Akron City FC
| Full name | Akron City FC | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2021 | ||
| Stadium | InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field The University of Akron Akron, Ohio | ||
| Capacity | 3,000[1] | ||
| Head Coach | Andy Hoggarth | ||
| League | USL League Two | ||
| Website | https://akroncityfc.com/ | ||
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Akron City FC is an American soccer club based in Akron, Ohio, United States.
Founded in 2021, the men's team plays in USL League Two, a pre-professional league that is part of the United Soccer League system. The team originally played in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), a national semi-pro league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Great Lakes Conference of the Midwest Region.[2] The team plays its home games at Green Street Stadium on the campus of St. Vincent–St. Mary High School in Akron.[3] The team's colors are sky blue, red and white.
History
Club History
The club was launched on September 16, 2021, when seasoned sports business executive, Nick Turchan, fronted an ownership group to bring minor league soccer to Akron. While previous efforts by other ownership groups to establish a sustainable soccer club in the city had been unsuccessful, Turchan oversaw the formation of Akron City FC with a focus on long-term stability and community integration. The club was established with the goal of building a durable organization that would become a permanent part of Akron’s sports landscape.
Akron City FC joined the NPSL as an expansion franchise in 2021 and took part in its first competitive season in 2022. Kia Zolgharnain was named as the technical director and was responsible for player acquisition for the new team.[2] Akron City played their first NPSL game on May 14, 2022. In front of 1,051 fans, the team secured a 2–1 victory over Pittsburgh Hotspurs.[4]
The team would not win again until its final game on July 15, 2022 against the Erie Commodores. Kia stepped down as head coach after three games for medical reasons and assistant coach Jay Stepp assumed head coaching duties for the reaming of the season. Cedric Tschami was elevated to top assistant. Despite the team's final record, four of their losses were by one goal and they played to four draws. One of those draws was against eventual Rust Belt champion and Midwest Region finalist Cleveland SC, avenging their two worst losses of the season. In that game, Akron City FC scored early and held a 1-0 lead for over 70 minutes before conceding the equalizer in the 86th minute.
Despite the results on the field, the 2022 season was a great building block for the future. The team drew over 1,000 fans twice and averaged 625 fans for the season, well above league averages. The team secured 19 sponsorships, proving the business community was on board with the cities newest sports asset.
In December 2024, Akron announced it was joining USL League Two for the 2025 season. [5]
Akron City FC completed its inaugural USL League Two season with a record of 5 wins, 5 draws, and 2 losses, finishing third in its division. Despite competing against more established clubs, the team posted a strong overall performance and remained in contention throughout the season, widely viewed as a successful debut campaign at the USL League Two level. The club also set a single-match attendance record, drawing more than 1,700 fans for a home match against Cleveland Force SC, reflecting growing community support and increased interest following the move to USL League Two.
Club colors and crest
Sponsorship
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt Sponsor | Sleeve Sponsor | Other Kit Sponsors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | UN1TUS | Hoppin' Frog Brewery | Springside Athletic Club | Circle K, Cleveland Clinic Akron General |
| 2023 | Circle K | Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Sgt. Clean Car Wash, TL Worldwide Transportation | ||
| 2024 | ARRIVO (formerly Un1tus) | Uncle Tito's Mexican Grill | Hoppin' Frog Brewery, Sgt. Clean Car Wash, Days of Gifts, Lyndall Insurance, Ohio Euro Motorcars, Sports Alliance of Greater Akron | |
| 2025 | Hoppin' Frog Brewery, Akron Indoor Soccer, Lyndall Insurance, Days of Gifts, Ohio Euro Motors |
Players and staff
Current roster
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Year-by-year
| Season | League | Playoffs | Open Cup | Top Goalscorer(s) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Div | League | Conference | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD | Pts | PPG | Position | Name(s) | Goals | |||
| 2022 | 4 | NPSL | Rust Belt Conference | 12 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 23 | -13 | 10 | 0.83 | 5th | DNQ | DNE | Jaden Wright | 5 |
| 2023 | Great Lakes Conference | 12 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 15 | 20 | -5 | 10 | 0.83 | 6th | DNQ | DNE | Jaden Wright | 3 | ||
| 2024 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 10 | +33 | 24 | 2.40 | 2nd | DNE | Stefan Dobrijevic | 12 | ||||
| 2025 | USL2 | Great Forest Division | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 19 | 11 | +8 | 20 | 1.67 | 3rd | DNQ | DNE | Stefan Dobrijevic | 4 | |
| 2026 | 3rd Qualifying Round | ||||||||||||||||
Managerial history
| Coach | Years | League W-L-D | Playoffs | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kia Zolgharnain/Jay Stepp
Andy Hoggarth |
2022–2022
2023–Present |
2–6–4
17-13-6 |
0-0-0
1-1 |
Total
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Stadium
- Green Street Stadium, St. Vincent–St. Mary High School;Akron, Ohio (2022–present)
References
- ^ https://www.stvm.com/list-detail?pk=110429
- ^ a b "Akron City FC Joins the NPSL for the 2022 Season". akroncityfc.com. September 16, 2021. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
- ^ "Akron City FC @ Green Street Stadium at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School". npsl.com. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
- ^ "HISTORIC NIGHT FOR NPSL SOCCER IN AKRON, OHIO ENDS WITH A 2-1 WIN FOR AKRON CITY FC". npsl.com. May 15, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
- ^ "Akron City FC to join USL League Two in 2025". USL League Two. December 12, 2024. Retrieved December 16, 2024.