USL Championship side Memphis 901 FC will transfer their franchise rights to Santa Barbara, sources tell GIVEMESPORT. The league approved the transfer.
The transfer is effective immediately, meaning Memphis will not continue playing next season. Santa Barbara are set to begin play in 2026, sources add. An official announcement is expected on Wednesday.
Memphis will transfer their rights due to not being able to find a viable stadium solution. Santa Barbara were set to become a USL League One expansion side but instead will join the Championship.
Sources haven’t closed the door on the Memphis market, but any potential new owners would have to pay an expansion fee or acquire league rights from another market should the city be interested in returning to USL.
The club had been playing their home games at AutoZone Park in Downtown Memphis, which is also home to Triple-A Baseball’s Memphis Redbirds. Their 2024 season ended in the Western Conference quarterfinal with a loss to Orange County on November 2.
Memphis debuted in the USL Championship in 2019.
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