WILMINGTON, N.C. & TAMPA, Fla – The United Soccer League announced today that Port City FC will join USL League Two for the 2026 season.

Founded in 2022, Port City strives to create a professional-caliber and community-driven soccer experience for the players and supporters across the Cape Fear region of North Carolina. The club’s goal is to build a strong pathway from youth soccer to itself as a pre-professional club and beyond to professional soccer by providing a high-level, inclusive, and development-focused environment for all players." Port City’s men’s team has previously competed in the NPSL’s Southeast Conference. In May, Port City announced that its women’s team will join USL W League for the 2026 season.

“We are thrilled to be moving our men’s team into USL,” said Jud Watkins, Port City FC President. “Port City FC will now be competing at the highest level of pre-professional sports that Wilmington has ever seen, both on the men’s side and the women’s side.”

The club is grounded in the community, shown through its grassroots connections and ongoing partnerships with local youth programs such as PISA, WUFA and the YMCA. The club also collaborates with area non-profits, donating a portion of ticket sales from each home game to support local causes. As a community-funded and community-backed organization, Port City FC is deeply invested in Wilmington’s growth, actively participating in the Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Business Alliance to foster civic engagement and regional development.

Among some of the top talents that Port City has helped develop is Aidan Payne, a Wilmington native and forward on the North Carolina State University men’s soccer team who reached the National Championship game this year. Payne was the 2021 Gatorade Boys High School Soccer Player of the Year for North Carolina and has become a key offensive contributor for Port City FC. In 2025, Payne was given the Men’s Soccer NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award, given to the player with the highest cumulative GPA at the finals site for each NCAA championship.

“Port City is a club helping shape the next generation of soccer fans in this country,” said Joel Nash, USL SVP of Youth and Pre-Professional Properties. “We are eager to see the strong foundation they’ve built help them grow on and off the field and continue to make the greater Wilmington area a premier destination for pre-professional soccer.”

The club’s partners include Wrightsville Brewery, Floriana, Patriot Roofing, Rounds Golf and Ledo’s Pizza, Change the Game PT, Wilmington Health, Avance Care, and Laws and Libations.

Port City will play in the South Atlantic Division of League Two’s Eastern Conference. The club will play its home games at UNCW Soccer Stadium and Legion Stadium in Wilmington.

To learn more about Port City FC, visit the club’s website, Instagram, and Facebook.