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Major League Soccer officially awarded an expansion team to Charlotte, N.C., on Tuesday.

The league’s 30th franchise is owned by Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper and will begin play in the 2021 season at Bank of America Stadium.

Charlotte. 2021.

You got next, @CharlotteMLS! 👑 pic.twitter.com/bSJPP0vJJX

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) December 17, 2019

“We are thrilled to welcome Charlotte as Major League Soccer’s 30th club,” said MLS commissioner Don Garber. “During the last two decades, Charlotte has experienced enormous energy and growth, which matches soccer’s explosive rise in popularity in the United States. We are pleased to add David Tepper to our ownership group and look forward to working with him and his entire organization to launch Major League Soccer in the Carolinas in 2021.”



Tepper will pay an MLS-record expansion fee of between $300 million and $325 million, according to the Charlotte Business Journal.

“The awarding of an expansion team for Charlotte by Major League Soccer is a proud moment and significant for Charlotte and everyone in our community,” Tepper said. “I’ve made clear for a long time that I have two goals as a team owner: sustained winning on the field and making a difference in the community. These will be our goals with Charlotte’s MLS team, and the work begins today.”

The addition of Charlotte caps a long period of sustained expansion for pro soccer in North America. Since 2005, 20 teams have joined MLS, some of whom have not yet taken the field yet. Inter Miami CF and Nashville SC are set to make their MLS debut in 2020. Austin FC also will join in 2021 and Sacramento and St. Louis are set to debut in 2022. FC Cincinnati joined the league in 2019, with Los Angeles FC coming on board in 2018.

Thanks for all the love 🖤#CharlotteMLS2021 pic.twitter.com/QH6Vr5NJF2

— charlottemls (@CharlotteMLS) December 17, 2019

–Field Level Media (@FieldLevelMedia)