The Expansion Class of 2026: How It's Going So Far

USL League One welcomed a record five expansion clubs in 2026. Now that we're halfway through the season, how are each of them doing? There's been a wide spread of results, attendance and engagement so far.

We go over each club's roster build, performance at mid-season, and attendance and supporter culture. Clubs listed in order of current regular season table placement.

AC Boise

Table: 6th
Record: 6-5-3
Average Attendance: 7,212 (100%)

It's been a half-season of ups and downs for AC Boise, but despite its recent inconsistency, the club still leads the expansion class in the standings. Tied on points with Fort Wayne, Boise currently holds the tiebreaker based on total wins.

That inconsistency was on display in the last couple of weeks. After suffering a brutal 5-1 loss at Forward Madison, Boise returned home and knocked off first-place Union Omaha 1-0. That's become a familiar pattern, with wins often followed by a loss or draw.

Boise also took a veteran-heavy approach when building its inaugural roster, and that experience has paid dividends. The club's top three scorers, Denys Kostyshyn, Tumi Moshobane and Nick Moon, all have experience at higher levels. Defenders Jake Dengler and Jake Crull bring five and seven seasons of USL League One experience, respectively, while five more players arrived direct from the USL Championship.

Off the field, AC Boise has already established itself as one of the league's success stories. The club has shattered the attendance record set by Portland Hearts of Pine just a year ago, averaging 7,212 fans per match. Every home game has drawn a crowd at or near capacity, while a vibrant supporter culture has quickly taken root behind The River Guard. Halfway through its inaugural season, Boise already looks every bit like the league's next model franchise.

Fort Wayne FC

Table: 7th
Record: 5-2-6
Average Attendance: 3,230 (81%)

On the pitch, Fort Wayne is just two matches away from matching the longest unbeaten streak by a first-year USL League One club, according to league editorial director and resident historian Nicholas Murray. The club strengthened its case last time out with a 2-0 road victory over the Richmond Kickers, spoiling that side's new coach debut and climbing to sixth place with a 5-2-6 record.

While AC Boise built around experienced veterans, Fort Wayne took the opposite approach. The club's leading scorers, Taig Healy and Lilian Ricol, are both rookies and firmly in the Golden Boot race. Fans from the club's USL League Two days have also been rewarded, with five players returning from those squads. They're complemented by experienced veterans such as James Musa and Bernd Schipmann.

Off the field, attendance has been solid, though not yet on the level of Boise. Fort Wayne is averaging 3,230 fans per match while operating at a reduced capacity of 4,000 as construction on the stadium continues. Once completed, the venue should have the capacity to challenge Boise's attendance figures and could become the crown jewel of USL League One facilities. The next challenge will be filling it.

A vocal supporter culture has also made the jump from the club's USL League Two days. Led by the Three Rivers Regiment, supporters now have a proper home behind the goal in the club's new stadium, giving Fort Wayne one of the league's better matchday atmospheres.

Sarasota Paradise

Table: 12th
Record: 5-10-1
Average Attendance: 1,785 (60%)

Head Coach and Technical Director Mika Elovaara has put a distinct stamp on Sarasota's inaugural roster. A native of Finland, he recruited several players from the Nordic region, including Swedes Amadeus Sögaard and Hugo Bäckstrand, Norwegians Jørgen Pettersen and Sander Røed, and fellow Finn Maximus Tainio. He also reunited with several players from his time as an assistant with the Richmond Kickers, including Jonathan Bolanos, Ethan Bryant, Chandler O'Dwyer, and, most recently, Matt Bolduc on a 25-day contract and Emiliano Terzaghi following his transfer from Portland.

There has been a learning curve for both Elovaara and his squad. Sarasota has struggled away from home with a 1-6-0 road record, while the defense has conceded the second-most goals in regular season play.

Off the field, attendance has been slower to build than at some of the other expansion clubs. With a metropolitan population of just over 900,000, Sarasota has the potential to develop into a market similar to Boise (845,000) or even larger. At the same time, the club faces a different challenge, competing for attention in a crowded entertainment market that includes nearby St. Petersburg and the greater Tampa Bay area.

Supporter culture is also beginning to take shape. A small but growing supporters' group has established its home in "The Helm," giving the club a foundation to build on in the years ahead.

With plenty of room to grow, both in its fan base and its stadium, Sarasota Paradise appears well positioned for steady long-term growth.

Corpus Christi FC

Table: 13th
Record: 3-5-6
Average Attendance: 1,019 (20%)

It hasn't been an easy start for Corpus Christi, either on or off the pitch.

The club's planned 5,000-seat stadium began construction but has since experienced major delays. As a result, Corpus Christi moved to the Cabaniss Athletic Complex for the foreseeable future, a less-than-ideal American football venue with artificial turf and permanent football markings.

Former Northern Colorado head coach Éamon Zayed arrived to lead the expansion side, but the roster came together later than many of the league's other newcomers. It ultimately featured an intriguing blend of established veterans and emerging talent. League veterans Christian Chaney, Jake Keegan and Alexis Cerritos headline the attack, while Zayed also reunited with former Northern Colorado players Enoch Kwakwa, Jackson Dietrich and Paddy Langlois. Around that core, he assembled a mix of league imports, first-year professionals and several holdovers from the club's USL League Two days.

That instability, combined with the delayed roster build, appeared to contribute to a slow start. Corpus Christi didn't earn its first regular season victory until June 3, but followed it with two more consecutive wins before adding a draw to climb out of the bottom of the table.

It should be noted that Chaney hasn't been seen on roster since early May. In the meantime, scoring has been led by defender Blake Bowen, something common in Zayed-led rosters. He's followed by rookie (and former Corpus Christi USL League Two player) Bubu Medina, Kwakwa and a resurgent Keegan.

Attendance has also been a challenge. The lack of a professional soccer venue has undoubtedly made it more difficult to establish momentum, with the club averaging 1,019 fans per match—second lowest in the league and only narrowly ahead of Charlotte Independence. There also does not yet appear to be an organized supporters' group.

Despite those challenges, there are no public indications that the club's long-term future is in jeopardy. For now, the focus will be on establishing stability, completing the stadium project, and continuing to build support both on and off the field.

New York Cosmos

Table: 17th
Record: 2-9-1
Average Attendance: 1,747 (23%)

A great deal of hype surrounded the third iteration of the historic Cosmos brand as it entered USL League One this season. Halfway through the campaign, however, the club has struggled to live up to those expectations.

The Cosmos sit at the bottom of the table and enters the second half of the season on a five-match losing streak. The club hasn't won since April 3, when it stunned an otherwise red-hot Charlotte Independence, and it is still searching for its first road victory.

Ajmeer Spengler has been the standout performer, producing an MVP-caliber campaign with six goals and four assists. Veteran Sebastián Guenzatti has added four goals of his own, but the Cosmos have struggled to find consistent production from the rest of the squad.

Attendance has also lagged behind the initial excitement, with the club averaging just over 1,700 fans at Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, New Jersey. Cold and rainy conditions have affected several home matches, making it more difficult to build momentum with casual supporters during the club's inaugural season.

One area of encouragement has been the supporter culture. Led by the Five Points Collective, six supporter groups have united behind the Cosmos, creating a lively atmosphere with chants and instruments that regularly carry through the stadium and onto broadcasts.

There are still reasons for optimism. The club has committed ownership, a recognizable brand, and a sizable local market in Paterson, New Jersey's third-largest city. If those assets can eventually be matched by improved performances on the field, the foundation is there for the Cosmos to become a successful long-term addition to USL League One.