USL’s Inaugural Summer Showcase Selects Louisville as Host

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 20, 2022) – The United Soccer League (USL) has awarded the inaugural USL Summer Showcase to Louisville, further cementing the city as one of America’s greatest soccer destinations.

Soccer executives from around the United States will convene in Louisville for the multi-day event, which includes the league’s annual mid-year meetings, community events and partner activations - culminating in a nationally televised marquee match between Louisville City FC and Phoenix Rising FC on Wednesday, July 20 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

“The Summer Showcase will shine a spotlight on everything the USL is doing to drive the game forward in America,” USL Chief Commercial Officer Court Jeske said. “The passion of LouCity’s fans and the world-class facilities at Lynn Family Stadium make Louisville a natural and exciting host city for the inaugural event. Likewise, Phoenix Rising’s consistent success on and off the field helped us determine the ideal matchup for this year’s Showcase. We expect this to be the most watched interconference match of the USL Championship regular season.”

Representatives from the USL’s ecosystem of more than 200 professional and pre-professional clubs across the country will attend the meetings and watch the match in Louisville.

“We’re honored to be selected for the inaugural showcase, and likewise we’re excited to bring yet another major soccer event to Louisville,” said LouCity’s chairman and CEO, John Neace. “This is a fantastic opportunity for our city to show itself off to the league and representatives of USL clubs from all over the country. We look forward to seeing visitors partake in local business and in turn hope the community helps us pack Lynn Family Stadium for a marquee nationally televised game.”

"We're excited for the opportunity to host the inaugural USL Summer Showcase," said Greg Fante, Louisville Sports Commission Vice President of Sports Development. "Louisville is well-known for successfully hosting large prestigious sports events. Being able to add the USL Summer Showcase to this growing list of events is a direct result of Louisville Soccer Holding's investment in our men's and women's soccer community."

Founded in 2014, Louisville City FC has established itself as one of the flagship clubs in the USL Championship. In 2020, the club opened its permanent home, with the 15,304-capacity Lynn Family Stadium earning nomination for Stadium of the Year by Stadium Database. The city’s love for soccer adds to a rich sporting landscape featuring the Kentucky Derby and deep college sports loyalties in the hometown of legendary boxer and human rights activist Muhammad Ali.

Last November, Lynn Family Stadium played host to the 2021 NWSL Championship Game, and this summer the venue will host the second edition of The Women’s Cup, a six-team tournament featuring Racing Louisville FC and select international clubs. In December 2023, the NCAA Men’s College Cup will come to Louisville and another soccer champion will be crowned in Lynn Family Stadium.

Guests can use Louisville Tourism’s annual Visitor Guide to help plan an itinerary around Louisville’s top experiences. Travelers also can get attraction, lodging and dining assistance at www.gotolouisville.com.