News

The USL Championship on Thursday announced game times for the 2022 season along with a national TV schedule that will see Louisville City FC feature three times across ESPN’s family of networks.

A majority of LouCity’s home games will be played at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday nights at Lynn Family Stadium, as is tradition. But the club has also adjusted certain start times to accommodate fans.

When the boys in purple host FC Tulsa on May 28, they’ll kick off at 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon of the nearby Forecastle Festival, aiming to limit traffic congestion and make both events accessible to supporters.

As temperatures heat up in the summer, home game times will flex to 8 p.m. starting with a June 18 visit from defending USL Championship title winner Orange County FC through an Aug. 6 matchup with the Charleston Battery.

One mid-summer exception is a Wednesday, July 20, visit from Phoenix Rising FC. The opening whistle will blow at 7 p.m. with ESPN2 to broadcast. LouCity will also feature on ESPN2 when it travels to play Hartford Athletic FC at 1 p.m. June 25.

A final nationally televised game — on Friday, Sept. 23, against Memphis 901 FC — will air on ESPN Deportes. That game has shifted from its original Sept. 24 date.

Visit www.loucity.com/2022-schedule for a full listing of games and to sync the season to your calendar. Fans who previously activated the calendar sync will soon automatically see an update reflecting game times.

Season tickets and assorted packages remain on sale by visiting www.loucity.com/tickets. Single-game tickets will become available to the public starting at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

A full local 2022 broadcast schedule is pending.

2022 Louisville City FC regular season schedule

(Home games listed in bold. All times Eastern.)

March 12: LouCity vs. Atlanta United 2 (7:30 p.m.)

March 19: LouCity vs. Miami FC (7:30 p.m.)

March 23: New York Red Bulls II vs. LouCity (7 p.m.)

March 26: LouCity vs. Indy Eleven (7:30 p.m.)

April 2: Birmingham Legion FC vs. LouCity (7:30 p.m.)

April 10: Loudoun United FC vs. LouCity (4 p.m.)

April 16: San Diego Loyal SC vs. LouCity (10 p.m.)

April 23: Charleston Battery vs. LouCity (7 p.m.)

April 30: LouCity vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (7:30 p.m.)

May 4: Atlanta United 2 vs. LouCity (7:30 p.m.)

May 13: LA Galaxy II vs. LouCity (10:30 p.m.)

May 21: LouCity vs. Monterey Bay FC (7:30 p.m.)

May 28: LouCity vs. FC Tulsa (2 p.m.)

June 4: Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. LouCity (7:30 p.m.)

June 11: Indy Eleven vs. LouCity (7 p.m.)

June 18: LouCity vs. Orange County FC (8 p.m.)

June 25: Hartford Athletic FC vs. LouCity (1 p.m., ESPN2)

July 2: LouCity vs. Birmingham Legion FC (8 p.m.)

July 9: LouCity vs. New York Red Bulls II (8 p.m.)

July 16: Memphis 901 FC vs. LouCity (8:30 p.m.)

July 20: LouCity vs. Phoenix Rising FC (7 p.m., ESPN2)

July 30: El Paso Locomotive FC vs. LouCity (9:30 p.m.)

Aug. 6: LouCity vs. Charleston Battery (8 p.m.)

Aug. 13: LouCity vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies (7:30 p.m.)

Aug. 20: Detroit City FC vs. LouCity (7:30 p.m.)

Aug. 27: Miami FC vs. LouCity (7 p.m.)

Sept. 3: LouCity vs. Sacramento Republic FC (7:30 p.m.)

Sept. 7: FC Tulsa vs. LouCity (8:30 p.m.)

Sept. 10: Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC vs. LouCity (7 p.m.)

Sept. 17: LouCity vs. Loudoun United FC (7:30 p.m.)

Sept. 23: LouCity vs. Memphis 901 FC (8 p.m., ESPN Deportes)

Oct. 1: Rio Grande Valley FC vs. LouCity (8:30 p.m.)

