On April 18, United Soccer League Eugene announced its intention to bring USL League One soccer to Eugene. In collaboration, the Eugene Civic Alliance and Kidsports announced the completion of the new Civic Park Stadium.
The creation of USL Eugene will be the city’s first professional soccer team. Civic Park, located on Willamette Street in the South Eugene community, serves Eugene’s youth and community recreation scene.
Construction of Civic Park finished in August 2022, in the first phase of a two-part project. Phase one was the completion of the multi-sport turf field that hosts a variety of sports. Phase two will include the construction of 3,500 seats to go along with the Federation International Football Association (FIFA) regulation size field. FIFA regulation size fields are between 110-113 yards long and between 70-82 yards wide.
USL League One currently consists of 12 clubs, with plans to expand to Eugene, as well as Naples, Florida, adding two clubs to the league. Lane United FC has been in USL League 2 since 2013.
USL comprises the second, third and fourth tiers of American professional soccer.
UO Men’s club soccer sophomore and outside back Evan Williams says he thinks the soccer scene will benefit from the club in Eugene.
“Lane United has been in Eugene for a few years and has brought in talent from all over the United States,” Williams said. “We will definitely see the competition in Eugene go up at all levels for sure.”
Being a club team, UO men’s soccer acknowledges that they do not get as much attention as varsity sports, but say that the challenge of playing at a school like UO motivates them.
“I feel like being here at such an athletic school, it helps to motivate us to go out and try to make a name for ourselves in our own right,” Williams said.
In an article on the USL website, USL Deputy CEO and Chief Real Estate Officer Justin Papadakis spoke on the league’s expansion to Eugene. “The Pacific Northwest has demonstrated the potential for professional soccer in the United States,” Papadakis said.
When phase two of Civic Stadium is finished, USL plans to bring a USL League One team to the city.
Club soccer freshman and defensive midfielder Ajani White says that a professional soccer team in Eugene will grow the game for younger players.
“The spectacle of a professional soccer team in [Eugene] will influence more kids to [get into] soccer,” White said. “Youth teams and academies will be able to invest more into the kids and their growth.”
More information about USL Eugene is on the group’s social media on Facebook and Instagram.
