Professional soccer is officially coming to Middlesex County. Officials announced plans Wednesday to bring an MLS NEXT Pro team to the region, with the club slated to kick off its inaugural season in July 2027 at a brand-new stadium within the NEXUS sports and entertainment district.
“This is exactly the kind of opportunity we envisioned when MLS partnered with KKR and Hometown Soccer Holdings to accelerate the growth of MLS NEXT Pro,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber, said. “As the first club to relaunch under that partnership, New Jersey MLS NEXT Pro represents an important step in the league’s next chapter by strengthening player development and bringing professional soccer closer to more communities.”
The team—initially referred to as New Jersey MLS NEXT Pro—will serve as a rebranded continuation of New York City FC II under the newly formed Hometown Soccer Holdings (HSH) commercial platform, a joint initiative between Major League Soccer and KKR. While New York City FC will continue to oversee all sporting operations and player development, the club will adopt a distinct local identity, name, and crest developed with input from Garden State fans.
The club will play its home matches at a state-of-the-art, 6,500-seat stadium located within NEXUS, a $350 million sports and entertainment development featuring luxury suites, party decks, a premium home-plate bar, and an adjacent family-friendly grass hill and playground.
“New Jersey is a soccer state, and today we’re once again giving fans across the Garden State a team to call their own,” New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said. “Bringing professional soccer to NEXUS gives fans in the heart of our state a team to rally behind while creating new opportunities for athletes and strengthening our state’s growing sports economy.”
In addition to the professional team, the partnership establishes Middlesex County as the second official New York City FC Youth Programs Regional Hub, joining Long Island’s LIU Post. Beginning in 2027, the hub will operate out of the Nexus Fields at Thomas A. Edison Park, offering local youth players ages three to eighteen direct pathways into NYCFC’s elite development system.
“Professional soccer belongs in communities like Middlesex County, New Jersey,” Tom Glick, CEO of Hometown Soccer Holdings said. “The county’s remarkable diversity, deep soccer culture, and passion for the game make this the right place to build something lasting.”
