🏆 Promotion, Progress, and the Power of Place: Inside USL’s Next Chapter

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Justin Papadakis is the Deputy CEO & Chief Real Estate Officer of the United Soccer League (USL), where he leads the league’s ambitious stadium and real estate strategy across dozens of markets. A former player who came up through the Benfica Academy in Portugal before playing at Duke University, Justin shifted his focus from the pitch to the business side of the sport. After a stint in commercial real estate development and completing law school, he joined the USL full time in 2015. Since then, he has been at the forefront of shaping the league’s growth model; anchoring expansion clubs with new stadium districts, elevating fan experiences, and preparing USL for its next phase with promotion/relegation and the continued rise of women’s professional soccer.

From the Pitch to the Plan

Soccer shaped Justin early. “It transformed my dad’s life, which transformed our family’s life,” he says. A standout youth player, Justin moved to Portugal in 10th grade to join the Benfica Academy and later played at Duke University. Even then, he felt his biggest impact would be off the field. A trip to Los Angeles during the opening of LA Live sparked a vision: “That was the seminal stadium-anchored district project. We decided that’s what we wanted to do.”

When USL came up for sale, his father and a partner acquired it from Nike. Justin set out to learn the hardest part of the plan. “We knew a big part of the strategy was going to require building stadiums,” he says. “So, I went and worked in commercial real estate development for five years, did night law school, and then joined the company full time in January of 2015.”

A Real Estate Playbook for Soccer

Looking at Europe, one advantage was clear. “Clubs came endowed with stadiums that have been around for 100 years,” Justin says. The U.S. did not, but it had scale, municipal finance, and market depth. The USL’s response was to act like a developer as well as a league. “We came up with a novel strategy where the league itself would have a large real estate team and we would work with city, county, state partners for years to put stadium-anchored districts together.”

The goal was better soccer and better optics. “To be part of the conversation around top-tier soccer, we had to build proper stadiums,” he says. “Fans are used to high quality. We needed to replicate that on a slightly smaller scale.” Today, USL is “working with officials in over 70 markets to explore opportunities for new stadium developments.”

What He Is Most Proud Of

Two things top his list. First, careers. “We’re creating very high-quality careers on the field and off the field for players, coaches and front office executives,” he says. That means great stadiums, training facilities, and matches of consequence. “Promotion relegation is coming soon, along with our Division One.”

Second, fans. “Nothing happens without the fans,” he says. The USL experience is built to be elite in the stadium and on television. He also sees a uniquely American dynamic. “You can love Phoenix Rising for being in Phoenix and also love watching Real Madrid. We want your community club to deliver a great fan experience and a district that keeps the day going before and after the match.”

The 2026 Inflection Point

Bookended by the 1994 and 2026 World Cups, Justin sees a clear arc. “The United States has a very clear pathway to be one of the best soccer ecosystems in the world,” he says, citing population, corporate base, buying power, and a growing pro pathway beyond college. Expect dozens of new USL stadiums and millions more with top level soccer in their own city. “There is always a glass ceiling when you cannot see the sport at the highest level in your immediate market. When you can go there week in and week out, it changes everything.”

Promotion and relegation will tie the ecosystem together. “Just because your city has a smaller population does not mean you cannot compete,” he says. “We are tying them together, and that is going to unlock a new level of interest, excitement and engagement.”

What’s Next for USL

Justin sees the next decade for the USL defined by four major themes:

• Rapid Growth: USL is expanding faster than ever, bringing professional clubs to large, mid-sized, and smaller markets across the country. Each expansion is about building a lasting soccer culture in new communities.

• Stadium-Anchored Districts: “We’re building the largest and fastest-growing network of stadium-anchored district projects of any league in the world,” he says. These mixed-use projects combine stadiums with apartments, retail, dining and entertainment. They are designed to be destinations for fans.

• The Rise of Women’s Soccer: USL is investing heavily in the women’s game, creating professional opportunities on and off the pitch. “The incredible rise and future for women’s professional soccer is one of the most inspiring parts of what is ahead,” Justin explains.

• Fandom Through Promotion and Relegation: Promotion and relegation will be one of the most significant changes. “It ties all of our leagues together and creates something that feels very different from the other major American sports,” Justin says.

The Why

Creation and community impact. “Getting to build a sport and create new districts by building stadiums, apartments and hotels, and seeing the economic impact across the country is so rewarding,” he says. The partnership with cities is the heartbeat. “These individuals care so much about their cities. Bringing a professional club is one of those boxes for quality of life. It is your own professional sports team.”

He loves that the momentum reaches every tier. “At League Two we had an amazing final in Vermont with lines down the street. Annapolis had a record-breaking 13,400 people,” he says. “The sport is gaining so much momentum, and to be part of that is very rewarding.”

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