The Previous Years
The Peoria City franchise was announced as a USL League Two expansion team for the 2020 season during a press conference Jan. 30, 2020 at the Betty Jane Brimmer Center in Peoria Heights, however, the COVID-19 global pandemic delayed the team’s debut season until 2022. Under the direction of head coach Reuben Resendes, Peoria City qualified for the 2022 USL League Two Playoffs as the runner-up finisher in the Deep North Division during its first year and returned to the Playoffs in 2024 as the runner-up in the Heartland Division. Led by head coach Mike Paye, Peoria City was selected to host each of the three weekends of the 2024 USL League Two Playoffs, winning the Central Conference Championship and advancing to the national championship game at Bradley University’s Shea Stadium.
Year Four in the Peoria City journey saw the club once again advance to the League Two Playoffs as runner-up in the newly-formed Great Plains Division, while also introducing a USL Academy U20 squad, as well as women’s teams to compete in WPSL and WPSL II.
Focused on a path to bringing professional men’s soccer to Central Illinois, Peoria City’s focus will be on its USL League Two men’s team during the 2025 campaign, while developing U20 training programs in both the men’s and women’s soccer spaces.