On Oct. 30, Sporting Club Jacksonville announced that it will field a men’s professional team to compete in the United Soccer League (USL) Championship. The men’s season will begin in March of 2026, and it will mark the return of men’s professional soccer to Jacksonville since the disbanding of the Jacksonville Armada in 2017.
Liam Fox will be the first head coach of the Sporting Jax men’s team. Fox has spent time coaching in the Scottish Premiership as head coach of Heart of Midlothian FC (Hearts) and Dundee United FC.
Sporting JAX’s men’s team will play 18 home matches in the regular season at the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium. The USL Championship Playoffs will follow in November.
“This is a landmark moment for our city, our fans and our community,” said Steve Livingstone, president and CEO of Sporting JAX.
Fans can now secure their spot at Hodges Stadium for the inaugural men’s season with a $25 season ticket deposit, which includes two free tickets to any home match for Sporting JAX’s trailblazing women’s professional team, currently competing in the Gainbridge Super League, a USL property. Full-season tickets, starting at just $12 per match, will go on sale after the USL Championship schedule is released in mid-November.
The USL Championship, sanctioned as the second division of professional soccer in the United States, has rapidly grown into one of North America’s most competitive and respected national leagues. The league includes clubs from across the country, such as Phoenix Rising FC, Louisville City FC, Tampa Bay Rowdies, Detroit City FC and Sacramento Republic FC. Sporting JAX will compete against many of these established franchises with matches broadcasted nationally and internationally on CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN2 and locally on Sporting JAX’s official broadcast partners. Games will also be streamed on CBS Golazo and ESPN+.
“We’re proud to bring high-level men’s professional soccer back to Jacksonville,” said Livingstone.
