January 22, 2018 – Los Angeles – The United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) is excited to announce FC Minneapolis as a new member starting with the 2018 Spring Season.
Based in Minnesota’s largest city, FC Minneapolis will play its home games at Gordy Aarmoth Stadium (110 Blake Rd. South, Hopkins, MN, 55343), and will begin UPSL play in the Midwest Conference.
United Premier Soccer League Commissioner Yan Skwara said, “Minnesota is a great new UPSL Market that has opened up for us as a league, and FC Minneapolis is a great team addition to the UPSL. The UPSL’s Midwest Conference is going to be one of the greatest collections of Pro Development teams assembled in recent memory, and we’re proud to welcome FC Minneapolis to the UPSL for the 2018 Season. I think it says a lot about the direction of the league, and that people believe on the UPSL’s Pro/Rel Model. We wish Ian Sendi and FC Minneapolis the best of luck preparing for the kick off of the Spring 2018 Season.”
Founded in 2013, FC Minneapolis participated in the now defunct American Premier League (APL), and was league’s champions in 2015. The team stepped away from league competition in 2017 and has received invitations from other Pro Development leagues before choosing to join the UPSL’s new Midwest Conference.
FC Minneapolis Player/Manager Ian Sendi said, “When we looked at the structure of the UPSL and how affordable it is we saw how we can provide more for our players. This allows the club to think about what else it can do, and to continue to dream and build a better product on the field and in the community.”
A native of Uganda, Sendi, 27, played for the Ugandan Men’s Under-21 National Team in Qualifying Round games for the 2012 London Olympics, and has maintained a strong relationship with the Soccer Association of Uganda.
“At FC Minneapolis our mission, our goal, is to be a pathway to professional soccer for our young kids,” Sendi said. “We believe in playing beautifully and being true to the principles of the game. We want to be a source of entertainment to the local community and also a source of inspiration for players in Minneapolis and the surrounding community to aspire to become more professional men.”
The club is working on plans for a major international friendly set for March and ahead of the start of the UPSL Spring 2018 Season.
The team soon will announce its upcoming game schedule.
About FC Minneapolis
FC Minneapolis is an American Soccer club currently based in Minneapolis, Minn., and a new member of the United Premier Soccer League. FC Minneapolis will begin play in the UPSL’s Pro Premier Division.
Founded in 2013, FC Minneapolis can participate in the qualifying rounds for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup through their affiliation and membership with the UPSL, the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) and the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA).
About United Premier Soccer League
The UPSL was formed in 2011 and currently includes more than 130 teams in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin. UPSL is the fastest growing Pro Development League in the USA, with 140-plus teams targeted for 2018 Spring Season. Each UPSL team is individually owned and operated, and is responsible for maintaining either UPSL Pro Premier Division or Championship Division minimum standards.
UPSL teams are all eligible to participate in the U.S. Open Cup Qualifying Rounds through the leagues affiliation with the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) and the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA).
More information about UPSL can be found at www.upslsoccer.com or by following the league on Facebook (www.facebook.com/upslsoccer) and Twitter (@upslsoccer).
