Sarasota Paradise to become professional soccer team

Professional soccer is coming to Sarasota. The Sarasota Paradise, which launched as a pre-professional team in 2023, was awarded rights for a League One franchise starting with the 2026 season. 

League One encompasses 14 professional teams within the United Soccer League, billed as the largest professional soccer organization in North America. Based in Tampa, the league seeks out markets with populations from 150,000 to 1 million without access to a professional soccer club to establish League One franchises. It also looks for strong ownership groups and populations with family, millennial and diverse bases as well as corporate support and stadiums, according to its website.

“With a strong foundation and a vision for long-term success, Sarasota Paradise is ready to take this next step,” United Soccer League Deputy CEO and Chief Real Estate Officer Justin Papadakis says in a statement. “The Sarasota region has long been a hub for elite athletic development, shaped by the legacy of world-class facilities like IMG Academy and the continued expansion of Premier Sports Campus, the club's home. That foundation well positions Sarasota Paradise to grow and thrive in USL League One."

Sarasota Paradise was started by Marcus Walfridson, who will serve as managing partner of the League One team. Kenneth Bethune, a Texas-based entrepreneur and attorney, will be the principal team owner, according to the statement.

“Kenneth and I have had a shared vision from the very start of this project and that was to evolve Sarasota Paradise,” Walfridson says in the statement. “With the backing of local government officials, advisors, players, fans and so many more, I am thrilled to be bringing professional soccer to our community.” 

The Papanicholas family, which owns national construction company Nicholas & Associates, will be a minority partner, lending expertise related to facility strategies and capital improvements. The family purchased a minority stake in the team last summer. Currently Sarasota Paradise is also seeking additional investors, the statement says. 

Starting with the 2025 season, the Sarasota Paradise will play at the Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch. During its first two seasons, the team called the Sarasota High soccer field home. The 2025 season will run from mid-May through July.