The 2026 USL League One season is just over five weeks away with five new clubs joining the league for its biggest campaign yet. This week, we’re going to look at each of the new arrivals and get you prepped for what’s in store as they attempt to make their mark in the new season.

We next head to Texas, where Corpus Christi FC is one of three League Two teams making the move into the pro ranks this year with a familiar face on the sideline.

Corpus Christi FC
Venue: Corpus Christi Sports Complex (5,000 capacity)
Colors: Red, Blue, Gray

What’s the Story?

Following the footsteps of clubs before them, Corpus Christi FC joins the professional ranks this season having played for almost a decade in USL League Two. Founded by Dr. Kingsley Okonkwo, the Sharks kicked off in 2017 and produced their best campaign in 2024 when they won the Lonestar Division for the first time in their history and advanced to the Southern Conference Final before being eliminated by Asheville City SC.

The club’s move into the pro ranks coincides with the opening of its new 46-acre facility on the west side of the city. Featuring a 5,000-capacity stadium as well as multiple training fields and a go-kart track, the Corpus Christi Stadium and Sports Complex will serve as the club’s long-term home. With the hiring of Éamon Zayed as Head Coach, CCFC enters its next phase looking to make its mark.

Head Coach – Éamon Zayed

In terms of hires, bringing on board Éamon Zayed is a tremendous move by the Sharks. The affable Irish manager built Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC from scratch into a contender previously in League One, posting a 41-21-22 record across three regular seasons and leading the side to the inaugural USL Cup title in 2024. Zayed’s squad recorded both the second-most wins (41) and goals (135) in the League One regular season across those three years. He will aim for a similarly entertaining and winning brand of soccer here.

Signings to Know

Corpus Christi has made the fewest signing reveals so far of League One’s newcomers, with Patrick Langlois – who played for Zayed in Northern Colorado before joining Portland Hearts of Pine in 2025 – becoming the side’s first pro signing on January 21. Two more players with League One experience have since been added in Jackson Dietrich, Tomas Ritondale and Alexis Cerritos, with the latter coming off a season with AV ALTA FC in which he notched six goals in less than 1,000 minutes of action, while defender Jack Keaney makes the move across the Atlantic with extensive experience in the top flights of both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

What Else?

While Éamon Zayed has been brought on to lead the side into League One, the club has provided some continuity in its coaching staff with Manuel Iwabuchi remaining after leading the side for the past four seasons in League Two. CCFC also added Jimmy Gamal to its staff, with the native of Egypt bringing top-flight experience as Performance Director for Pyramids FC, which last year claimed the CAF Champions League. As the club builds toward its home opener in the first weekend in May, the Sharks have some intriguing blocks in place to build on at the next level.