Akron City FC is joining the National Premier Soccer League as an expansion team for the 2022 season.

 

https://akroncityfc.com/

 

https://twitter.com/akroncityfc/

 

https://www.instagram.com/akroncityfc/

 

 

The NPSL, a semi-professional league which roughly represents the 4th division of US Soccer, currently has two teams in Ohio. Akron will be joining FC Columbus and Cleveland SC in the Midwest Region. It appears that the new team will be joining the Rust Belt Conference, home to Cleveland SC. 

 

 

The teams facility has not yet been identified. From the Akron City FC website:

 

"The pandemic has played havoc on all businesses and has been extremely unkind to sports stadium and arena operators.  Human and financials resources have been decimated, leaving athletic departments and facility operations teams to work with bare bone staffing.  We have had discussions with many great facilities in the Akron area and we are amazed at the efforts they are exerting to keep things going on a week to week basis.  Further, with the still uncertain health environment, many facilities are still cautious on renting to outside organizations.  This is an ongoing situation that many NPSL teams are facing. With that all said, we are in the process of finalizing a deal for a great facility for our inaugural season.  Follow us on social media for the announcement coming in late October/Early November."

 

 

Ideally Akron City FC lands at First Energy Stadium, the home of Akron Zips soccer. Many NPSL teams play on the campuses of local universities, including Cleveland SC at BW's George Finnie Stadium. 

 

Gonna be interesting to see what kind of crowds they get. I watch Cleveland SC and despite the fact they are legit one of the best teams in the country at that level, they only get around 200 a game. Eire seems about the same and as far as I can tell, the others draw even fewer. The only exception is Buffalo who seem to regularly pull in four-figure crowds, or close to it.