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Tag: USL

  • North Carolina FC to cease operations after 2025 season; apply for membership in new top league

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    North Carolina FC, a men’s soccer team in the United Soccer League’s Championship division, won’t field a team for the next two seasons as it applies for membership in a new USL Division One league.

    And tries to build a new 15,000-seat stadium.

    NCFC plays at First Horizon Stadium at the WakeMed Soccer Park complex in Cary. Steve Malik is the chairman of NCFC. He is also chairman of the National Women’s Soccer League’s NC Courage.

    NCFC’s franchise agreement ends at the conclusion of the 2025 season. The club, seeded third, hosts No. 6 seed Rhode Island FC in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Saturday at 7 p.m.

    USL announced in February that the new Division One league would launch for the 2027-28 season. It would have promotion and relegation, standard features in European soccer, with its lesser leagues.

    The USL is not affiliated with Major League Soccer. Charlotte FC plays in the MLS.

    Franchises in Division One must have a stadium with a minimum capacity of 15,000, an ownership group with a combined net worth of at least $70 million for financial viability, according to U.S. Soccer. 

    First Horizon Stadium holds 10,000. In 2019, Malik and John Kane of Kane Realty proposed a $2-billion entertainment district development project in downtown Raleigh. The project, which became known as Downtown South, would have featured a 20,00-seat open air stadium and nearly $2 billion in private development. It has never been built.

    But Malik hasn’t given up on the project.

    “This is a deeply difficult decision, one that comes after extensive thought and consideration of the future of professional soccer in our community, which has proven itself a major league sports market,” Malik said in a statement released by the team. “I love North Carolina FC and have been incredibly proud to see this club succeed on the field and serve our community. I am as invested in this team emotionally as I am financially. 

    “Right now, it’s essential that we focus our immediate resources and energy on strengthening the foundation for professional soccer in Raleigh by continuing to invest in the Courage and resetting our men’s strategy for the future. With the right infrastructure in place, Raleigh can become a world-class home for the sport for years to come. 

    “To our NCFC players, staff, and fans, thank you. You have been the heart and soul of this club, and your passion, loyalty, and belief have made North Carolina FC something truly special. This is not goodbye, but a step toward building an even brighter future for the sport we all love.” 

    Louisville City FC and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC have also applied to join, while Detroit City FC and Sacramento Republic FC have plans to expand their stadium capacity to meet Decision One standards.

    A club representative will contact NCFC season ticket holders.

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  • Phoenix Rising opens new season on Saturday with targets on their backs

    Phoenix Rising opens new season on Saturday with targets on their backs

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    A new reality begins for Phoenix Rising FC on Saturday.

    For the first time in franchise history, the club is the defending title-holder of the USL Championship. After making the league’s playoff as a sixth place team, the Rising are ready to run it back, with targets on their backs.

    “It’s something I’ve referenced a few times. Again, we’re aware of that target as reigning champions,” first-year coach Danny Stone said. “We’re aware of it. We’ve discussed this as a team and we are ready for that challenge.”

    They will open at home against Birmingham Legion, a team that finished seventh in the Eastern Conference last season. To fans though, Phoenix will have a very different look from top to bottom.

    The Rising, after winning their first USL Championship, are entering the season without 16 of the players that got them to Charlotte. Even with that turnover, the most notable shift was in the coaching staff.

    The team will be led by a few new faces. After former coach Juan Guerra left for a job with the Houston Dynamo, the rising stayed with the familiar and hired Stone to lead the team.

    Stone was already an established part of the Rising staff, serving as an assistant coach for the past two seasons. He also has ties to the Valley after spending time in Tempe attending Corona del Sol High School after growing up in Liverpool, England.

    “It’s a moment that I’ve thought about for a while now,” Stone said on his head coaching debut. “We don’t feel like what we were able to achieve last year means that we have any different approach to this season.”

    Phoenix’s previous captain, Darnell King, will still be with the club, but not as a player. King announced in January that he will move into a coaching role for 2024.

    Phoenix Rising unveil new kits in Tempe

    In place of King, Rising fans were introduced to their new captain at the team’s recent kit reveal event in Tempe.

    A large crowd showed up to support the reigning champions and admire uniforms. Rising players modeled the gold trimmed kits along with new merchandise for the club before the news of the night broke: Defender John Stenberg was named the team’s next captain, an announcement that was well received by fans.

