Fresno signs exclusive deal with USL to explore downtown soccer stadium

The City of Fresno announced an exclusive, one-year due-diligence agreement with the United Soccer League to explore building a soccer-specific stadium in downtown Fresno and to bring professional men's and women's teams to the Central Valley. City leaders named a preferred site in the Downtown/Chinatown area and described a proposed stadium of roughly 7,000 seats with room for future expansion.

The agreement begins a planning phase that will examine stadium site selection, evaluate funding options and seek an ownership group to operate the teams and venue. City officials estimated that if the process proceeds on schedule, the stadium and teams could be ready by 2028. The exclusivity clause gives the USL a year to conduct studies and negotiate details without competing proposals from other leagues.

Local momentum for pro soccer has grown after strong fan turnout at recent exhibition matches, and this effort follows earlier attempts to land professional soccer in Fresno. The new proposal plugs into broader downtown development discussions that city planners and neighborhood advocates have pursued for years, offering a catalytic project that could animate retail, restaurants and evening activity along Fulton Street and adjacent blocks.

For residents, the potential benefits include job creation during construction and ongoing operations, increased foot traffic for downtown businesses and new entertainment options within walking distance of the core. A soccer stadium also presents opportunities for youth soccer programming and partnerships with local schools and colleges, tapping into the region's large and diverse soccer fan base.

At the same time, the plan raises familiar questions about traffic, parking, and neighborhood impacts—especially in the Chinatown area—and about how public and private financing would be balanced. The agreement sets in motion technical studies and negotiations that will address infrastructure needs, permitting and community input. Those steps will determine whether the project requires public funding, private investment or a mix of both, and what mitigation measures will be required for nearby residents and businesses.

The international popularity of soccer gives Fresno a platform to draw visitors from across the Central Valley and beyond, and the USL's national footprint could create regional matchups that bring regular travel to the city. For Chinatown and downtown stakeholders, the proposal is both an economic opportunity and a test of how development can respect cultural heritage and neighborhood character.

Our two cents? If you want to shape how this plays out, start attending the public meetings and track notices from City Hall. This is the moment to make sure downtown growth benefits longtime residents and small businesses as much as it excites standing-room crowds.