Queen City Football Chronicle

08/09/2025

The Charlotte Independence haven’t lost in their last four games. But most disappointing to coach Mike Jeffries is that they haven’t won, either.

“We haven't been able to close out games,” Jefferies said after a 3-3 draw with Texoma on Saturday. “[It] is very frustrating, just because we had 2-1 with a penalty (which was saved), and then in the space of a minute, the game goes from us having a comfortable lead at halftime to us having to protect the game down a man, and that's discipline mentality. That's pretty frustrating, for sure. We've had moments where we've had a lead and just have to be able to manage the game a little bit better.”

Jacks look for best formula to close matches

08/09/2025

Not that it matters, but Charlotte moved up on the MLS side of the Leagues Cup table to 13th of 18 clubs competing with a 2-0 win against CF Monterrey Thursday.

Tyger Smalls scored his second first-team goal on a pass from Brandon Cambridge to seal the win over the Mexican side three minutes after Bill Tuiloma’s glancing header off a Liel Abada cross put Charlotte ahead in the 57th.

What does matter is that the Crown left the tournament on a good result, even though both sides, who were already eliminated from the quarterfinals, played heavily rotated lineups with their next domestic league matches coming up – Sunday for Charlotte and Monday for Monterrey.

Malanda back, Biel out as Crown heads to Cincinnati on a roll

08/03/2025

Charlotte FC and Chivas de Guadalajara go into Sunday’s Leagues Cup match needing to win outright to have any chance at making the final four in their respective tables.

If nothing else, both teams need to prove to themselves that their first games do not define who they are as they head back to their regular seasons. One of Mexico’s big clubs, Chivas were 1-1-0 two games into the Liga MX Apertura before losing 1-0 to New York Red Bulls. Charlotte won their last four MLS matches coming in, but all that good form failed to show in the first 45 minutes against FC Jaurez in an embarrassing 4-1 loss.

With just three games to earn a spot in the knockout round, it was effectively a playoff game, and a bad day to have a bad day.

Home loss to FC Juarez puts the Crown in difficult position

07/30/2025

MLS is two-thirds through its season, while Liga MX is only a few games into the first half of its campaign. This can only mean that it’s time for the cross-pollination of the Leagues Cup.

Charlotte FC opens the tournament against FC Juarez on July 31 at Bank of America Stadium. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. CLTFC coach Dean Smith has noted repeatedly in recent weeks that he takes all competitions seriously and Charlotte will play to win.

Why does it matter? Well, there’s a trophy, and Charlotte hasn’t won one yet. Better yet, three Concacaf Champions Cup places will be awarded to the top three finishers. CCC is a path to the FIFA Club World Cup, and this summer showed the financial reward and glory that can bring.

Charlotte FC faces FC Juarez in tournament opener

07/30/2025

The youngest player to appear in a professional women’s soccer match has a contract to match.

Stella Spitzer, 15, signed a multi-year deal with Carolina Ascent FC pending league and federation approval, making her the youngest player to sign a professional contract in Gainbridge Super League history.

Spitzer became the youngest player to appear in a professional match in the United States when she came on as a substitute for Carolina on Oct. 19, 2024 against Brooklyn FC at 14 years, 198 days old.
https://www.thecharlottepost.com/news/2025/07/30/qcfc/stella-spitzer-youngest-pro-in-gainbridge-super-league/

07/26/2025

Macey Bader isn’t leaving Charlotte to play pro soccer.

Bader, a forward who played collegiately at Charlotte, signed with Carolina Ascent FC last week, making her the third 49er to sign a professional contract in the last calendar year and fourth overall, joining Martha Thomas (Tottenham Hotspur), Tash Huson (Apollon Ladies F.C.), and Charlotte Harris (AFC Bournemouth).

“After my time at Charlotte, this city has truly become home and I’m so excited for the opportunity to represent it at the next level in my first year as a pro,” Bader said in a posting on Carolina Ascent FC’s website. “This organization set such a high bar in its first year and I can’t wait to come in, put in the work, and help build on that foundation.”

Forward was a two-time all-tournament in American Conference

07/26/2025

Winning changes everything.

Charlotte FC manager Dean Smith says the boys are, “obviously a little bit chirpier and happier as they should be having earned an extra day off by getting the result.” With a 3-2 win in Atlanta and no match midweek due to the MLS All-Star Game, he gave the team Monday and Tuesday off after recovery work on Sunday.

Seventh in the MLS East, Charlotte FC has the longest active victory streak in the entire league with three. They are unbeaten in the last four matches, with a 2-2 draw against sixth-place Orlando City preceding it.

Crown looks to extend win streak to four matches, move to sixth

07/18/2025

Wednesday was a busy day for Charlotte FC.

On top of introducing a new kit in the Adidas MLS Archive collection that paid homage to the city’s pro soccer roots, the morning made official news that Charlotte would host the 2026 MLS All-Star Game.

That evening, the players vogued in a sharp new third kit against DC United that celebrated the Carolina Lightnin’, the city’s first professional team that climaxed their first season with the 1981 American Soccer League championship trophy. It’s probably just a coincidence that the Crown’s first goal came as the clock hit 43, the same number of years after that championship season, with goal scorer Pep Biel and teammates running to celebrate just in front of the tunnel where veterans of that Lightnin’ team had gathered to be introduced during the halftime break. And it’s most likely a fluke the final score was 2-1, the same as that ASL final.

The Crown takes on Atlanta in search of a third straight win

07/16/2025

One in a row.

Since a three-game winning streak in April, Charlotte hasn’t been able to build any momentum. Their 2-0 win over NYCFC July 12 was the first since May 31, with three losses and a draw in between.

Wednesday's tilt against D.C. United at Bank of America Stadium will be a true measure of whether this team has what it takes to make the postseason playoffs for a third consecutive season. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.

Charlotte to be announced as host for 2026 MLS All-Star Game

07/16/2025

When professional soccer came to Charlotte 43 years ago, it was part of a plan to brand what George Washington described as “a trifling place” as a world-class city.

From a sporting perspective, with Charlotte hosting four matches of this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup and a semifinal and third-place match of the Copa America last year, it is safe to say Washington’s ghost needs to come back for a reassessment.

Those games were here due to the Queen City’s success in hosting a litany of international club and national team games, and magnified Charlotte FC owner David Tepper’s support of bringing more global events, including a push for the next FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027.

1981 Carolina Lightnin’ will be honored with Charlotte FC’s third kit debut

07/16/2025

Patrick Agyemang’s time in Charlotte is over.

Charlotte FC’s All-Star striker has joined Derby County of the English Championship on a permanent transfer that ends weeks of speculation. Loaning Agyemang will fetch an undisclosed club record transfer fee, which has been reported in the $8 million range. Charlotte FC also retains a sell-on percentage for any future deal involving Agyemang, 24, who tallied eight goals and a pair of assists for the Crown in 18 games across all competitions.

His nomination to MLS’s All-Star team was a first for Charlotte.

Charlotte FC striker transfers to England second division side

07/16/2025

Charlotte is a soccer city and Major League Soccer recognizes it.

The 2026 MLS All-Star game will be held at Bank of America Stadium, continuing a streak of marquee soccer events that has bolstered the city’s reputation as a sustainable market.

“It’s hard to believe we were standing in this room … six years ago to welcome your city into our league, and I remember on that day speaking about ambition and speaking about community,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Wednesday at a press conference. “And those are two qualities that I believe define Charlotte FC’s journey into the league. I think now those values are even more evident than ever before.”

City to host 2026 MLS All-Star Game