Oct. 5: LouCity vs. Detroit City FC (7:30 p.m.)

Oct. 15: LouCity vs. Hartford Athletic (7:30 p.m.)

Tacoma Defiance’s 2021 leader in assists and chance creation will wear purple this season with Louisville City FC signing forward Ray Serrano, the club announced Wednesday.

Serrano, whose deal is pending league and federation approval, arrives to Louisville off the best season of his young professional career. The 19-year-old winger numbered 4 goals and 6 assists for the Defiance, which is managed by Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders and competed last year in the USL Championship.

“Ray is a bright young player that we have been tracking for the last year,” said LouCity head coach Danny Cruz. “He is a dynamic player that brings us another piece of quality in the final third for 2022.

“You can tell from both film and our discussions that tell he is a hungry young player going to leave everything he has on the field. We feel that in this environment there is no doubt that he will be put in a position to continue his development and ultimately grow both as a player and person.” 

From Moses Lake, Wash., Serrano became the Sounders’ youngest academy player to ever ink a professional deal when signing as a 15-year-old back in February of 2018. He made his pro debut the next month for Sounders 2 — now known as Tacoma Defiance — and went on to accumulate 53 appearances across four seasons.

Serrano accumulated a number of career highs in 2021, among them his team-best 38 chances created across 1,834 minutes in a variety of attacking roles.

“Having seen all the championships in Louisville and games they continue to win, it brought a lot of attention to me,” he said. “I want to be around a winning environment and a competitive one as well. That’s how you develop as a player.”

A youth international, Serrano received a number of invitations to U.S. Soccer Boys National Team Futures camps and call ups and U-17s, receiving 13 caps at that level. Also representing the Sounders in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, he helped the club win a Generation adidas Cup Champions Division title — a first for a Major League Soccer outfit — in 2019.

Those experiences, and regular training opportunities with perennial MLS Cup contenders the Sounders in Seattle, has Serrano looking forward to acclimating to his new environment.

“The USL Championship has always been a strong league,” he said. “Staying in the USL with a big club like Louisville is the right option for me. In Seattle, I was around the first team a lot, so being here with experienced players won’t be a huge change. We always tried to compete like we were older, mature players.”

Serrano’s signing marks LouCity’s fifth roster addition this offseason. He joins goalkeeper Kyle Morton (from MLS’s Houston Dynamo); defenders Owen Damm (LouCity Academy) and Amadou Dia (Sporting Kansas City); as well as forward Enoch Mushagalusa (Sporting KC II). That group will supplement 16 returners from last year’s squad that won the USL Championship’s Central Division title and went on to the playoffs’ Eastern Conference Final.

The boys in purple reported for team activities this week, with training leading up to a March 12 season opener against Atlanta United 2 at Lynn Family Stadium.

Current 2022 Louisville City FC Roster

Forwards: Jorge Gonzalez, Cameron Lancaster, Enoch “Matiti” Mushagalusa, Brian Ownby, Ray Serrano

Midfielders: Corben Bone, Tyler Gibson, Jay Tee Kamara, Napo Matsoso, Niall McCabe, Carlos Moguel Jr., Paolo DelPiccolo, Elijah Wynder

Defenders: Wes Charpie, Owen Damm, Amadou Dia, Oscar Jimenez, Sean Totsch, Josh Wynder

Goalkeepers: Kyle Morton, Parker Siegfried

Louisville City FC and defender Josh Wynder have agreed to terms of a new multi-year contract keeping the budding pro in purple for the foreseeable future.

The deal, which is pending league and federation approval, will extend Wynder’s stay less than a year after he completed the club’s path to pro, graduating from an academy contract to full first teamer last June.

The 16-year-old made his USL Championship debut July 14 in a win over OKC Energy FC and went on to number 11 appearances during his rookie campaign.

