Preseason highlights the month of March, more information on the stadium front, and the USL-W schedule was announced. Oh and the USLPA is ready to strike.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN. – Before we dive into this month’s update - we have MASSIVE news that needs to be addressed as we get closer to the season starting. As first reported by Jeff Carlisle of ESPN - the USLPA are authorized to strike after a player vote.

This has massive implications on the upcoming season - especially if there is a player strike that could delay the start of the 2026 campaign. We are less than 14 days from week 1, and the USLPA has already signified their readiness to strike.

Roster Updates - Men

As of today here are the guaranteed players set to return to the Boys in Blue in 2026 (Age, Matches with Indy):
- Goalkeepers (2): Reice Charles-Cook (31, 7), Eric Dick (31, 4)
- Defenders (8): Josh O’Brien (22, 58), Hayden White (30, 29), Pat Hogan (28, 22), Makel Rasheed (24, 0), Anthony Herbert (27, 0), Alejandro Mitrano (27, 0), Paco Craig (33, 0), Herson Berry (26, 0)
- Midfielders (6): Cam Lindley (28, 102), Jack Blake (31, 100), Aodhan Quinn (33, 77), Logan Neidlinger (20, 25), Allen Gavilanes (26, 0), Noble Okello (25, 0)
Forwards (5): Edward Kizza (26, 33),Charlie Sharp (24, 0),Dylan Sing (25, 0), Bruno Rendon (27, 33),Kian Williams (25, 0)

Indy Eleven release their new kits for 2026... I have thoughts

Ever since Under Armour was announced as the new kit supplier for the Indy Eleven in 2024, there has been nothing but complaints from Indy fans. These new kits ahead of the 2026 season continue that trend.

Season Prediction - 7th Place (East)

I believe this team’s massive upgrades in defense will bear fruit. It won’t solve their attacking problems (nor does not signing a proving goal scoring forward this offseason), but it does solve one issue - goals allowed. Indy’s defense was one of the leakiest in 2025.

If McAuley wants to get back to the highs of year 1, it starts with getting his defensive unit sorted. With the additions of USL-C legend Paco Craig, Anthony Herbert and USL-C Finals MVP and Goalkeeper Eric Dick - the pieces are there alongside Pat Hogan (if in good health), and the always flexible Aodhan Quinn.

Then we go to another problem this team had - wingbacks. Once Aedan Stanley went down with an ACL injury, it was impossible for the side to find a proper replacement. This offseason, the club signed the impressive Mitrano from a struggling Miami FC team. What I’ve seen, he will be a great compliment to McAuley’s system.

Attacking prowess…needs some more help. New signing Charlie Sharp doesn’t bring with him lots of goal scoring - but does bring a toughness and aggressiveness up front. Playing alongside the never-stopping Bruno Rendon, and the forwards look to be wearing their boots down each match. They however rely on attacking midfielder Jack Blake to score the teams goals.

The system worked in 2024 when the club secured a home playoff spot finishing in 4th and made a US Open Cup Semi-Final run. But then in 2025 they missed the playoffs entirely, got knocked out earlier in the US Open Cup and lose to Greenville Triumph of League One in the USL Cup Knockout stage at home. Who knows what to expect from year 3 under McAuley, and that’s why I feel 7th place in the East makes sense.

Results from February - Men

Preseason: Feb 1st at Chicago Fire: 0-0 Draw
Preseason: Feb 6th vs Pittsburgh Riverhounds: 3-0 Loss
Preseason: Feb 13th vs Chicago Fire II: 0-0 Draw
Preseason: Feb 20th vs St. Louis City II: 3-1 Win
Preseason: Feb 27th vs Forward Madison: 0-0 Draw

Schedule for March - Men

USL-C: Mar 8th at Brooklyn FC:
USOC: Mar 17th vs Des Moines Menace:
USL-C: Mar 21st vs Detroit City FC:
USL-C: Mar 28th at Hartford Athletic:
USL-C: Mar at Brooklyn FC:

MLS to Indy Effort Hits Wall - Heliport Stadium Dead?

