One of the centers of American soccer is about to add a Championship club. While many outside of western New York may be unaware of how deep the soccer culture runs in Buffalo, the city has flourishing regional soccer league and an amateur club, FC Buffalo, that has been playing soccer since 2009. With Buffalo Pro Soccer building out a soccer-specific home field and joining USL Championship in 2026, Buffalo is about to step into the national soccer spotlight.

The man in charge of delivering pro soccer to Buffalo is Peter Marlette Jr., the President of Buffalo Pro Soccer, and he couldn’t be more plugged into the local soccer scene. “I grew up here. This is where I was born and went to high school. I played club soccer growing up on a pretty good team, was an all-state player in high school. In summers, while in college, I played for Queen City FC, Buffalo City FC, and FC Buffalo, all in the NPSL. I played for every iteration of the Buffalo NPSL scene during summers…With some of my friends, I helped found a team that played in the Buffalo District Soccer League (BDSL) for a long time, Lakeside FC. We won a Tehel Cup, the oldest amateur soccer tournament in the United States [can’t confirm that yet, but the BDSL website lists winners back to 1925].”

“The NPSL and USL League Two has been the highest level, but Buffalo hasn’t had a pro team to provide that pathway to the highest levels of the game. As a result, youth players have been missing out. The path to the professional game and even the highest college levels is pretty convoluted and tough to get through.” Marlette continued, “having that experience coming up through the local scene and knowing the people that coach, work, and play in it, has given me a pretty unique perspective.” With a Buffalo soccer career that goes back to his youth soccer days, it’s clear Marlette knows Buffalo soccer. Now he’s been tasked with delivering a professional soccer club to the city that taught him how to play the game.

The first step was connecting the local youth scene into the pro pathway. With his previously mentioned connections, Marlette worked with current USL League Two club FC Buffalo to absorb their youth program into the Buffalo Pro Soccer system. “The academy is already operational. We worked out a deal with them to acquire their previous academy teams and structure and bring them under our umbrella. We’ve filled in around that a little, but it’s still very much in its infancy and it will develop into something much bigger.” The club will have a U-20 team playing in the USL Academy system this year and the interest is high. Local team tryouts are drawing plenty of talented Buffalo players ready to make their mark for their city’s new club.

While the youth academy is off the ground and rolling, the crown jewel of the upcoming Championship club is the upcoming soccer-specific stadium, which Marlette says is on track for the opening of the 2026 USL Championship season. Recently the club made the all-important decision of location. “The neighborhood we’re building in is called The Valley. It’s minutes from the heart of downtown Buffalo.” The privately-funded stadium project will end with a 7,600-seat, soccer-specific stadium. According to the club’s press release, “the forthcoming stadium will feature family-friendly ticket prices, a designated high-energy, safe-standing supporters’ section, and elevated experiences in its 12 hospitality suites, two private party areas, and club-level seats. Buffalo Pro Soccer’s plans also call for training facilities for its athletes and academy, offices for team staff, as well as ample parking and transportation options for fans.”

But Marlette was quick to highlight that the stadium will be distinctly Buffalo. “When it comes to vendors and concessions in the stadium, we have to have a strong local and state presence that authentic. It can’t be just chicken wings.” During the planning process, the designers worked to highlight “the proud industrial history of Buffalo.”

Plenty will be wondering when the team will have a name, colors, and a crest. According to Marlette, they are almost set to submit the finalized details to the league. The club is partnering with a Buffalo-based firm to create the look of the team, but is also working with a group of local contributors to fine-tune the branding. “We’re calling them our creative council. It’s five local artists and creatives who have been at every single branding meeting. They’re helping guide us, so that we’re not coming out with a cookie-cutter brand that doesn’t necessarily represent Buffalo. Our creative council has been guiding every step of the way.”

For Marlette, the task of bring professional soccer to Buffalo is personal, a culmination of growing up, learning the game locally, and now wanting to deliver something special back to the city. “People have been begging for pro soccer in Buffalo. We’ve got the BDSL. We’ve got the success of FC Buffalo and its predecessors. We’ve got this robust soccer ecosystem that’s been calling out for something at the top of the pyramid, for something professional. We’ve got to get this right.”

- Dan Vaughn

FYI - Fans can secure their spot for season-tickets for Buffalo Pro Soccer’s inaugural season and become a Founding Member. With a deposit of $20, fans can lock in their status as a Founding Member of the club and reserve early access to tickets in the sections of their choosing. Fans can visit https://www.buffaloprosoccer.com/tickets/ for more information on how to become a Founding Member today.