“We are excited to be able to sign Josh to a long-term contract here at Louisville City,” said head coach Danny Cruz. “His growth last year both as a player and person was a joy to watch every day. To be able to re-sign one of our own academy players to a new deal is a testament to the vision here for our young athletes.

“What Mario Sanchez and the academy staff did with Josh to help him get to this point is vital to the process that we have here. We are looking forward to watching Josh continue to grow and believe that with his mentality he has a very bright future ahead of him.” 

A center back, Wynder originally signed a USL Academy contract with LouCity in February of 2021, giving him the option to train and play with the pros while retaining his amateur status. Within weeks, Wynder was appearing in preseason friendlies against Major League Soccer clubs and pushing for selection in USL Championship games.

The Oldham County native eventually made six starts and passed at an 83.1% clip for the year.

“I’m so excited to continue my career with Louisville City,” Wynder said of his new contract. “I enjoyed learning and growing as a player and person last season, and I can’t wait to get back on the field to compete for my hometown club.”

Wynder followed in the footsteps of his older brother, midfielder Elijah Wynder, in becoming LouCity’s second academy player to turn pro for the club. Since then, young midfielder Carlos Moguel Jr. and defender Owen Damm have also moved from USL Academy contracts to pros.

The boys in purple will open preseason training Wednesday in preparation for their 2022 campaign. The first of 34 games kicks off March 12 at Lynn Family Stadium as Atlanta United 2 visits.

Current 2022 Louisville City FC Roster

Forwards: Jorge Gonzalez, Cameron Lancaster, Enoch “Matiti” Mushagalusa, Brian Ownby

Midfielders: Corben Bone, Tyler Gibson, Jay Tee Kamara, Napo Matsoso, Niall McCabe, Carlos Moguel Jr., Paolo DelPiccolo, Elijah Wynder

Defenders: Wes Charpie, Owen Damm, Amadou Dia, Oscar Jimenez, Sean Totsch, Josh Wynder

Goalkeepers: Kyle Morton, Parker Siegfried

Louisville City FC forward George Davis IV has closed out one of the USL Championship’s most highly decorated careers, announcing his retirement from playing.

The 34-year-old ranks first all time on league lists in regular season (242) and overall (261) appearances. He is also third in USL Championship minutes played (17,005) and is in the top 10 for goals scored (57).

Davis IV, who spent his final six seasons with LouCity, helped the boys in purple raise five trophies — three Eastern Conference crowns from 2017-2019 and back-to-back USL Championship titles in 2017 and 2018.

“I will always be a part of this organization, whether it’s as a fan or a staff member,” Davis IV said. “I look forward to what the future holds for Louisville City and Soccer Holdings. I can’t thank the club enough and all the people involved throughout the years.

“The USL has given me and a lot of other players the opportunity to play the game professionally, and I look forward to the growth and the opportunities that they will continue to give players like myself.”

A Lima, Ohio, native, Davis IV played collegiately at Bowling Green State and the University of Kentucky before embarking on an 11-year professional career. His stops leading up to LouCity included the Dayton Dutch Lions, Los Angeles Blues, Orlando City SC and the Richmond Kickers.

“George is someone I have enormous respect for after getting to know him over the years,” said LouCity’s interim president and former head coach, James O’Connor. “He’s been a phenomenal servant for our whole organization, representing the club with class on and off the pitch. We wish him every success in retirement.”

A high-impact player on and off the field, Davis was LouCity’s third-leading scorer in 2017, netting seven goals in 30 appearances. He added eight more goals in 2018, plus was appointed to the triumvirate of midseason player-coaches en route to the club adding a second star above its crest.

Davis IV also served a dual role in his final season, working as LouCity’s team administrator throughout 2021 while appearing in nine games.

“I’m extremely thankful for everything that George has given to Louisville City,” said head coach Danny Cruz. “It cannot go understated the positive impact that George has had in the locker room, on the field and, also importantly, in the community. He served as mentor to a lot of the young players that you see coming through our club and has done an excellent job of helping them understand what it means to play here.

