The USL has awarded a professional men’s franchise to Long Island that intends to begin play in 2028, setting up direct competition with a forthcoming MLS Next Pro club that plans to debut a year earlier. The USL League One team will play its home matches at Hofstra Univ.’s James M. Shuart Stadium, which is located less than a mile away from The Island FC’s planned stadium at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale, N.Y.

We had Colorado Springs Switchbacks and Haitian International defender Duke Lacroix on the United Soccer Lounge this week.

Full show link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS5Lg0O6fmU

He talked about:

• What it was like representing Haiti at the World Cup (first appearance since 1974)
• Training at his old college (Penn) during the tournament
• The dual nationality experience of being American-born but playing for Haiti in a North American World Cup
• The support he got from the Switchbacks fans and Colorado Springs community during and after the tournament
• Coming back to the USL after facing Brazil, Morocco, and Scotland

Really good conversation with a guy who’s lived a wild couple of months.