 | |
| Full name | Peoria City |
|---|---|
| Nickname | The Flying Carp |
| Short name | PC |
| Founded | 2020 |
| Stadium | Shea Stadium Peoria, Illinois |
| Capacity | 3,800 |
| Owners | Peoria City Soccer LLC. Josh Bellamy, Managing Partner |
| Head Coach | Mike Paye |
| League | USL League Two |
| 2024 | Central Conference Champion, National Final runner-up |
| Website | https://peoriacitysoccer.com/ |
 Current season | |
Peoria City is an American soccer club fromPeoria, Illinois, that plays in the Great Plains Division inUSL League Two. The team's colors are Whiskey City Copper, black and Peoria City Red.[1]
The club was founded by formerK–W United owner Barry MacLean along with John Dorn[2] with then Franklin Pierce head coach Ruben Resendes serving as the inaugural head coach.[3] The club was announced as a new expansion club, set to begin play in the 2020 season,[4] however, their entrance was delayed to 2021, as the2020 season was cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[5] Their entrance was further delayed, with the team announcing in January 2022 that they would begin play in the 2022 season.[6]
Peoria City played their first match on May 14, 2022, where a crowd of 1,114 were in attendance to watch a 2–2 draw againstMinneapolis City SC.[7] On July 15, Peoria City qualified for the USL League 2 playoffs with the second seed in the division after it won the head-to-head tiebreaker against theThunder Bay Chill.[8] The team lost 3–1 in the first round of the playoffs toChicago FC United atAtwood Stadium inFlint, Michigan.[9]
In their third year, Peoria City went on a remarkable "Cinderella run" finishing the season with a record of 12-4-5 after winning four straight playoff games. Peoria was chosen to host the USL2 National Championship game which drew a record crowd of over 3,100 people. Peoria lost in the Championship final 3-2 to Seacoast United, to claim the National Runner-up.[10]
The team's first supporters group is "The 309", named for the local309 area code, which organizes fans at matches and pre-game events.[11] Games feature a family friendly atmosphere complete with food trucks, tailgating and unique entertainment at various games.
| Year | Level | League | Reg. Season | Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 4 | USL League Two | 2nd, Deep North | Conference Quarterfinals | did not qualify |
| 2023 | 4 | USL League Two | 3rd, Heartland | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2024 | 4 | USL League Two | 2nd, Heartland | National Championship Game - Runner-up | did not qualify |
| 2025 | 4 | USL League Two | 2nd, Great Plains | Conference Quarterfinals | did not qualify |