News broke late yesterday from Russ McQuaid at Fox59/CBS4, that the proposed MLS stadium deal on the Heliport site is dead. From the outside looking in, we all knew it was relatively quiet on the MLS front. After a very aggressive campaign in 2024 where the City dominated headlines, they increasingly became radio silent. I knew something was going on behind the scenes - finally we have something to confirm it.

The first clue in 2026 hinting at something going on was the Heliport’s delayed closure. After being announced on Nov 14th the closure of the Heliport to be Dec 15th - the FAA received 2 formal requests to reconsider and kept the location up until after public comment ends on February 12th. Led by Indiana AG Todd Rokita and Indy Eleven Co-Owner Chuck Surack.

While Rokita’s appeal was a politically motivated attack against Indianapolis, Surack’s involvement comes from his ownership of Sweet Helicopter. Surack has used Sweet Helicopter to fly in and out of the Heliport in the past and even offered to buy the site for more than what the city agreed to sell to the Simon’s. It also was confirmed Surack’s role at Indy Eleven was purely about the Heliprot. Stating, “I got involved honestly, because I was trying to save the Heliport many years ago”.

Surack went on to say that the proposed Heliport Site is also dead in the water. Surack talked with an unnamed executive about the stadium deal, saying: just said, ‘The stadium deal is dead.’ And I think that’s partly because they couldn’t get money from the state of Indiana, so on and so forth. The governor point-blank told me, ‘It didn’t pencil,’ between the half a billion or so for a stadium and roughly the same or a little bit more for the franchise, it was hard for them to rationalize it.

While the State appears to like the idea of MLS coming to Indiana, they did not support the financial plan. There is also the fact the State appears to be focusing their efforts to bring the Chicago Bears to Gary Indiana. In a state with shrinking budgets, as long as the Bears continue to threaten with a move to Gary, Indy’s effort to MLS appears to be on the back burner.

Indianapolis was asking for roughly $250 million to help build the stadium in their $500 million total ask, but there was also issue with the rumored ownership group still not coming forward. We finally got confirmation about the suspected ownership group.

In response to a request for comment from FOX59/CBS4, Pacers Sports & Entertainment quoted CEO Mel Raines, “At the city’s request, we are part of conversations about Indianapolis’ pursuit of bringing a Major League Soccer team downtown. While these discussions are ongoing, we are committed to working with our elected leaders to explore this opportunity. As we have for decades, we will support the city and state to amplify our reputation as a world-class sports, event and entertainment destination.”

The Simon Family and Pacers Sports & Entertainment were working with the Mayor of Indianapolis to bring MLS to Downtown.

Reminder, back on Jan 12th, the City of Westfield announced their Grand Park Master Plan, which included the 10k seater “Championship Stadium”. You can see it rendered below.

It very much feels like a plan B for the Indy Eleven, who still view the Diamond Chain Site as plan A. Again, the club hasn’t officially stated anything on the matter since their original plan at Diamond Chain got shelved by the City of Indianapolis.

This article confirmed a lot of things we had already known but this is mainly from Chuck Surack’s point of view. With this and Ersal’s interview with IndyStar, the two appear to be getting their perspective out there. In both articles - the Diamond Chain Site for Eleven Park - was their preferred location for a soccer stadium. No shocker there. But it was news both said it as the Indy Eleven have yet to make an announcement on any of their intentions since Eleven Park deal collapsed.

In these two articles we have learned that the MLS stadium effort isn’t going well (no friends in the statehouse), and Indy Eleven Ownership are insistent on the Diamond Chain Site (which isn’t politically viable at the moment either). All to say, I don’t see a stadium being built in Indianapolis for at least a couple of years once Mayor Hogsett leaves. Nor do I see a MLS relocation happening.

2026 Schedule for USL-W Schedule Announced

The Women in Blue will play 9 matches in their 2026 USL-W campaign. 5 at home (4 of which come at the very end in a row) and 4 on the road (all consecutive). All home matches will be played at the Droplight Grand Park Sports Complex in Westfield, Indiana. The full schedule can be found here.

Please tune back in for April’s update.

- by Brett Mullenix