After back-to-back Eastern Conference Final appearances, RIFC were looking to get over the hump and win the USL Championship, yet things didn't go as planned.

To start off the year, Midfielder Joe Brito announced his retirement, and shortly after, the club announced its end-of-year roster decisions, which saw Karifa Yao, Noah Fuson, Koke Vegas, J.J. Williams, Kevin Vang, and Amos Shapiro-Thompson, all being brought back to the club, while Isaac Angking, Cole Dewhurst, Will Meyer, and Taimu Okiyoshi. Jackson Lee, Marc Ybarra, and Rio Hope-Gund all found themselves leaving the Ocean State after their contracts finished.

After that, big news came as it was announced that Maxi Rodriguez would be returning to Detroit City after just one year with RIFC, where he had seven goals and four assists in his 38 matches for the club.

Things didn't quiet down just yet, as RIFC started to make a host of moves, adding Leo Afonso from Atlanta United, before also bringing Lanus Midfielder Agustín 'Pity' Rodriguez and Charlotte FC's Nick Scardina to the team. However, this wasn't without more departures, as Albert Dikwa was transferred to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC after scoring 19 goals for the club in 68 appearances.

RIFC wasn't done there, as they added Logan Dorsey and CJ Williams, but let go of Aime Mabika in the process. The bigger news at the time was that RIFC also parted ways with club president David Peart, ending a tenure that began in May of 2025.

At this point, RIFC's season finally began after their first match of the season got postponed due to a Nor'easter that swept the area. A 4-0 U.S. Open Cup opening round win was the only bright spot early on, as the team started 0-1-2 in USL Championship play. This was quickly turned around with a six-match unbeaten run in all competitions, including a win over rivals Hartford Athletic.

From there, inconsistent results plagued the squad. In this time, RIFC did make a few changes, adding Osman Foyo from AFC Wimbledon, but sent fan favorite midfielder Clay Holstad on loan to FC Dallas. In even more shocking news, RIFC then sent star forward J.J. Williams overseas to Hearts in Scotland.

Now down Williams and Holstad, RIFC finished the season at 12-6-12, enough to make the playoffs as the seventh seed with a +9 goal differential. In the playoffs, a 90'+4 goal from Charleston Battery forced the game to extra time, tied 1-1 after a 28' minute RIFC goal from Kwizera. The match ended up heading to penalties, where Pity Rodriguez's saved penalty ended RIFC's season, with a final penalty score of 5-4 in the hosts favor.

Rhode Island FC now will head into their fourth season with work to do, failing to make it back to the heights they climbed to in their first two seasons.