After a short break from the pitch, professional-level soccer is making its way back to Memphis.
The United Soccer League announced that Memphis Football Club (Memphis FC) will officially join USL League Two in 2026, bringing new energy to the city’s sports scene.
The franchise is locally rooted, co-owned by Carey Talley, a Memphis native and former professional soccer player, alongside his brother Clark. The Talley family has long been tied to the sport in Memphis—Carey and Clark’s parents, John and Kim Talley, were the driving force behind creating the Mike Rose Soccer Complex, a 2,500-seat stadium that once hosted the University of Memphis men’s and women’s soccer teams.
Fittingly, Memphis FC will play its home matches at Mike Rose Soccer Complex, competing as part of the Mid South Division in USL League Two’s Southern Conference.
“As we launch Memphis Football Club into USL League Two in 2026, we recognize the incredible moment this represents for both our city and our country,” said Carey Talley, Team President of Memphis FC. “Our club is committed to creating real opportunities for local and domestic talent—giving players from Memphis and the Mid-South a pathway to develop, compete, and be seen on a national stage. Memphis has a proud soccer legacy, and joining USL League Two allows us to honor that history while building a future for the next generation.”
This announcement comes just months after the departure of Memphis 901 FC, which moved to California following stalled stadium plans. Originally part of the USL Championship, 901 FC had aimed to build a new stadium at the former Mid-South Coliseum site, but the project never materialized and was left out of state and city funding deals.
With Memphis FC stepping onto the field in 2026, soccer fans across the Bluff City can once again rally behind a home team—and a new chapter in the city’s soccer story begins.
