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North Carolina FC tells players it won’t field a team in 2026 USL Championship season

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North Carolina FC tells players it won’t field a team in 2026 USL Championship season


Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF

USL Championship club North Carolina FC has informed players it will not be fielding a team in 2026, sources briefed on the situation tell The Athletic.

North Carolina finished third in the Eastern Conference this season and hosts a playoff game against Rhode Island FC on Saturday. Sources are firmly expecting the club to finish the playoff run.

All players under contract will be released and can sign elsewhere. Any player with a guaranteed contract through next season will now end after 2025 and receive around two months’ salary.

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NCFC has been contacted for comment. USL declined to comment when approached.

The club has been owned by Steve Malik, who also owns the NWSL club North Carolina Courage, since 2015.

NCFC was initially formed in 2007 as the Carolina Railhawks. Ahead of the 2017 season, it rebranded to NCFC, hoping in part to become a MLS club.

While the USL is ambitious for the future, with a new first division announced as well as plans to become the first American soccer league to implement promotion/relegation, it is still unfortunately common for clubs to pause or fold completely.

Memphis 901 FC folded a year ago. Rio Grande Valley FC folded in 2023, as did the San Diego Loyal. Austin Bold and Reno 1868 also folded within the last half-decade.

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Thousands gather in downtown Wilmington to protest against ICE – WWAYTV3

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Thousands gather in downtown Wilmington to protest against ICE – WWAYTV3


WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY)–As many as one thousand people gathered in downtown Wilmington around Thalian hall as part of the “Ice Out for Good” protest.

This protest is one of many throughout the country to protest against ICE, after the death of Renee Nicole Good, who was shot in the head by an ICE agent on January 7th.

Organized by Indivisible Actions Southeast North Carolina, protesters surrounded the building as they waved signs and chanted across third street.

Many of the protestors held signs to not only protest Trump and ICE, but also to remember Renee Nicole Good.

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In the past week, Trump and many others say the ICE agent was just trying to defend himself, and many of the protestors disagree. Many say that Good was the victim in the situation.

“I think it needs to be a thorough investigation. Minnesota needs to be involved. There needs to be an ethical way of going about this. If there was nothing wrong, then they would cooperate. We need to keep investigating. We need to understand. I think they were way too quick to write off motivation. At the end of the day our neighbor or was killed,” said one protestor.

One other protestor says they are upset over what is being told. “That’s very disturbing to see a spin put on things when you have an actual video and then you’re propagandized about what we’re being told it was, even though we saw it was not.”

“Things could have been de-escalated by the officer,” said another protestor, believing that things didn’t have to turn out that way.

A Vigil for Good will be held outside the Alton Federal Building along Water Street. It will start at 7 in the evening on Wednesday, and it will be hosted by Siembra NC and Make North Carolina Work.

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North Carolina DL, former four-star prospect plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal

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North Carolina DL, former four-star prospect plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal


North Carolina defensive lineman D’antre Robinson plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal. He transferred to UNC from Florida ahead of the 2025 campaign.

In his lone season with the Tar Heels, Robinson made 12 appearances. He recorded 39 tackles and a forced fumble. He was also credited with half a sack.

As a true freshman at Florida in 2024, Robinson played in 11 games. He notched 16 tackles, including three for loss, as well as 1.5 sacks.

D’antre Robinson played high school football at Jones (FL), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 267 overall player and No. 27 defensive lineman in the 2024 recruiting cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings.

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This past season was legendary head coach Bill Belichick‘s first at the helm of North Carolina. UNC posted a 4-8 overall record and a 2-6 mark in conference play

In December, Belichick hired former Arkansas offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino to serve in the same role for the Tar Heels next season. In November, there was speculation that Belichick would return to the professional ranks. Alas, the 73-year-old HC quickly squashed those rumors.

“Despite circulating rumors, I have not and will not pursue any NFL head coaching vacancies,” Belichick wrote. “Since arriving in Chapel Hill, my commitment to the UNC Football program has not waivered.

“We have tremendous support from the university, our alumni, and the entire Carolina community. My focus remains solely on continuing to improve this team, develop our players, and build a program that makes Tar Heel fans proud.”

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

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Experienced former North Carolina tight end signs with Auburn

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Experienced former North Carolina tight end signs with Auburn


Auburn’s latest incoming transfer brings experience and production to what was a position of weakness last season.

Former North Carolina tight end Jake Johnson signed with Auburn on Saturday, a source confirmed to AL.com. Johnson is the third transfer tight end Auburn has signed since the portal opened, joining Jonathan Echols and Xavier Newsom.

Johnson, however, is the most proven of Auburn’s signees at tight end. He brings four years of experience at North Carolina and Texas A&M, catching 16 passes for 144 yards and one touchdown in 2025.

His best season came with the Aggies in 2023, during which he caught 24 passes for 235 yards and four touchdowns. Listed at 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds, he brings versatility to Auburn’s tight end room and may be the best pass catching option.

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With Johnson now signed, Auburn’s tight end room is now up to five players, putting the Tigers in a good spot going into the 2026 season.

The transfer portal officially opened on Jan. 2 and will remain open until Jan. 16. Keep up with all of Auburn’s incoming and outgoing transfers here.



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