing their first four games on the road before opening at home on Feb. 24 against the Iowa Demon Hawks.

Below is the complete schedule for each M2 franchise, with home dates in bold:

north DIVISION

MUSKEGON RISERS

December 10 at Iowa Demon Hawks

December 11 at Iowa Raptors

December 17  vs. Iowa Demon Hawks

December 29 at Des Moines United

December 30 at Iowa Raptors

January 6 vs. Rochester Lancers

January 7 vs. Rochester Lancers

January 28 vs. Iowa Raptors

February 11 vs.  Iowa Demon Hawks

March 3  vs. Iowa Raptors

March 10 at Rochester Lancers

March 10 at Rochester Lancers

IOWA RAPTORS

December 3 vs. Iowa Demon Hawks

December 11 vs.  Muskegon Risers

December 30 vs. Muskegon Risers

January 7 vs. Iowa Demon Hawks

January 8 vs. Iowa Demon Hawks

January 28 at Muskegon Risers

February 4 vs.. Rochester Lancers

March 3 at Muskegon Risers

March 12 at Iowa Demon Hawks

March 18 vs. Rochester Lancers

March 24 at Rochester Lancers

March 25 at Rochester Lancers

IOWA DEMON HAWKS

December 3 at Iowa Raptors

December 10 vs. Muskegon Risers

December 17 at Muskegon Risers

December 29 vs. Muskegon Risers

January 7 at Iowa Raptors

January 8 vs. Iowa Raptors

February 5 vs. Rochester Lancers

February 11 at Muskegon Risers

February 24 at Rochester Lancers

February 25 at Rochester Lancers

March 12 vs. Iowa Raptors

March 19 vs. Rochester Lancers

ROCHESTER LANCERS

January 6 at Muskegon Risers

January 7 at Muskegon Risers

February 4 at Iowa Raptors

February 5 at Iowa Demon Hawks

February 24 vs. Iowa Demon Hawks

February 25 vs. Iowa Demon Hawks

March 10 vs. Muskegon Risers

March 11 vs. Muskegon Risers

March 18 at Iowa Raptors

March 19 at Iowa Demon Hawks

March 24 vs. Iowa Raptors

March 25 vs. Iowa Raptors

MIDWEST DIVISION

AMARILLO bombers

December 17 at Colorado Inferno

December 30 at Wichita Wings

January 7 at New Mexico Runners

January 20 vs. Wichita Wings

January 21 vs. Kansas Bandits

January 29 vs. New Mexico Runners

February 4 vs. Colorado Inferno

February 10 at Wichita Wings

February 19 vs. Kansas Bandits

February 25 at Kansas Bandits

March 10 vs. New Mexico Runners

March 25 at Colorado Inferno

KANSAS BANDITS

December 18 vs. New Mexico Runners

December 23 at Wichita Wings 

January 7 vs. Colorado Inferno

January 8 vs. Wichita Wings

January 21 at Amarillo Bombers

February 11 at New Mexico Runners

February 19 at Amarillo Bombers

February 25 vs. Amarillo Bombers

February 26 vs. Colorado Inferno

March 11 at Colorado Inferno

March 18 at New Mexico Runners

March 26 vs. Wichita Wings

COLORADO inferno

December vs. Amarillo Bombers

January 7 at Kansas Bandits

January 14 at Wichita Wings

January 21 at New Mexico Runners

February 5 at Amarillo Bombers

February 18 vs. New Mexico Runners 

February 25 at Kansas Bandits

March 4  at New Mexico Runners

March 11 vs. Kansas Bandits

March 18 vs. Wichita Wings

March 19 vs. Wichita Wings

March 25 vs. Amarillo Bombers

NEW MEXICO RUNNERS

December 18t at Kansas Bandits

January 7 vs. Amarillo Bombers

January 21 vs. Colorado Inferno

January 29 at Amarillo Bombers

February 4 at Wichita Wings

February 11 vs. Kansas Bandits

February 18 at Colorado Inferno

February 25 vs. Wichita Wings

March 4 vs. Colorado Inferno

March 10 at Amarillo Bombers

March 11at Wichita Wings 

March 18 vs. Kansas Bandits

WICHITA WINGS

December 23 vs. Kansas Bandits

December 30 vs. Amarillo Bombers

January 8 at Kansas Bandits

January 14 vs. Colorado Inferno

January 20 at Amarillo Bombers

February 4 vs New Mexico Runners

February 10 vs. Amarillo Bombers

February 25 at New Mexico Runners

March 11 vs. New Mexico Runners

March 18 at Colorado Inferno

March 19 at Colorado Inferno 

March 26 at Kansas Bandits

WEST DIVISION

Chihuahua Savage 2

December 16 vs. RGV Barracudas 

December 17 tvs. RGV Barracudas 

January 6 at Club Deportivo de Baja California 

January 7 at Club Deportivo de Baja California

January 20 vs. Empire Jets 

January 28 at Empire Jets

January 29 at San Diego Sockers 2

February 24 vs. San Diego Sockers 2

March 10 vs. Club Deportivo de Baja California

March 11  vs Club Deportivo de Baja California 

March 25 at RGV Barracudas 

March 26 at RGV Barracudas 

Empire Jets

December 18 at San Diego Sockers 2

December 30 vs. San Diego Sockers 2

January 7 vs. Turlock Express

January 14 vs. RGV Barracudas

January 20 at Chihuahua Savage 2

January 22 at RGV Barracudas

January 28 vs. Chihuahua Savage 2

February 11 vs. RGV Barracudas

February 17 at Turlock Express

March 18 vs. Turlock Express

March 19 at San Diego Sockers 2

March 24 at Club Deportivo de Baja California

RGV Barracudas

December 16 at Chihuahua Savage

 December 17  at Chihuahua Savage

January 14 at Empire Jets

January 15 at San Diego Sockers 2

January 22 vs. Empire Jets

February 10 at Turlock Express

February 11 at Empire Jets

February 17 vs. Club Deportivo de Baja California

February 18 vs. Club Deportivo de Baja California

February 26 vs. San Diego Sockers 2

March 25 vs. Chihuahua Savage

March 26 vs. Chihuahua Savage

San Diego Sockers 2

December 18 vs. Empire Jets

Friday December 30th Empire Jets

January 8 vs. Turlock Express

January 15 vs. RGV Barracudas FC

January 29 vs. Chihuahua Savage 2

February 24 at Chihuaha Savage 2

February 26 at RGV Barracudas

March 4 vs. Turlock Express

March 17 at Club Deportivo de Baja California

March 19 vs. Empire Jets

March 24 at Turlock Express

March 25 at Turlock Express

Turlock Express

January 7 at Empire Strikers

January 8 at San Diego Sockers

January 13 vs. Club Deportivo de Baja California  

January 14 vs. Club Deportivo de Baja California

January 29 at Club Deportivo de Baja California 

February 4 at Empire Jets

February 10 vs. RGV Barracudas

February 17 vs. Empire Jets

March 4 at San Diego Sockers 2

March 5 at Club Deportivo de Baja California

March 24 vs. San Diego Sockers 2

March 25 vs San Diego Sockers 2

Club Deportivo de Baja California

January 6 vs. Chihuahua Savage

January 7 vs. Chihuahua Savage

January 13 at Turlock Express

January 14 at Turlock Express

January 29 vs. Turlock Express 

February 17 at RGV Barracudas

February 18 at RGV Barracudas

March 5  vs. Turlock Express

March 10 at Chihuahua Savage 2

March 11 at Chihuahua Savage 2

March 17 vs. San Diego Sockers 2 

Friday March 24 vs. Empire Jets