Finally, Austin FC II's future is coming into focus.
On Tuesday, Austin FC announced the full schedule and the home stadium for its MLS Next Pro team, debuting in 2023 and already amassing intriguing signings to add to Verde lore. As many expected, the team will play its home matches at Parmer Field at St. David’s Performance Center, adjacent to the training facility where the first-team, second-team and Austin FC Academy players all practice. The stadium is also next to The Pitch, a restaurant and entertainment complex launched by Dave Greeley of Team Orbis — Greeley, of course, being an instrumental member of Austin FC owner Anthony Precourt's ownership group that helped secure the MLS franchise.
The home-opening opponent is also fitting — on Friday, March 24, VerDos begins play against Houston Dynamo FC II, an in-state rival that's also part of ATXFC II's Frontier Division. The 28-team MLS Next Pro league is split into four seven-team divisions; in addition to Austin, Houston and North Texas SC (affiliated with FC Dallas), the Colorado Rapids 2, Sporting Kansas City II, Minnesota United FC 2, and St. Louis City SC 2 make up the rest of the division.
Austin FCito, as some fans are dubbing the team, will play 14 home and 14 away matches during the season involving all other 13 Western Conference opponents. The team will double up on home matches against Dynamo Dos and away matches against the JV Rapids.
As the club's press release pointed out, four of the MLS Next Pro matches will coincide with Austin FC matches with other parent clubs, "including LA Galaxy and LA Galaxy II away on April 22 and 23 respectively, Portland Timbers and Portland Timbers 2 away on May 6 and 7, Houston Dynamo FC and Houston Dynamo 2 away on May 27 and 28, and Real Monarchs and Real Salt Lake at home on June 2 and 3."
The home matches will primarily be on Fridays and Sundays, apparently so as to not conflict with Austin FC matches. While MLS Next Pro won't take a break for the Leagues Cup, Parmer Field won't host matches through the majority of the tournament. There will be a VerDos date on Sunday, July 30 against LA Galaxy II, the day after Austin FC's group stage concludes with Verde's match against FC Juarez, but then VerDos has away matches for its next three contests, only returning for a Friday, Aug. 25 date against SKC II.
The full schedule of home and away matches is available on the Austin FC II site.
A new season awaits. 🙌
— MLS NEXT Pro (@MLSNEXTPRO) March 14, 2023
The 2023 MLS NEXT Pro schedule is officially here, and you can catch a majority of the action with #MLSSeasonPass on @AppleTV: https://t.co/mIAwgLA5CB pic.twitter.com/7g9JTPiBnX
At the time of the last update from the club, on March 3, 14 players were on the VerDos roster, with three SuperDraft picks — midfielder Valentin Noel, midfielder Jackson Walti, and defender Salvatore Mazzaferro — committing to the MLS Next Pro side. The team also includes Austin FC Academy graduate Anthony De Anda, Ugandan international Bobosi Byaruhanga, PSV-schooled fullback Cheick Touré, Hibernian FC-loaned player Emmanuel Johnson, Atlas-loaned player Alonso Ramírez and Cancun-loaned player Christo Vela (nephew of former MLS MVP Carlos Vela).
According to the club's release, "Austin FC Season Ticket Members will have access to a single match ticket pre-sale beginning at 10 a.m. CT on Thursday, March 16, with pre-sale tickets becoming available to Waitlist Members at 2 p.m. CT on the same day. Tickets go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. CT on Monday, March 20." VerDos matches will also stream on Apple TV's MLS Season Pass package.
