Charlotte FC brought the hype, now comes the pressure
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Charlotte FC goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina. Photo: Grant Halverson/Getty Images
When Charlotte FC general manager Zoran Krneta came to Charlotte from London more than five years ago, he stepped into a city with years of soccer history but no Major League Soccer team to rally around.
Why it matters: Charlotte FC quickly changed the city's mindset —from its party atmosphere, with more than 30,000 fans on average at Bank of America Stadium —to three consecutive playoff appearances.
Driving the news: Charlotte FC faces New York City FC in a best-of-three series in the first round of MLS playoffs.
- It's the first time Charlotte has home-field advantage, which they secured with a top-four finish in the Eastern Conference during the regular season.
- The series starts Tuesday, Oct. 28, at Bank of America Stadium.
Zoom out: As of Friday, all of Charlotte's major league teams had won their last game.
- The Charlotte Checkers, the city's minor league hockey team, made it to the finals last season. Carolina Ascent, Charlotte's top-tier professional women's soccer team, made a deep playoff run last season.
Between the lines: Charlotte's other two major league teams, the Charlotte Hornets (NBA) and the Carolina Panthers (NFL), have left fans hungry for playoff action for years.
- The city is in need of success, Krneta told reporters during a roundtable on Tuesday. "But I think things are changing," he continued. "Even if you look at our NFL brothers [the Panthers], they're doing better this season."
What we're watching: Charlotte FC hopes to make it past the first round of the playoffs for the first time in club history. They've won 11 of their last 13 matches, and they finished the regular season with their best record yet: 19-13-2.
- They'll be without star Wilfried Zaha in game one. Zaha received a second yellow (red card) in their regular-season finale.
Charlotte FC won't open the upper deck for the Oct. 28 match. Previous seasons saw the upper deck open multiple times a year, but only the home opener has featured it so far this season.
- Going forward, don't expect the upper deck to be open, a team spokesperson confirmed to Axios. The team wants to prioritize a packed lower bowl, as Axios previously reported.
- Despite keeping the upper deck closed, Charlotte ranks third in the league for average attendance, CBJ reported.
What's next: Game one kicks off at 6:30pm on Oct. 28 in Charlotte. Tickets start at $49.80.
- Game two will take place at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 3:30pm.
- Game three, if necessary, will be at Bank of America Stadium on Friday, Nov. 7, time TBD.