“While I know that his time on the field has come to an end, there is no doubt in my mind that he will continue to succeed moving forward.”

Davis IV is forming his post-playing plans, which could include opportunities with the club.

In anticipation of a tough early stretch to its USL Championship schedule, Louisville City FC will spend the 2022 preseason away from home.

The boys in purple have scheduled six friendlies up and down the American soccer ladder, with half of them to be played during a mid-February trip to the warmer climes of Arizona.

LouCity lost just once last year in 14 games at Lynn Family Stadium following a lift on capacity limits. It was a different story on the road, however, with the club’s away record 6-6-5.

Following a March 26 game against Indy Eleven to end the regular season’s first month, the boys in purple won’t be back home again in USL Championship play until April 30, playing four straight road contests.

“When we look at our record on the road last year and the schedule early in the season, I feel it’s important for us to put the players in the most challenging environment possible,” said LouCity coach Danny Cruz. “We feel that playing away games against quality opponents will prepare us for the rigors of the season. This will be a great opportunity for us to integrate the new players into our group, and we are looking forward to getting back on the field to compete.”

LouCity’s players have already started trickling back into the Lynn Family Sports Vision & Training Center. Preseason activities officially kick off on Jan. 26 ahead of Game 1, a trip to face Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew in a Feb. 5 closed-door scrimmage.

From there, the boys in purple will head west, playing Grand Canyon University in a closed-door friendly before facing the USL Championship’s El Paso Locomotive on Feb. 16 as part of the Desert Showcase in Tucson, Ariz. After that, LouCity will move on to meet another Western Conference power from the USL Championship, Phoenix Rising FC, on Feb. 19 at its soccer complex.

Notably, LouCity will also see both El Paso and Phoenix during the regular season for the first time this year. The boys in purple have never squared off against Locomotive FC; they last saw Rising FC in the 2018 USL Championship Final.

Preseason concludes with games Feb. 26 at Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s Highmark Stadium before a trip to play the new St. Louis City SC on March 5. St. Louis City is in the process of building an MLS franchise launching in 2023; its squad will play this year in MLS Next Pro, a new Division III development league.

LouCity will open its 34-game USL Championship regular season March 12 when hosting Atlanta United 2. Season, group and premium tickets, as well as flex packs allowing for a choice of six LouCity or Racing Louisville FC games, are available at www.loucity.com/tickets. Single-game tickets will go on sale at a later date.

The preseason schedule is as follows:

Feb. 5 at Columbus Crew*

Feb. 12 vs. Grand Canyon University*

Feb. 16 vs. El Paso Locomotive FC

Feb. 19 at Phoenix Rising FC

Feb. 26 at Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

March 5 at St. Louis City SC

* games closed to the public

Off a breakout season in which he led Sporting KC II in scoring, forward Enoch “Matiti” Mushagalusa has signed with Louisville City FC, the club announced Tuesday.

Mushagalusa, whose deal is pending league and federation approval, netted 8 goals, added 4 assists and ranked among his former club’s top chance creators in what was his second professional campaign. The 22-year-old was also the only player to appear in — and start — all 32 of Sporting KC II’s games in 2021 after making eight appearances as a rookie in 2020.

“We’ve seen firsthand Matiti’s abilities the last couple of years,” said LouCity head coach Danny Cruz. “We are getting a player that is extremely dangerous in the final third, relentless in his ability to attack the opponent and has proven that he can be a threat in this league.

“After talking with Matiti, it was clear to us that we are bringing in another player that we know will fit the culture and has the drive to want to succeed. We are looking forward to getting him here and integrated with the group.”

Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mushagalusa was raised in Denver, where he came up through the Colorado Rapids’ academy program. Mushagalusa poured in 53 goals across 85 U.S. Soccer Development Academy appearances from his U-15 through U-19 seasons before receiving a trial with the Rapids’ Major League Soccer side.

