Major League Soccer: Charlotte named as 30th franchise and will join MLS in 2021
Charlotte has been named as Major League Soccer’s 30th franchise and will join the league in 2021.
They will play their home games at Bank of America Stadium, home of NFL side Carolina Panthers, which will undergo extensive renovations.
The club – which has yet to announce its name – is owned by Panthers chief David Tepper.
“We are thrilled to welcome Charlotte as Major League Soccer’s 30th club,” said MLS commissioner Don Garber.
“During the last two decades, Charlotte has experienced enormous energy and growth, which matches soccer’s explosive rise in popularity in the United States.
“We are pleased to add David Tepper to our ownership group and look forward to working with him and his entire organization to launch Major League Soccer in the Carolinas in 2021.”
There are currently 24 teams from across the United States and Canada playing in the MLS, with Miami and Nashville set to join the league in 2020.
Austin will join alongside Charlotte the following year, before Sacramento and St Louis join in 2022.
Bank of America Stadium hosted an International Champions Cup fixture between Liverpool and AC Milan in 2014, which was attended by more than 69,000 fans, while it also hosted a Concacaf Gold Cup double-header in June featuring Mexico, Canada, Cuba and Martinique.
“We’re going to have one big party all season long,” said Tepper. “Every game a party.
“I’ve made clear for a long time that I have two goals as a team owner: sustained winning on the field and making a difference in the community.
“These will be our goals with Charlotte’s MLS team, and the work begins today.”
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