Battle of Lake Erie -- Buffalo at Cleveland -- will open East Division play on December 20

TAMPA, Florida -- It will be a Battle of Lake Erie when Major Arena Soccer League 3 opens play in the East division for the 2025-26 season as the Buffalo-based Sahara Gunners will travel to meet the Cleveland Samba on Dec. 20.

Other home openers in the four team east include the Youngstown Nighthawks hosting Gunners on January 3 and the Rochester N.Y. based Roc City Boom -- who made it to the MASL 3 finals last spring -- hosting Cleveland on that same Saturday. The Gunners will have their home opener on January 10 in a NYS Thruway matchup against the Boom. 

Each team plays a 10-game regular season schedule, which is super fran friendly as every single divisional matchup but one in the entire season falls on a Saturday night. Following is a look at each East Division team schedules:

CLEVELAND SAMBA

Saturday, Dec. 20 vs. Sahara Gunners

Saturday, January 3 at Roc City Boom

Saturday, January 17 vs. Sahara Gunners

Saturday, January 24 at Youngstown Nighthawks

Saturday, January 31 at Sahara Gunners

Saturday, February 7 at Sahara Gunners

Saturday, February 14 vs. Youngstown Nighthawks

Saturday, February 28 at Youngstown Nighthawks

Saturday, March 7 vs. Roc City Boom

Saturday, March 14 vs. Youngstown Nighthawks

ROC CITY BOOM

Saturday, January 3 vs. Cleveland Samba

Saturday, January 10 at Sahara Gunners

Saturday, January 17 vs. Youngstown Nighthawks

Saturday, January 24 vs. Sahara Gunners

Saturday, February 7 at Youngstown Nighthawks

Saturday, February 21 vs. Youngstown Nighthawks

Saturday, February 28 at Sahara Gunners

Saturday, March 7 at Cleveland Samba

Sunday, March 15 vs. Sahara Gunners

Saturday, March 22 at Youngstown Nighthawks

SAHARA GUNNERS (BUFFALO)

Saturday, December 20 at Cleveland Samba

Saturday, January 3 at Youngstown Nighthawks

Saturday,  January 10 vs. Roc City Boom

Saturday, January 17 at Cleveland Samba

Saturday, January 24 at Roc City Boom

Saturday January 31 vs. Cleveland Samba

Saturday, February 7 vs. Cleveland Samba 

Saturday, February 28 vs. Roc City Boom

Saturday,. March 7 vs. Youngstown Nighthawks

Sunday, March 15 ast Roc City Boom

YOUNGSTOWN NIGHTHAWKS

Saturday, January 3 vs. Sahara Gunners

Saturday, January 17 at Roc City Boom

Saturday, January 24 vs. Cleveland Samba

Saturday, February 7 vs. Roc City Boom

Saturday, February 14 at Cleveland Samba

Saturday, February 21 at Roc City Boom

Saturday, February 28 vs. Cleveland Samba

Saturday, March at Sahara Gunners

Saturday, March 14 at Cleveland Samba

Saturday, March 21 vs. Roc City Boom