With an option to play at NCAA Division I South Carolina, Mushagalusa instead went on to sign with Sporting KC II ahead of the 2020 USL Championship season and begin his pro career.

“Whenever I watch Brian Ownby play with the freedom he has and the talent, I think that fits my style,” Mushagalusa said of joining LouCity. “The club has top players, a top coach, and I’m looking forward to playing in front of the fans.

“I want to come in and make an impact. To think that I could be on the left flank, Ownby on the right and Cameron Lancaster in the middle, that’s one crazy attack.”

Mushagalusa’s original signing with SKC II coincided with a 2020 schedule that saw the club visit Lynn Family Stadium four times. Sporting returned to Louisville twice more in 2021.

“Whenever we played there, it felt like an MLS game,” Mushagalusa said. “The facility and atmosphere were amazing. I’m fortunate to now say I have a home game in Louisville.”

Mushagalusa joins former SKC II teammate Amadou Dia as a fellow new LouCity signing. Others recently secured in purple include goalkeeper Kyle Morton (from Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo) and Owen Damm (from Louisville City FC’s academy program).

Those are in addition to 16 LouCity returners from a roster that last season advanced to the club’s seventh straight USL Championship Eastern Conference Final. The trek toward more silverware begins March 12 when the 2022 season kicks off against Atlanta United 2 at Lynn Family Stadium in the first of 34 league games this year.

Current 2022 Louisville City FC Roster

Forwards: Jorge Gonzalez, Cameron Lancaster, Enoch “Matiti” Mushagalusa, Brian Ownby

Midfielders: Corben Bone, Tyler Gibson, Jay Tee Kamara, Napo Matsoso, Niall McCabe, Carlos Moguel Jr., Paolo DelPiccolo, Elijah Wynder

Defenders: Wes Charpie, Owen Damm, Amadou Dia, Oscar Jimenez, Sean Totsch, Josh Wynder

Goalkeepers: Kyle Morton, Parker Siegfried

Louisville City FC has bolstered its back line with the signing of defender Amadou Dia following two seasons with Sporting Kansas City, the club announced Friday.

Dia’s deal, which is pending league and federation approval, brings to town a 28-year-old outside back who has spent much of his career on Major League Soccer rosters but is also familiar with Louisville, going up against the boys in purple in the 2018 USL Championship Final when with Phoenix Rising FC.

“Being able to bring in an experienced quality player in Amadou was important as we look to build the roster,” said head coach Danny Cruz. “Day in and day out, he understands what it takes to win. His ability to defend one on one as well as provide quality in the final third were two things that stood out to us when scouting him. We are excited to have him here in Louisville and know he will play an important role in building toward another trophy.”

A native of Nantes, France, Dia originally moved to the United States for his collegiate career at Clemson University, where he won an Atlantic Coast Conference title and qualified for two NCAA tournaments. Sporting KC selected Dia 20th overall in the 2015 SuperDraft, and he also went on to play for MLS’ Montreal Impact before three years in Phoenix.

Dia was part of three Rising FC playoff teams, including the 2018 squad that won a Western Conference title. The left-footer went all 90 minutes against LouCity in that year’s final — a 1-0 game decided on Luke Spencer’s 62nd-minute game winner at the University of Louisville’s Lynn Stadium.

“The emphasis is on winning a championship,” Dia said of joining LouCity. “I remember coming over with Phoenix and losing in the final. That’s in the past. What I’ve heard and seen watching, Louisville is a really professional organization, and I’m excited to try to win some trophies.”

Dia went on to be named Phoenix’s Defender of the Year in both 2018 and 2019. The latter season, Rising FC set an all-time American professional soccer record with 20 straight league wins from May 10 to Sept. 14. Dia started in 18 of those victories.

More recently, Dia tallied 13 appearances in 2021 across Sporting KC and SKC II, the club’s former USL Championship affiliate. He passed at an 81.4% clip in SKC II games, making nine starts.

