Sarasota Paradise to Join USL League One

The current USL League Two club should field a USL League One side in 2026

USL and Sarasota Paradise announced today that the current USL League Two club will convert to USL League One ahead of the 2026 season.

The club’s ambitions have not exactly been a secret, with CEO Marcus Walfridson having been open in the media about the plans. The plans first came onto our radar back in July, and have been reported on Beyond the 90’s USL League One Expansion Updates since then.

In the latest update, we reported that the team brought on additional investors, announced a multi-year partnership with professional kit brand Hummel and had signed on to play at the main stadium at the Premier Sports Campus, with a 3,000 capacity through 2026.

It appears that the main stadium will be upgraded to professional quality after the 2025 USL League Two season ends, an announcement we anticipate is coming on Saturday at a team event there. We asked for confirmation from a team representative, but did not hear back.

Premier Sports Campus

After launching the USL League Two side in 2023, the club has been busy over the last year, ramping up business operations and establishing a branding presence. The club currently competes in the league’s South Florida conference.

Walfridson, a native of Sweden, will serve as managing partner through Audigr Group Inc. (AGI), a global sports and entertainment enterprise that he founded. Kenneth Bethune, a Texas-based entrepreneur and attorney and co-founder of AGI will serve as principal team owner. And as previously reported, the Papanicholas family will be a minority partner, providing design and development resources via their construction company, Nicholas & Associates.

In a statement provided via the League’s press release, Walfridson said:

"Kenneth and I have had a shared vision from the very start of this project and that was to evolve Sarasota Paradise. A sustainable club needs genuine support, and genuine support comes from a shared story — one with ups, downs, surprises and growth. Starting in USL League Two let us build from scratch, creating a true journey with our community as we work toward a professional team. Over the past few years, we have built Sarasota Paradise one season at a time, with our fans, for our community. This endeavor is about more than just soccer; it's about creating something enduring. With the backing of local government officials, advisors, players, fans and so many more, I am thrilled to be bringing professional soccer to our community."

We’ll keep an eye on any news coming out of the club event on Saturday and report accordingly.

Sarasota Paradise will join Charlotte Independence, Chattanooga Red Wolves, FC Naples, Greenville Triumph, One Knoxville and South Georgia Tormenta in our stable of covered Southeast region USL League One clubs.