1st 300 Season-Ticket Holders Through Gates to Receive Foam Carp Hat
(MAY 14, 2026 | PEORIA, IL) – The first premium giveaway item of the 2026 season has been revealed: co-branded by Peoria City and OSF HealthCare, the first 300 season-ticket holders through the gates May 23 when Peoria City hosts USL League Two rival Des Moines Menace will receive a foam carp hat.
Additional foam carp hats will be available for purchase at the merchandise stand for $12 each beginning May 23.
The May 23 game against Des Moines will be Peoria City’s 2026 USL League Two home opener and will feature two of the top clubs in the nation’s 158-team premier pre-professional league. While Peoria City (1-0-0) is ranked No. 16 in the first League Two Power Rankings of the season this week, the two-time national champion Menace (0-0-0) opens the season at No. 8 in the Week 1 Power Rankings.
Before hosting Des Moines, Peoria City will kick off a 3-game home stand with a pair of exhibitions in the CEFCU Friendlies Series: Saturday (7:30 pm) versus Midwest Premier League power BOHFS St. Louis and Tuesday (6:00 pm) against USL League Two Heartland Division member River Light FC. Both games are options in the Menace Plus One ticket offer, which provides a half-priced general admission ticket to the CEFCU Friendlies Game of the buyer’s choice with the purchase of a full-priced GA ticket for the May 23 matchup against Des Moines.
Saturday’s game versus BOHFS St. Louis is scheduled for a 7:30 pm kickoff at Bradley University’s Shea Stadium (1523 W. Nebraska Avenue). The day’s activities will begin and end at Duck’s on Farmington Road, where Peoria City players invite fans to join them for their pregame meal at 3:30 pm and return for the postgame party at approximately 9:45 pm.
The Crusens Tailgate Zone will open Saturday at 4:30 pm at Shea Stadium and the Discover Peoria Play Zone will open at 5:30 pm with an appearance by The Unique Twist & Twisting Crew balloon artist and the debut of Anglerfish Games, as well as hair styling by the team at Snyder’s Barbershop. School of Carp Kids Club members will enjoy their pregame play with Peoria City players at 6:30 and the new March of the Carp stadium entrance will step off at 7:22 pm from the concourse behind the main grandstand.
Saturday’s food truck vendor lineup includes The Daily Wrap, The Phoenix and Kona Ice. Halftime contests will include the Tennis Ball Toss with chances to win a 50” color television or gift certificates from area restaurants, the Smoothie King Smooth Kick of the Game for a chance to win free smoothies for a year and the debut of the Duck’s on Farmington Road Duck Race, featuring three contestants in inflatable rubber duck costumes racing for a $25 gift card from Duck’s.
In addition to the on-going sale of season tickets through Tuesday, single-game tickets for Peoria City home games are $8 for general admission and Shea Brigade endzone seating with The 309 supporters group, while Field Side Grandstand seating in lawn chairs on the field in front of the main grandstand is $15. New this season, the first 50 fans through Gate 4 at the northeast corner of Shea Stadium will receive free entry to the standing-room-only Community Endzone. Additional game day purchases only for entry to the Community Endzone are $5 each. Parking inside the Crusens Tailgate Zone at Shea Stadium is $5.
Peoria City tickets, as well as information on summer camps, memberships in the School of Carp Kids Club and booster club, and sign ups for the Joey Olson COUNTRY Financial Ball Chasers all are available for visiting the club online at PeoriaCitySoccer.com. For all of the latest news about Peoria City, please visit the News link within the About menu and be sure to follow all of the Peoria City social media channels – Facebook, Instagram, X.
– #UpTheCarp –