MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

High Point native and National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee Eddie Pope is the new chief sporting officer for Carolina Core FC, which will join MLS Next in 2024. Carolina Core is MLS Next Pro's second independent team.

MLS Next Pro is adding a second team in North Carolina.

The player development initiative announced Thursday the addition of Carolina Core FC, an independent side in High Point, for the 2024 season. MLS Next Pro’s first independent team, Rochester New York FC, qualified for the playoffs in 2022, its debut season.

National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee and three-time FIFA World Cup player Eddie Pope, a High Point native, is the team’s chief sporting officer. Pope, a North Carolina alumnus who played on three MLS Cup title teams, will oversee all soccer operations, including technical staff management, player personnel, transactions and scouting.

"I could not be more excited for the arrival of an MLS NEXT Pro club here in the Carolina Core,” Pope said in a statement. “Our vision is to provide the pro player pathway for the area’s best young talent, build a lifelong connection between the club and our fans by uniting the community, and to embrace Diversity, Equity and Inclusion both on and off the field.”

The addition of Carolina Core along with Charlotte FC, which launches next year, gives North Carolina a pair of franchises in MLS Next Pro, which is designed to develop players capable of making the leap to the first-team level. Charlotte is one of seven franchises that will debut in 2023, bringing MLS Next's tally to 28 franchises. Carolina is the 29th side.

"MLS Next Pro has four pillars – player development, our local communities, innovation, and a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,” MLS Next Pro president Charles Altchek said. “When we started engaging with [Core co-investor] Megan Oglesby and Mayor [Jay] Wagner, it became clear to us from our first meeting that we are aligned at all levels.” said Charles Altchek, “Strong independent teams are a critical component of our growth strategy for MLS Next Pro, and we are confident that Carolina Core FC will overdeliver both on the field and in the community.”

In addition to Oglesby, Core’s ownership group includes principal investors Matt and Penley and Mark Penley. The team will play at Truist Point, which will undergo renovations that will accommodate up to 5,000 fans in the stadium’s soccer layout.

“By bringing the world’s game to the Carolina Core, we will create countless opportunities for those who want to access the sport and lift up the community both on and off the field,” Oglesby said. “This is far more than a financial investment for our group, this will be a long-term investment into individuals and communities with untapped potential, and it will be a major driver of economic development in the region.”

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