We shed the spotlight on a handful of lower league clubs in the United States that have been making waves in recent years.
2024 was a fantastic year across American soccer, with a strong showing of fan support and quality of play across all levels. MLS and the NWSL are bringing in more top players every transfer window, which has helped break new records in jersey sales and social media engagement.
And on a smaller yet still notable scale, the lower divisions of American soccer and its supporters are thriving as well. The COVID-19 pandemic was a near fatal blow for many clubs, but the past few years have brought more life and energy to the United States football pyramid, through the efforts of passionate supporters and savvy front offices. Many teams provided an incredible fan experience and made headlines beyond their communities in 2024, and others look to replicate that in their own clubs in 2025. Below are eight clubs who we are going to keep a close eye on this year.
FC Naples
FC Naples have not even played an official match yet and still have to complete their roster, but the newest arrival to USL League One are poised to have a great debut season. Naples, Florida isn’t the immediate answer when American fans think of soccer hotbeds, but with a dedicated supporters group, La Barra 239, and thousands of season ticket sales in the books, the club has already built a solid buzz around itself.
Sleek branding and a nice kit are a cherry on top — look for FC Naples to make a splash this spring.
Lexington SC
Lexington SC have only been playing since the spring of 2023, but they have been able to impress from the get-go with strong branding and a bold club vision. The Kentucky-based club recently opened a soccer-specific stadium, with a capacity of 7,000. It will prove to be a strong asset as many of their opponents play in multi-use stadiums and are still waiting on local approvals to build soccer-specific stadiums of their own.
Although Lexington haven’t had desirable competition results so far, finishing ninth out of 12 teams in both of their USL League One seasons, the building of the stadium has allowed them to go a division up and join the USL Championship for the 2025 season.
As reported by Cameron Drummond of the Lexington Herald-Leader, 500 lucky supporters received a souvenir green hard hat to commemorate the first women’s match at its still partially constructed venue. The future is bright for Lexington, who are on a path to rival the success of their in-state rivals Louisville City FC and Racing Louisville.
Sioux Falls City FC
Like many of these clubs, Sioux Falls City FC have a short history, but have already carved out their own space in the lower leagues of women’s football. The club was named soccer club of the year in the Northern Conference of the Women’s Premier Soccer League, and they have continued to build upon a strong foundation primarily based on empowering women athletes.
Their home state of South Dakota is rarely mentioned in the realms of soccer and non-college sports in general, but they are looking to change that, starting with their upcoming entry into the USL W League this spring.
Rhode Island FC
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Life as a USL expansion franchise started out rocky for Rhode Island FC, with the arrival of COVID-19 delaying many of the club’s first initiatives, most notably a $400 million stadium development plan, as reported by the Herald News.
But when they finally arrived at their first match day in March 2024, all previous struggles were firmly in the past. Over 5,000 supporters came out to their first home match, and saw the team go on a eight-game undefeated run midway through the season. One of the best inaugural seasons in American soccer history culminated in a run to the league final, a result that no one saw coming. A talented team and a dedicated fanbase should bring another successful year for the Ocean State side.
Virginia Dream FC
When hearing about the feats that Virginia Dream FC have pulled off so far, it may be surprising to know that this club is all amateurs. They pulled up to the football fashion scene in 2023 with some splashy hand-dyed kits, with a pink and blue colorway that nails the club’s brand of “soccer in the clouds.”
They have also shown that they are more than just the looks, with the signing of former U.S. international goalkeeper and Virginia native Bill Hamid, participating in The Soccer Tournament, and qualifying for their first major tournament, the 2025 U.S. Open Cup.
Minnesota Aurora FC
This club has taken a different approach to many of the lower league teams in the U.S., but the gambles have paid off immensely. Minnesota Aurora is backed by an ownership group of over 3,000 supporters, who voted on everything from the club crest and name to the team’s mascot. Led by an all-women front office, the pre-professional club has impressively never lost a regular season game in its entire existence, going 33-0-3 all time. After attempting an NWSL expansion bid, the Aurora have opened the opportunity for more fans to invest as team owners, signaling that important things are to come in Minnesota.
Brooklyn FC Men
Unlike several of the teams on this roundup, Brooklyn FC plays their matches in one of the most densely populated communities in the world. Brooklyn, New York is a mecca of culture, with diasporas from around the world intersecting. It’s only natural that an area so diverse should have a football club to unite the borough and utilize its community as a strength.
BKFC are looking to do that in a way that their two MLS neighbors may not be able to. While the men’s side of things is kicking off in 2026 in the USL Championship, the women are already crushing it in the USL Super League. The women’s team, ineligible for this list as the USL Super League has Division I status, is at the top of the table heading into the second half of the season and have some really nice kit designs too.
Annapolis Blues FC
The Annapolis Blues have provided a strong, ahem, blueprint for the next generation of amateur clubs to follow. The Maryland-based club has an ownership group headlined by MLS legend Kyle Beckerman and have taken a professional approach to their marketing and community efforts.
Their first ever regular season home game set a league record with over 8,000 fans attending. In 2024 they surpassed that, reaching 11,000 fans at the match. These weren’t outliers either, as all eight of the NPSL’s most attended games are from the Blues.
