Hickory FC, founded in 2023, winners of NPSL in 2025, then moved to USL League 2 in 2026. The North Carolina-based club is headed in an upward trajectory and Jonathan Rink, VP of Operations, was able to answer our questions.

Tell us the origin story of Hickory FC - when was it founded? By whom and what is its mission?
Hickory FC was founded in 2023 following conversations that began in late 2022 about the need for a high-level pre-professional soccer club in the Hickory and Catawba Valley area. The club was founded by a diverse local ownership group with strong ties to both the business community and the game of soccer.

From the beginning, the mission was bigger than simply putting a team on the field. We wanted to build a club that Hickory could be proud of, provide players with an opportunity to pursue their soccer dreams, and use the club as a platform to positively impact the community. Our guiding principles are Family, Community and Football, and those remain at the heart of everything we do.

Tell us about your badge and colors – how does it connect to the community?
Our badge is one of the strongest representations of our connection to Hickory. The centerpiece of the crest is the hickory tree, while the railroad-inspired border represents the important role the railroad played in the growth and development of our city.

Hickory itself gets its name from Hickory Tavern, a log structure built beneath a large hickory tree in the 1850s. The railroad then helped transform Hickory into a thriving destination and community. We wanted our badge to tell that story and represent the roots from which our community has grown.

The crest was unveiled in 2024 and has remained the club's badge since then.

What league or leagues does your club participate in and why did you choose those to join?
Hickory FC currently competes in USL League Two, joining the league for the 2026 season after spending our first two seasons in the National Premier Soccer League.

Our move to USL League Two was a natural next step in the growth of the club. After winning the NPSL National Championship in 2025, we felt it was important to continue raising the club's profile while providing an even stronger platform for our players.

USL League Two provides a pathway for players looking to continue their development and pursue opportunities at the next level. For us, it was about elevating the level of the sport in our region while remaining true to our commitment to family, community and excellence.

How does the club cover its costs, and how can people support you?
Like most clubs at our level, Hickory FC operates through a combination of ticket sales, corporate sponsorships and partnerships, game-day revenue, and merchandise sales. Merchandise is an important part of the club, but our biggest supporters are the businesses and fans who invest in Hickory FC throughout the year.

The best ways for people to support the club are to purchase season tickets, attend matches, purchase merchandise, become a corporate sponsor, or partner with us on community initiatives. Every ticket purchased and every partnership established helps us continue to grow the club, cover the costs of competing at a high level and create a great experience for our players and supporters.

At the end of the day, our goal is to build a sustainable club that is supported by the entire community.

How did you finish last year and what are your goals for next season?
In our first season in USL League Two, we narrowly missed the playoffs by one point. While it was disappointing to come up just short, the season provided our club with a tremendous amount of valuable experience and lessons that we will carry into our second year in the league.

Our goal for Year Two is simple: come back stronger, more prepared and hungrier than ever. We want to compete for a division championship, a conference championship and ultimately a USL League Two National Championship. We know what it takes to compete at this level, and we are excited to use what we learned in our inaugural season to take the next step as a club.

How does Hickory FC participate in or give back to their community?
Community is one of the foundations of Hickory FC. We view ourselves as more than a soccer team—we want our players and staff to be ambassadors for the game and for the Catawba Valley.

Throughout the year, we participate in community events, charitable programs, school and business events, and partnerships with local organizations. We also work closely with local businesses and nonprofits to use the club's platform to support causes that are important to our community.

Our players are especially important to this effort. Having young players from around the world come to Hickory gives us an opportunity to introduce them to our community while also allowing them to serve as positive role models for local youth. Our goal is to make sure that when people think about Hickory FC, they think not only about what happens on the field, but also about the positive impact the club has throughout the year.

If there were one or two teams, within a 100 miles of you, to play a friendly against – who would you play and why?
We are fortunate to be located in an area with an incredible number of quality soccer clubs and organizations within a 100-mile radius of Hickory. Between NPSL clubs, USL League Two, USL League One, MLS NEXT and MLS NEXT Pro, there are numerous teams that would make for exciting and competitive friendly opportunities.

Teams such as Statesville FC, Mint Hill FC, Charlotte Independence, Carolina Core FC, Crown Legacy FC and many other programs throughout the Charlotte and Triad areas give us a tremendous pool of potential opponents. We also have established relationships and rivalries with clubs like Appalachian FC and Asheville City within our own USL League Two division.

One great thing about being based in Hickory is that we don't have to look far to find quality soccer. The region has continued to grow as a soccer market, and we are fortunate to be surrounded by clubs at so many different levels of the game. That gives Hickory FC the opportunity to play a variety of competitive friendlies, build relationships with other clubs and showcase the quality of soccer being played throughout North Carolina.

Follow Hickory FC on Instagram HERE