Following the demise of Memphis City in 2018 and Memphis 901 last year, USL is coming back to Bluff City with the announcement today that Memphis FC would join USL League Two, the fourth tier of American soccer, and start playing in 2026.
The new team’s ownership group is led by former MLS defender Carey Talley and his family. “As we launch Memphis Football Club into USL League Two in 2026, we recognize the incredible moment this represents for both our city and our country,” said Talley. “Our club is committed to creating real opportunities for local and domestic talent; giving players from Memphis and the Mid-South a pathway to develop, compete, and be seen on a national stage. Memphis has a proud soccer legacy, and joining USL League Two allows us to honor that history while building a future where the next generation can achieve their goals through the pathway to pro system.”
Memphis 901’s franchise rights were relocated to Santa Barbara last November due to the need for USL Championship clubs to play in soccer-specific stadiums. That team issued a statement at the time, citing this lack of a soccer-specific stadium in the city as its reason for leaving. The news of a new club bringing the game back to Memphis will surely thrill local fans. And while USL League Two only plays in the summer, one has to imagine that a long-term goal of moving up to League One is likely part of the new outfit’s strategy.
“We are beyond excited to get League Two on the ground in Memphis,” said Joel Nash, USL SVP of Youth and Pre-Professional Properties. “With the enthusiasm driving this group, we are eager to see the passion they will tap into with the local fanbase and legacy of soccer they will continue to grow in the region.”
Memphis FC will be a member of the Mid South Division in USL League Two’s Southern Conference. This a geographically vast region that in 2025 included Denton Diablos (Denton, Tx), Hattiesburg FC (Hattiesburg, Ms), LA Krewe FC (Lafayette, La), Little Rock Rangers (Little Rock, Ar), Mississippi Brilla FC (Clinton, MS), McKinney Chupacabras FC (McKinney, Tx), and Red River FC (Bossier City, La).
Memphis will play home matches at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex, a soccer-specific venue in Shelby County. The complex is the former home of the Memphis Tigers men and women soccer teams and hosted an Open Cup game between Memphis 901 and Orlando City. It features a 2001-built stadium which can hold 2,500 spectators.
The Southeast Soccer Report will have more on this developing story over the coming days.
Yay! More Mid-South teams! Aww no, Mid-South now stretches from Memphis to Denton to Lafayette to Hattiesburg. Hopefully we see some more new teams in the Southern Conference and can have the Mid-South and South Central give up some of their teams to form a new division in the middle.