Forward Madison FC returned for the 2025-26 season at Breese Stevens Field in Madison, Wisconsin, with a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match against Duluth FC, an amateur side from Duluth, Minnesota. Forward took the game 5-1, marking the start of a season filled with all-news for the seven-year-old club.
New players
The first, and probably most important, change for the Forward was the announcement of a new roster, filled with experienced leaders returning from injury and new stars looking to make their mark in USL League One.
Two of the most important incoming transfers for the Flamingos are central midfielders Jackson Dietrich and José Carrera-García. The players were poached from Northern Colorado Hailstorm and Central Valley Fuego, respectively, after the clubs withdrew from USL1 last season.
The ‘Mingos were left vulnerable in the heart of the field after Jimmie Villalobos’ loan deal in Madison expired. The 2024 All-League Second Team midfielder was forced to return to his parent club, One Knoxville SC, who also compete in USL1.
Another big loss in the transfer window was the club’s all-time leading goalscorer, Christian Chaney. Chaney originally left the club as a free agent, later signing with the Charlotte Independence from USL1. When Charlotte hosted Madison in league play April 11, Chaney started at his natural striker position but failed to score in a 1-1 draw.
Madison decided not to sign an out-and-out striker in the transfer window, instead welcoming the return of a familiar face to Flamingo fans, Nazeem Bartman. Bartman suffered a season-ending injury during the 2024 season after only seven appearances and will look to make a stronger impact for the ‘Mingos this season as the club’s third-highest all-time goal scorer.
The final major addition for the Flamingos coming into the 2025 season is starting goalkeeper Wallis Lapsley.
The New York Red Bulls II drafted Lapsley in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft, but the ‘Mingos acquired the Seattle, Washington, native from USL1 side Union Omaha. Lapsley replaced Philippine goalkeper Bernd Schipmann, who, in 33 matches, kept 14 clean sheets, leading the way with his 11 league clean sheets in league play.
New opponents
Starting the 2025 season, five new clubs will compete in USL1, an expansion from 12 to 14 teams.
AV Alta FC, FC Naples, Portland Hearts of Pine, Texoma FC and Westchester SC all joined League One from scratch, competing in their first-ever competitive seasons in 2025. With five new entrants, though, some clubs from the 2024 season would not return to USL1.
As previously mentioned, Northern Colorado Hailstorm and Central Valley Fuego withdrew from the league following the 2024 season and will reportedly compete in the 2025 season of The League for Clubs, a new amateur league.
But, Lexington SC, who missed the playoffs last season, finishing in ninth place, announced that they would be moving up to the USL Championship for the 2025 season after announcing the completion of their own stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.
The ‘Mingos will also face new competitors in the new format of the USL Jägermeister Cup, a competition that last year featured only USL1 clubs, but will now feature the 2024 USL Championship clubs for a total of 38 teams split into 6 groups.
Madison will start in group three and face championship clubs Birmingham Legion FC, Indy Eleven and FC Tulsa as well as League One sides Chattanooga Red Wolves SC and One Knoxville SC.
While the ‘Mingos have plenty of experience against their League One opponents, they have never faced either Birmingham or Indy before, providing all-new matchups for players and fans alike. While they have not met in USL Cup play yet, Madison faced off against FC Tulsa in the US Open Cup second round, falling 3-1.
Only the top team from each group, and two wild card teams, will advance to the quarterfinals, with the final taking place Oct. 11.
Last season, Madison made the final in the first-ever edition of the USL Cup, in its original format. The ‘Mingos topped their group with five wins, one penalty shootout win and two losses, and defeated Chattanooga in the semifinals to advance to the final against the Northern Colorado Hailstorm, eventually losing 1-1 (5-4) after penalty kicks.
Despite the heartbreaking loss in the final, Madison showed that they could compete and succeed in win-or-go-home situations, and will look to repeat their success with the 2025 format.
New league?
In what came as a shock to the American soccer world, the USL announced March 19 that they would be implementing promotion and relegation, something that fans have been calling the MLS to do for years.
This announcement came alongside the news that USL would be establishing a new Division One league, which would replace the championship at the top division in USL. While it remains unclear when promotion and relegation could take into effect in USL, the Division One league is set to start play during the 2027-28 season, two years from now.
The USL Championship and League One were mentioned in the announcement as the new level two and level three leagues in the USL structure, but USL League Two was not, which could spell the end of League Two as a professional league and the reshuffling between Division One, the Championship and League One.
USL Division One would rival the MLS as top-flight leagues in the U.S., and could eventually force the MLS to adopt promotion and relegation in conjunction with the USL system.
But, could Forward Madison eventually move up the championship or Division One? While the format remains unclear, The Athletic confirmed that Division One clubs would need a stadium with a capacity of at least 15,000 seats, which Madison does not have in its current capacity.
Season outlook
The 2025 season spells a lot of change for ‘Mingo fans, but change that is sure to better the team, the league and the future of US soccer as a whole. If the club can recreate its success from the 2024 season, finishing third in the standings and runners-up in the USL Cup, then fans can be sure that the club is set to continue to succeed even as changes occur.