    ”For the time he was with us in the second half of last season, he immediately made an impact on the field. He immediately made a big impact off the field as well,” Stone said. “His influence on the team is large, his personality in the dressing room is a big one. … It was a choice that was a clear one for me and I’m very very happy to give him that leadership role.”

    The most glaring absence might be that of Daniel Trejo. The forward led the Phoenix offense last year with 19 goals but this season will be playing in Poland.

    Along with Trejo, Manuel Arteaga, the club’s second-highest goal scorer left as well. Arteaga’s departure to Tampa Bay leaves forward Dariusz Formella as the leading returner on offense.

    Fans were ecstatic to welcome back some of the playoff stars from last season. Defender Emil Cuello along with goalie and playoff MVP Rocco Rios Novo, who re-signed with the Rising this offseason, received a heroes welcome as they were introduced.

    “We’re very aware of who we represent,” said Stone on the reception from the community. “To see them out here is the first step really in thanking them for their support ahead of time. We will ask them for a lot more as the season goes and they’ll ask us for the same. So it’s a two-way street. But we look forward to representing them and the city of Phoenix as a whole.”

    Many of the fans are ready for the long haul with the Rising. Recent years have seen a growth in popularity for soccer among fans in Phoenix, including longtime supporter Kieran Thompson and his 4-year-old daughter.

    “I want her to grow up with this club and have something that’s meaningful and special,” he said. “The same way people who grew up in other parts of the world have their local club and have that passion.”

    That passion has driven Stone along with the organization to improve, especially in front of their home crowd. At Phoenix Rising Stadium, the team went 12-10-12, a mark Stone is determined to better.

    This year, success will require contributions from the entire roster. The Rising might just have the team to pull it off. It all starts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Phoenix Rising Stadium, 3801 E. Washington St.

    For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

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    Stephen Buxton | Cronkite News

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  • Listen Live: 2023 USL Championship Final

    Listen Live: 2023 USL Championship Final

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    Get ready for an exciting clash as the Charleston Battery go head-to-head against Phoenix Rising FC for the 2023 USL Championship Final at 7:00pm ET, Sunday, November 12.

    Subscribers can hear the live broadcast of the can’t-miss match on SiriusXM FC.

    Listen to SiriusXM FC (Ch. 157) via the SiriusXM app 

    Home: Charleston Battery

    • Charleston Battery excels in a fearsome counterpress, with forwards and midfielders swarming opponents upon losing possession, leading to turnovers or rushed clearances.
    • The team strategically employs a high defensive line anchored by key players like Leland Archer and Juan Sebastian Palma, challenging opponents to play over them and resulting in numerous offside situations for the opposition.
    • Employing a 4-2-3-1 formation, the Battery’s attacking midfielders, led by Arturo Rodriguez and Nick Markanich, press high against opponents, creating turnover opportunities and exploiting defensive lapses.
    • While not afraid to play long balls, Charleston maintains offensive fluidity, demonstrated by the ability to go long in build-up, especially targeting 6-foot-2 striker Augustine Williams, creating advantageous situations for the team.
    • The team’s midfield displays fluidity both defensively and offensively, with players like Emilio Ycaza and Chris Allan adapting their roles, challenging opponents to track runners and disrupting defensive positions.

    Away: Phoenix Rising FC

    • Rising FC is comfortable with possession, finishing the regular season with the fourth-highest possession share. This dominance extends into the postseason, showcasing the team’s ability to control the game.
    • Playing in a 3-4-3 formation, Rising FC attacks with a high tempo, allowing wide defenders like Alejandro Fuenmayor and Mohammed Traore to push upfield, while maintaining structure with midfield support.
    • The team relies on dynamic movement from its forwards, with players like Danny Trejo and Dariusz Formella constantly changing positions, creating openings for runs and goal-scoring opportunities.
    • Rising FC adapts defensively with a 5-4-1 shape when not in possession, demonstrating hard-edged aggression to win the ball back quickly. However, it requires defensive awareness to avoid gaps in the backline.
    • The team’s style is described as a boom-and-bust proposition, often paying off in the playoffs. This approach demands a balance between staying on the front foot and defensive discipline.
    • Coach Guerra has successfully modernized the roster, making bold lineup choices to re-establish Phoenix as a title threat, showcasing an ability to adapt and revitalize the team’s competitiveness.

    In addition to live play-by-play, SiriusXM FC offers listeners daily soccer talk programming hosted by an expert cast of former players, coaches, executives and journalists from the U.S. and abroad. SiriusXM FC (Ch. 157) is available to subscribers nationwide in their car and on the SiriusXM app.


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    Matthew Fanizza

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