USL Super League to launch professional women’s soccer team in Charlotte
A professional women’s soccer team is coming to Charlotte in 2024.
The USL Super League, in conjunction with Empower Sports and Entertainment, is set to launch Super League Carolina, marking the first women’s professional soccer team in the Piedmont region. The club will be based in Charlotte, with matches beginning next August.
“(This) marks a major milestone for the United Soccer League as we take another step in building an integrated women’s soccer network unlike any other,” USL CEO Alec Papadakis said. “Our aim is to make the USL Super League globally recognized and admired for its financial stability, operational excellence, community building and high-level competition. We are establishing and growing our national footprint while ensuring that all our teams are owners or primary tenants of a soccer stadium.”
Super League Carolina
With the inaugural match more than a year away, coach and player announcements are still being finalized, but USL Super League president Amanda Vandervort announced the creation of a Charlotte-based club this week.
“We are thrilled to have Carolina among the initial markets for the Super League,” Vandervort said. “Super League Carolina is unique as the club sits close to the North Carolina and South Carolina border, so women’s soccer fans from both states will now have more opportunities to celebrate the game they love at the highest level.”
There is no team name or crest just yet, but that is expected later this year. While many details are being sorted out, it is confirmed that the Charlotte team will play at American Legion Memorial Stadium, which seats 10,500 fans and is located in the Elizabeth neighborhood on the corner of Charlottetown Avenue and Seventh Street. The stadium was renovated in 2021 and features a layout specific to top-level soccer matches.
Fans who wish to kick off their support early can visit superleaguecarolina.com to make a $50 deposit to guarantee season tickets, VIP first-priority access to seat selection, as well as a Super League Carolina branded t-shirt and decal.
League details, schedule
The league will have between 10 and 12 teams during its inaugural season and has plans to expand to 20 teams by 2026. Other initial markets include Phoenix, Tampa and Fort Worth, Texas.
As far as television and streaming details go, discussions with potential broadcasting partners are in the works and will be announced at a later date.
The league will follow the “fall-to-summer” calendar, becoming the first U.S.-based soccer league to compete on a traditional calendar, with the opening season running from August 2024 until June 2025. This calendar choice ensures increased on-field competition, fan engagement and commercial opportunities, as well as maintains availability for players to compete for both their club and country, fueling the league’s participation in the global women’s transfer portal.
“The success of the U.S. Women’s National Team in the United States has propelled the popularity, and we’re going to add to that momentum,” said Jim McPhilliamy, managing partner of Empower Sports and Entertainment. “Along the way, we’re proud to partner with the USL to expand playing, coaching and front-office opportunities for so many deserving women.”
The intent is to launch as a first-division league, which holds the league to the highest standards in American soccer, including following U.S. Soccer’s sanctioning process.
Expanding opportunities and bringing women’s soccer closer to home are the USL’s main goals. Vandervort’s vision includes building a pathway that connects both local and international talent with an opportunity for more. More matches, players, opportunities and fans.
“The USL Super League aspires to be a global leader in women’s football, and we look forward to working together with all stakeholders to help shape the future of the game for women and girls in our country, across the region, and around the world,” Vandervort said.
“We will actively advocate for new, compelling club competitions that drive visibility and value, and we offer our unwavering support for U.S. Soccer’s bid to co-host the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.”
American Legion Memorial Stadium hosted Charlotte’s first pro soccer team, the Carolina Lightnin’, in 1981. The new women’s team will share the venue with the Charlotte Independence.
