Since starting play in 2015, Louisville City FC has consistently raised the standard of American men’s professional soccer both on and off the field.
Louisville City is a member of the USL Championship, America’s second division league, and anticipates entering the planned USL first division launching in 2027 or 2028.
The Championship’s all-time winningest club, LouCity won the league title in both 2017 and 2018, making it the only team in league history to win back-to-back titles. Additionally, City won Eastern Conference crowns in 2019 and 2022 before claiming its first Players’ Shield, awarded for a regular season title, in 2024.
From 2015 to 2023, nine straight seasons, Louisville City advanced to at least the Eastern Conference Final in the USL Championship playoffs — an unprecedented run of success in American soccer.
Along with a championship pedigree on the field, Louisville City has also earned a reputation as a club with world-class facilities and consistent player development.
In 2020, LouCity moved into its home Lynn Family Stadium, a purpose-built, soccer-specific facility in Louisville’s Butchertown neighborhood just east of downtown. The stadium can accommodate 15,304 fans and also serves as home to sister club Racing Louisville FC of the National Women’s Soccer League.
Both LouCity and Racing maintain daily operations from the nearby Lynn Family Sports Vision & Training Center, located at Champions Park about two miles east of the stadium. The facility also houses the LouCity & Racing Academy and the LouCity & Racing Foundation, the organization’s charitable arm.
Since 2021, the club has made a name for itself in the transfer market, moving multiple players to clubs in Europe and Major League Soccer, re-writing the USL Championship record book with the league’s first $1 million transfer.
John Neace heads a local ownership group as chairman of Soccer Holdings, LLC — the parent company of Louisville City FC and Racing Louisville FC. Former LouCity coach James O’Connor serves as the organization’s president.
The club was founded in 2014 by local architect Wayne Estopinal, who died tragically in 2018. Lynn Family Stadium’s safe-standing supporter end, home to the most boisterous fans, was named “The Estopinal End” in his memory.
Key Louisville City FC dates
• Jan. 14, 2014: Orlando City SC owners officially meet to discuss transferring their USL franchise with Louisville supporters
• June 4, 2014: Louisville City FC announced as USL’s newest franchise with James O’Connor as coach
• March 8, 2015: LouCity defeats Saint Louis FC in inaugural game at Slugger Field
• Aug. 12, 2015: In the “Matt Trick” game, forward Matt Fondy bags four goals against the Harrisburg City Islanders
• Aug. 25, 2015: The boys in purple beat Major League Soccer’s Orlando City SC in friendly
• Sept. 2, 2015: Matt Fondy breaks the USL scoring record in an MVP season he ends with 22 goals
• Oct. 3, 2015: LouCity knocks off the Charleston Battery in their first playoff appearance
• July 17, 2016: A dominant, 4-1 win over the Wilmington Hammerheads caps a club-record 17-game unbeaten run
• Oct. 16, 2016: In a postseason dominated by MLS affiliates, LouCity is the only independent club to make the conference final round
• April 12, 2017: Butchertown Neighborhood revealed as club’s future stadium site
• Nov. 4, 2017: Penalty shootout with New York Red Bulls II leads to LouCity’s first Eastern Conference Final win
• Nov. 13, 2017: LouCity wins its first USL Cup Final over Swope Park Rangers with record 14,456 at Slugger Field
• June 28, 2018: Ground broken on what will go on to be known as Lynn Family Stadium
• June 29, 2018: The “triumvirate” — Paolo DelPiccolo, George Davis IV and Luke Spencer — takes over at James O’Connor’s departure
• Aug. 2, 2018: John Hackworth named LouCity’s second-ever coach, succeeding James O’Connor
• Oct. 12, 2018: Forward Cameron Lancaster sets the USL scoring record in a Golden Boot campaign he finished with 26 goals
• Nov. 2, 2018: LouCity claims its second straight Eastern Conference Final, again topping New York Red Bulls II
• Nov. 8, 2018: It’s back-to-back USL Cup Final victories with a 1-0 win over Phoenix Rising FC
• Nov. 9, 2019: LouCity wins its third consecutive Eastern Conference Final with extra-time victory at Indy Eleven
• July 12, 2020: Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Lynn Family Stadium opens with 4,850 in the stands of the 15,304-capacity facility
• Aug. 4, 2020: Ground breaks on the club’s future training facility and office site at Champions Park
• Oct. 24, 2020: A 13-game unbeaten streak carries LouCity to its sixth straight Eastern Conference Final appearance
• Nov. 17, 2020: A new era begins for the club when it unveiled a rebrand designed by the renowned Matthew Wolff
• June 12, 2021: Lynn Family Stadium opens to 100% capacity for the first time with 12,115 on hand for a win over Memphis 901 FC
• July 16, 2021: New facility officially named the Lynn Family Sports Vision & Training Center as LouCity moves into its day-to-day home
• Oct. 11, 2021: LouCity appoints Danny Cruz as its third-ever permanent head coach after a successful interim stint
• Oct. 30, 2021: The boys in purple defeat Birmingham Legion FC, 1-0, to claim the USL Championship’s Central Division title
• Nov. 13, 2021: A 1-0 victory over the Charlotte Independence ensures a seventh straight Eastern Conference Final appearance
• Dec. 18, 2021: Jonathan Gomez becomes the first active USL Championship player capped by the U.S. Men’s National Team
• Aug. 13, 2022: A club- and Lynn Family Stadium-record crowd of 14,673 sees the boys in purple defeat the Tampa Bay Rowdies, 1-0
• Nov. 5, 2022: Academy grad Elijah Wynder scores in the 107th minute, lifting City to a conference final win over the Tampa Bay Rowdies
• May 10, 2023: Josh Wynder called up by the U.S. for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, making him the first active City player rostered for a World Cup
• June 8, 2023: LouCity completes record sale of Josh Wynder to S.L. Benfica; he’s the first million-dollar USL Championship transfer
• June 21, 2023: Germany’s FC Kaiserslautern visits Lynn Family Stadium for LouCity’s first-ever international friendly
• Aug. 4, 2023: Oliver Semmle registers his 11th clean sheet of the season, setting a new USL Championship rookie record.
• Oct. 28, 2023: LouCity routs Detroit City FC, 4-0, to earn a ninth straight conference final trip — this time in spite of a No. 5 playoff seed.
• July 30, 2024: Eintracht Frankfurt visits Lynn Family Stadium for an international friendly, LouCity’s first against top-tier European opposition.
• Oct. 5, 2024: Jake Morris’ stoppage time goal at Indy Eleven secures a 2-2 draw and LouCity’s first USL Championship Players’ Shield.
• Oct. 26, 2024: City completes its regular season with a club-record 24 wins (matching the league record), 76 points earned and 86 goals scored.
