Professional Soccer Could Be Coming to Medford as USL Makes Pitch

MEDFORD, Ore. (Jan. 12, 2026) — Medford city officials will review a proposal that could bring professional men’s and women’s soccer to the city during a City Council study session Wednesday evening.

The council is scheduled to receive a presentation from the United Soccer League (USL), which is exploring Medford as a potential home for a USL League One men’s team and a professional women’s franchise. The session begins at 6 p.m. at City Hall and will be informational only, with no formal vote or public comment.

City staff is seeking council direction on extending an existing, non-binding letter of intent with USL from six months to one year. Officials say the extension would give the league additional time to complete feasibility studies, predevelopment work and site evaluations before presenting a refined proposal to the council.

USL Deputy CEO and Chief Real Estate Officer Justin Papadakis is expected to lead the presentation, outlining the league’s expansion model and its interest in Medford. The league has identified the region as a strong candidate for expansion due to its market size, regional draw and alignment with USL’s long-term growth strategy.

Among the sites under evaluation is Spiegelberg Stadium, a 9,250-seat facility owned by the Medford School District. City and school district officials have emphasized that any potential renovation or redevelopment would preserve the stadium’s availability for North Medford, South Medford and Pop Warner football programs.

USL favors multi-purpose stadiums with seating capacities between 5,000 and 10,000 that can anchor surrounding mixed-use development. In other markets, the league says similar projects have spurred private investment, housing construction and downtown revitalization.

Founded in 1986, the United Soccer League operates multiple men’s and women’s professional leagues and oversees hundreds of clubs nationwide. The league plans to launch a new top-tier Division One men’s league in 2028 and has announced plans to introduce promotion and relegation across its professional men’s divisions.

Under that model, League One clubs would have the opportunity to advance to higher divisions based on on-field performance, a structure USL officials say positions teams as long-term growth assets rather than fixed lower-division franchises.

Medford Alert News will continue to monitor this proposal and provide updates as they become available.