The United Soccer League Super League (USLS) is gearing up for its highly anticipated inaugural season in 2024-25, set to kick off in August with teams representing eight cities across the United States. Among these teams is Fort Lauderdale United FC, South Florida’s newest professional sports franchise, led by co-founder and CEO Deon Graham.
Graham’s vision for Fort Lauderdale United FC goes beyond just winning games – he aims to inspire young girls by providing a clear pathway from youth to professional sports. “Our goal is to give that 11-year-old girl the opportunity to see a path for herself in pro sports,” Graham shared with Fox News Digital. “If she can watch a USL game and visualize a foreseeable future for herself in 10 years, getting paid well to play a sport that she loves, then we’ve done our job.”
The team’s focus on community engagement and talent development has already garnered support from local leaders like Davie Mayor Judy Paul and Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean J. Trantalis. By collaborating with youth clubs in the area, Fort Lauderdale United FC aims to identify and nurture elite talent in South Florida, creating a strong foundation for success.
The USLS, recently sanctioned as a Division One professional soccer league by the U.S. Soccer Federation, operates on a fall-to-summer calendar to align with the global game and prioritize player welfare and performance. The league’s commitment to growing the women’s game and providing opportunities for female athletes to compete at the highest level has been praised by U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone.
As the excitement builds for the upcoming season, Fort Lauderdale United FC and the USLS are poised to make a significant impact on women’s professional soccer in the United States. Stay tuned for more updates on this groundbreaking new league and the teams set to take the field in August.