“I didn’t get to play much last season, so I’m trying to get back into a regular role in the middle of things,” Dia said. “As soon as I get the ball, it’s all about going forward, attacking and seeing what I can produce. Defensively, it’s about locking it down on my side, making sure I don’t get beat one-on-one and stay connected with the rest of the back line.

“I look to be absolutely ruthless defensively and produce for our offense.”

Dia’s signing brings LouCity’s 2022 roster to 19 players — 16 of those returners from a squad that advanced to the Eastern Conference Final. Other newcomers include goalkeeper Kyle Morton (from Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo) and defender Owen Damm (from Louisville’s academy program). 

The boys in purple will soon open preseason ahead of a 34-game USL Championship campaign that kicks off March 12 at Lynn Family Stadium.

Current 2022 Louisville City FC Roster

Forwards: Jorge Gonzalez, Cameron Lancaster, Brian Ownby

Midfielders: Corben Bone, Tyler Gibson, Jay Tee Kamara, Napo Matsoso, Niall McCabe, Carlos Moguel Jr., Paolo DelPiccolo, Elijah Wynder

Defenders: Wes Charpie, Owen Damm, Amadou Dia, Oscar Jimenez, Sean Totsch, Josh Wynder

Goalkeepers: Kyle Morton, Parker Siegfried

Schedule releases feel like the holidays, opening gifts and starting to build high hopes for the year ahead. It’s an annual tradition at Louisville City FC.

As spring and a new season approach, the USL Championship on Wednesday released its 2022 slate, complete with 34 matches, including 17 at Lynn Family Stadium. The home and season opener is set for March 12 against Atlanta United 2.

Lou City will play each Eastern Conference team twice, home and away, in addition to eight matches against Western Conference teams. The top seven teams in each conference reach the USL Championship Playoffs, with the final set for mid-November.

Here are six of the most intriguing home matches this year:

March 19: Miami FC

Storylines abound in the early meeting between the boys in purple and Miami FC. The visitors will have revenge on their minds after LouCity beat them in a tight affair in the opening round of the 2021 USL Championship Playoffs thanks to a 74th-minute winner from Jorge Gonzalez, who recently converted from loanee to permanent City signing.

Miami FC features former City mainstays Speedy Williams and Paco Craig, plus Louisville native and former City forward Richard Ballard. The south Florida club also made a handful of splashy offseason signings, including Memphis 901 stars Mark Segbers and Kyle Murphy, who scored 21 goals last season. Former Saint Louis FC manager Anthony Pulis, the son of long-time manager in England, Tony Pulis, took the reins this offseason.

March 26: Indy Eleven

The Louisville Indianapolis Proximity Association Football Contest opens this year at Lynn Family Stadium with a little footballing March Madness. Indy Eleven hasn’t reached the postseason over the past two years but did nip Lou City twice last year, including a surprise late-season win in Indianapolis. City will be on a mission to beat Indy Eleven for the ninth time in 16 USL Championship matches.

June 18: Orange County FC

The reigning USL Championship title winners visit Louisville and Lynn Family Stadium for the first time. Orange County pummeled LouCity nemesis Tampa Bay Rowdies in the USL Championship Final, hanging three first-half goals on its hosts. OCSC returned USL Championship Game MVP Ronaldo Damus, who netted 14 goals in the regular season.

July 20: Phoenix Rising

A rematch of the 2018 USL Championship Final, this fixture ticks all the boxes for must-see soccer. Louisville City and Phoenix Rising are the two most successful clubs in the league over the past five seasons, with a combined regular-season record of 174-59-63 and eight appearances in at least the conference finals. Phoenix returns former LouCity captain Aodhan Quinn as well as top scorer Santi Moar.

