(February 22, 2022) - Sporting Kansas City II announced today that the team will host home matches at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence, Kan., and Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City for the club’s inaugural MLS NEXT Pro season.
Rock Chalk Park will host all Sporting KC II home matches from the start of the season in late March until the University of Kansas women’s soccer team kicks off its NCAA season in August, at which time Sporting KC II will play all remaining MLS NEXT Pro home matches at Swope Soccer Village.
"We are very excited to play some of our home matches at Rock Chalk Park this year,” said SKC II head coach Benny Feilhaber. “We think it will provide us with a great home field advantage and we're ready to entertain all of our fans in Lawrence."
Sporting KC II is one of 21 founding clubs that will compete in MLS NEXT Pro in 2022. A member of the Western Conference alongside 10 other MLS affiliate teams, SKC II will play 24 league matches in the regular season. The full 2022 MLS NEXT Pro schedule will be announced at a later date.
Rock Chalk Park opened in 2014 and hosts the KU soccer, track and field, softball, and tennis teams. Conveniently located near the conjunction of I-70 and K-10, the natural grass surface is considered one of the best soccer facilities in the Big 12 Conference. The stadium features an attached locker room, players’ lounge, athletic training room, equipment room and multi-level press box for broadcasts.
“We are excited to partner with Sporting Kansas City II to bring home matches to Rock Chalk Park,” said Kansas Deputy Athletics Director Jason Booker. “This is a great opportunity for Lawrence residents and our campus community to watch highly competitive professional soccer while also providing valuable experience to KU students in the sport management program. We are thrilled to welcome them to Lawrence.”
Sporting KC II and the University of Kansas sports management program will work closely together in order to provide students with real-world experiences. SKC II will also be offering all students discounted tickets to every home match.
Led by head coach Benny Feilhaber and assistant coach Ike Opara, both long-time Sporting KC fan-favorites and U.S. Men’s National Team players, the Sporting KC II roster will feature MLS players on loan from Sporting Kansas City, top Sporting KC Academy prospects and a core of MLS NEXT Pro players.
Current SKC II Roster:
- Goalkeepers (1): Ethan Bandre
- Defenders (3): Aljaz Dzankic, Spencer Glass, Joseph Addo Tetteh
- Midfielders (2): Collin Fernandez, Jahon Rad
- Forwards (5): Paul Atta Agyei, Bakary Bagayoko, Josh Coan, Rauf Salifu, Julian Vazquez
Sporting KC II will return to Swope Soccer Village in late summer for the remainder of the MLS NEXT Pro season. Swope Soccer Village hosted the club’s first two seasons in 2016 and 2017 as the team won back-to-back USL Championship Western Conference Finals.
Tickets will be available to purchase online via SeatGeek at a later date. All Sporting KC season ticket members will receive complimentary tickets to Sporting KC II matches upon request.
ABOUT MLS NEXT Pro
MLS NEXT Pro is a professional men's soccer league in the United States and Canada debuting with 21 clubs for its inaugural season in 2022. MLS NEXT Pro completes the pro player pathway by connecting youth academies in MLS NEXT to 1st teams in Major League Soccer. More so, it grows the game through innovation and diversity by bringing professional soccer to new markets, creating career opportunities for professionals on and off the field, and providing communities with a strong sense of pride. For more information about MLS NEXT Pro, visit www.mlsnextpro.com.
