South Charlotte Today

Since its inception, Charlotte FC has focused on player development, aiming to nurture talent from local and international markets. The club's strategy is to ensure a clear pathway for players to progress to the first team.

Crown Legacy FC, Charlotte FC’s second team, serves as a crucial step before players potentially join the MLS first team. The creation of MLS NEXT Pro has provided an avenue for young talents to develop further. In its first season, Crown Legacy saw four players—Nikola Petkovic, Iuri Tavares, João Pedro, and Chituru Odunze—progress to the first team.

Ben Green, International & Emerging Talent Scout for Charlotte FC, emphasized the success of promoting multiple players from Crown Legacy. “We’re extremely proud of the work that we did,” Green said. “With Crown Legacy, to promote one player would have been a success... let alone four [players].”

Three of these promoted players have already debuted in MLS matches this season. Green explained that recruitment focuses on identifying internationals who can quickly reach the first team level.

Assistant General Manager Bobby Belair leads long-term planning efforts with a focus on roster succession from top to bottom. “From an overall standpoint, we are trying to have a roster succession plan from the top to the bottom,” Belair emphasized.

Local talents also benefit from Crown Legacy’s platform. Nimfasha Berchimas transitioned from CLTFC Academy through Crown Legacy before joining the first team in 2024.

The success of Crown Legacy serves as an inspiration for young players striving towards making it into the first team. Green stated: “It just creates a unified sense of belief that if I put in the work... I'm going to get the opportunity.”

Not all MLS teams have embraced MLS NEXT Pro like Charlotte FC has. The achievements of Crown Legacy highlight their commitment to youth development and demonstrate their dedication across Carolina and beyond.

Belair added: “It shows... we are serious about our approach for the player pathway.” He reiterated that they aim to produce talent within Carolinas.

Charlotte FC remains committed to nurturing talent and building for future successes both on and off-field with its class of 2024.

Crown Legacy's next match is scheduled against Carolina Core FC on March 17th.