Aug. 13: Tampa Bay Rowdies

It’s a visit from the club that has ended LouCity’s season in the Eastern Conference Final both of the past two years. These foes haven’t actually met in the regular season since 2019, but the young rivalry hasn’t needed much to grow to a full boil. The Rowdies topped LouCity, 2-1, in the 2020 Eastern Conference Fiinal at Lynn Family Stadium, then beat the boys in purple by a 3-2 score in dramatic fashion in the rematch this past November. There is no shortage of fuel for this match.

Oct. 5: Detroit City FC

The return trip to Lynn Family Stadium — after the teams meet for the first time in the Motor City in August — should make for a fun late-season match between potential rivals. The two-time National Independent Soccer Association champions will have ambitions of a splash in their first USL Championship season. City also hosts league newcomer Monterey Bay in May.

Louisville City FC on Wednesday unveiled a fan-friendly 2022 USL Championship schedule featuring all but two of the club’s 17 home games on Saturdays at Lynn Family Stadium.

The lone exceptions are can’t-miss matchups in their own right with Western Conference powerhouse Phoenix Rising FC visiting on July 20 and league newcomer Detroit City traveling to Louisville on Oct. 5 — both Wednesdays.

LouCity will play 34 games in all stretching from mid-March through mid-October. Gone are 2021’s division alignments in favor of the traditional Eastern/Western Conference structure. The top-seven finishers from both conferences will qualify for the USL Championship Playoffs.

Kickoff times and broadcast assignments will be set in the coming weeks. Stay updated by bookmarking www.loucity.com/2022-schedule, where fans can also sync games to their digital calendars.

“We are excited to be able to plan around having these dates,” said coach Danny Cruz. “Going away from the groups and divisions for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began will be a good opportunity for our fans to see different opponents.

“We cannot wait to get back to Lynn Family Stadium in front of our fans and continue to make it the most difficult place to play in the league. The schedule is set, and now we turn the page toward building and preparing to make another run at a USL Championship title.”

The boys in purple kick off their third campaign inside Lynn Family Stadium on March 12, hosting Atlanta United 2. It’s the first of three straight home Saturday games during the season’s opening month.

Other home highlights include a visit from USL Championship expansion member Monterey Bay FC on May 21; defending league title winner Orange County FC on June 18; a clash with the defending Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Rowdies on Aug. 13; and Sacramento Republic FC’s first trip to Louisville on Sept. 3.

Even though LouCity and Indy Eleven are no longer division rivals, the Louisville Indianapolis Proximity Association Football Contest will forge on in the form of a home-and-home series in 2021. The Eleven are in town first on March 26 before the LIPAFC moves to Indy for a Jun 11 conclusion.

The USL Championship Playoffs will remain a single-elimination format, culminating with a final on a date to be determined between Nov. 10 and Nov. 14. LouCity has been a perennial trophy contender in the league, winning back-to-back titles from 2017-2018 and advancing to the Eastern Conference Final in each of its seven seasons since the club launched.

Season, group and premium tickets, as well as flex packs allowing for a choice of six LouCity or Racing Louisville FC games, are available at www.loucity.com/tickets. Single-game tickets will go on sale at a later date.

2022 Louisville City FC regular season schedule

(Home games listed in bold.)

