By: Avery Romney
The highly-anticipated Real Salt Lake vs. Inter Miami CF match on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 has the Beehive State buzzing with excitement. With limited capacity at America First Field, more than 30,000 fans signed up for the “priority waitlist” with more than 40,000 unique requests for single-game tickets, this game is sure to go down in Utah sports history.
It was a St. Patrick’s Day unlike any other for the 100 or so young soccer players practicing at the America First Field Training Ground in Sandy on March 17, 2026. RSL’s own Academy products Justen Glad and Griffin Dillon, along with Royals newcomers Madison Hammond and Aria Nagai, as well as RSL Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni and Club President John Kimball all attended the practice for multiple boys’ and girls’ youth teams. Glad and Griffin chatted it up with the players and coaches while Hammond and Nagai passed the soccer ball around with the aspiring professional athletes.
Little did the members of all four Utah Development Academy teams know, their St. Patrick’s Day luck was about to turn an ordinary practice into an historic moment they’d never forget.
After training, the kids—ranging in age from 10 to 15 years old—gathered at midfield, where the URFC and RSL players announced the big surprise: RSL was donating 100 highly-coveted tickets to the match against Inter Miami CF on April 22 to the young athletes, who would also receive tickets to this Sunday’s 2026 Utah Royals FC home opener against San Diego.
The announcement was instantly met with shock, applause and big wide smiles, the young players turning to one another in disbelief as the reality of the news set in. What thousands of fans across the Wasatch could only dream of was suddenly in their possession.
“Where this all really originates is the Miller family strategy, and their passion for the community, and how they want to give back to our fans,” Club President John Kimball stated, highlighting the generosity and character behind ownership. “They want everybody to participate and be involved, and their commitment to giving back is the inspiration.”
MSE’s mission is to “enrich lives and strengthen communities by creating memorable, world-class sports and entertainment experiences.” As part of the Larry H. Miller Company, the focus on building community through sports, teamwork, and stewardship, leaving places better than they were found, permeates each endeavor.
“I think we have a very unique opportunity to make the Utah Royals and RSL a place for a pillar of culture in this city,” midfielder Madison Hammond shared. “I am very excited about that and excited to be a part of that.”
Homegrown midfielder and one-time RSL fan - and now starter - Griffin Dillon shared what it means to him to give back to the community:
“To be in their shoes now, finally, inspiring the next generation to be the best versions of themselves [makes me] really excited and happy to be here.”
Real Salt Lake continues on a winning streak with two home wins against Seattle Sounders and Austin FC, as well as a road win against Atlanta FC. The Claret-and-Cobalt seek to extend this winning run in their road match against San Diego FC this Sunday.
Sunday, March 22, 2026, also marks the home-opener for Utah Royals FC, after their narrow loss to Kansas City FC last Saturday. The Royals will look to bounce back and capture their first win of the season in front of a home crowd. Tickets and information can be found here.
