United Soccer League Announces Expansion Plans for Jacksonville

TAMPA and PONTE VEDRA, Fla. – The United Soccer League (USL) today announced that JAXUSL, a Jacksonville-based group of investors and executives, has acquired the rights to a USL Championship expansion franchise with the intent of beginning play in 2025. The new club will be the first in Northeast Florida to feature both men’s and women’s professional soccer.

JAXUSL also has formed a partnership with Florida Elite Soccer Academy, one of the largest and most successful youth soccer organizations in the United States. Headquartered in St. Johns County, Florida Elite includes more than 10,000 members throughout Northeast Florida, and fields pre-professional teams in USL League Two and USL W League. The expansion club will be among the first in the United States to offer a complete pathway from youth to pro for men and women.

The USL Championship currently features 27 professional, community-driven clubs across the United States with plans to add expansion teams in Iowa, Rhode Island, Louisiana and more. The USL Super League will bring professional women’s soccer to new markets and create opportunities for women on and off the field.

JAXUSL’s lead investor is Ricky Caplin, one of Northeast Florida’s leading entrepreneurs and principal of the Caplin Ventures. Florida sports legend Tim Tebow is a supporting owner of the club, bringing experience as a professional athlete, investor and philanthropist. Joining Caplin and Tebow in JAXUSL are experienced professional soccer executive Steve Livingstone and local community innovator Tony Allegretti. As founders and managing partners, Livingstone and Allegretti will oversee the day-to-day operations of JAXUSL in establishing and growing the USL expansion club.

The USL Championship team intends to kick off in 2025, contingent on securing a home venue on the First Coast for the club. JAXUSL is actively engaged with local stakeholders and has identified multiple potential locations for the development of a 15,000-capacity stadium and a world-class training facility. Details about the stadium and training facility will be announced in the coming months.

Soccer fans across Northeast Florida will be invited to help develop the club’s brand through community consultation, town halls and a naming competition. Fans can register their interest in the club now by securing a season ticket deposit for $25 at the club’s official website, www.jaxusl.com.

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