March 12: LouCity vs. Atlanta United 2

March 19: LouCity vs. Miami FC

March 23: New York Red Bulls II vs. LouCity

March 26: LouCity vs. Indy Eleven

April 2: Birmingham Legion FC vs. LouCity

April 10: Loudoun United FC vs. LouCity

April 16: San Diego Loyal SC vs. LouCity

April 23: Charleston Battery vs. LouCity

April 30: LouCity vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

May 4: Atlanta United 2 vs. LouCity

May 13: LA Galaxy II vs. LouCity

May 21: LouCity vs. Monterey Bay FC

May 28: LouCity vs. FC Tulsa

June 4: Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. LouCity

June 11: Indy Eleven vs. LouCity

June 18: LouCity vs. Orange County FC

June 25: Hartford Athletic FC vs. LouCity

July 2: LouCity vs. Birmingham Legion FC

July 9: LouCity vs. New York Red Bulls II

July 16: Memphis 901 FC vs. LouCity

July 20: LouCity vs. Phoenix Rising FC

July 30: El Paso Locomotive FC vs. LouCity

Aug. 6: LouCity vs. Charleston Battery

Aug. 13: LouCity vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies

Aug. 20: Detroit City FC vs. LouCity

Aug. 27: Miami FC vs. LouCity

Sept. 3: LouCity vs. Sacramento Republic FC

Sept. 7: FC Tulsa vs. LouCity

Sept. 10: Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC vs. LouCity

Sept. 17: LouCity vs. Loudoun United FC

Sept. 24: LouCity vs. Memphis 901 FC

Oct. 1: Rio Grande Valley FC vs. LouCity

Oct. 5: LouCity vs. Detroit City FC

Oct. 15: LouCity vs. Hartford Athletic

Forward Jorge Gonzalez will return to Louisville City FC in 2022, this time on a newly signed contract with the club, it was announced Monday.

The former loanee from Major League Soccer’s Portland Timbers netted four goals last season for the boys in purple, including a game winner against Miami FC in the opening round of the USL Championship Playoffs.

Gonzalez later became a free agent, making him available to LouCity on a permanent deal. Terms of the contract, which is pending league and federation approval, were not disclosed.

“It’s an honor to come back and play another season for Louisville City,” Gonzalez said. “I love this club, my teammates and every staff member. I can’t wait to get back to work and have another great year.”

Gonzalez, 23, overcame a preseason groin injury to make 21 appearances for LouCity. By the end of the campaign the No. 9 had cemented a spot in coach Danny Cruz’s regular starting lineup, starring during a stretch of games in which the boys in purple clinched a Central Division title, No. 1 playoff seed and advanced to the Eastern Conference Final.

“We are thrilled to be able to welcome Jorge back to Louisville City,” said head coach Danny Cruz. “Signing him was a priority for us once the season ended. He is a talented young player who has a very bright future ahead of him. We are looking forward to getting a healthy Jorge going into 2022 and know that he will play an important role as we look to compete for another trophy.”

A native of Valencia, Spain, Gonzalez went as the 76th overall pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft to Los Angeles FC before signing with the Timbers. He debuted professionally for Portland’s reserve side, Timbers 2, and in an abbreviated 2020 season registered 8 goals in 10 appearances.

Gonzalez had initially made his move to the United States in 2016 to play collegiately at NCAA Division II’s Mercyhurst University in Erie, Penn. Following his freshman year, the forward transferred to Division I SIU Edwardsville, where he was coached by future LouCity Academy Director Mario Sanchez and was named the 2019 Mid-American Conference Men’s Soccer Player of the Year.

In addition to his playoff goal, Gonzalez found the back of the net for the first time July 28, scoring a game winner within seconds of coming on as a halftime sub in LouCity’s 2-1 win at Sporting KC II. He opened scoring again when SKC II visited on Aug. 7 before his third and final regular season goal registered in a Sept. 7 victory over Hartford Athletic on ESPN2.

Gonzalez’s signing brings LouCity’s 2022 roster to 18 players. The list includes 16 returners and two additions in goalkeeper Kyle Morton (from MLS’ Houston Dynamo) and defender Owen Damm (from LouCity’s youth academy). Contract negotiations continue with other newcomers; updates will follow in due time.

Current 2022 Louisville City FC Roster

Forwards: Jorge Gonzalez, Cameron Lancaster, Brian Ownby

Midfielders: Corben Bone, Tyler Gibson, Jay Tee Kamara, Napo Matsoso, Niall McCabe, Carlos Moguel Jr., Paolo DelPiccolo, Elijah Wynder

Defenders: Wes Charpie, Owen Damm, Oscar Jimenez, Sean Totsch, Josh Wynder

Goalkeepers: Kyle Morton, Parker Siegfried