LSC moving up, heading to USL Championship

Lexington Sporting Club is climbing up a level in men's professional soccer, going from USL League One to USL Championship in 2025. This puts LSC on the second-highest level of men's pro soccer in the United States.

"This move isn't just about competing at the highest level, it's about establishing ourselves as a formidable club on the national stage," LSC CEO Kim Shelton said.

Jeremy Alumbaugh, USL Championship President, also attended Tuesday's news conference, praising LSC for being ambitious.

He said the foundation built by LSC is a credit to its leadership investing in the Central Kentucky Community along with a transformational stadium project. LSC is in the final stages of constructing a 7,500-seat soccer-specific stadium set to host matches in September.

"It's a place that the youth will look over and have aspirations and again have that ambition to perhaps be there someday," Alumbaugh added.

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LSC's move up is part of its vision to spark regional rivalries. Case in point, Louisville City, in USL Championship, is a team LSC faced only once in a competitive match, falling 1-0 in April of 2023.

"For our fans and players, the promise is to raise the stakes and excitement for our fans, especially against that team 70 miles down I-64," Shelton said.

Overall, LSC's goal is to positively impact the soccer landscape in Central Kentucky from youth club to academy players to pre-professionals to those competing on a professional basis.

"Lately, the Lexington Sporting Club has garnered such great popularity in such a short amount of time. This shows how much folks in Lexington want this here and want you here," Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton said.

The LSC Men's team has spent each of its two seasons in USL League One. LSC debuts a women's team in the USL Super League later this month.