With its inaugural soccer season already underway, Loudoun United has announced where it will play three of its scheduled home games, while construction continues on its permanent home stadium, in Leesburg, Virginia.
Loudoun United’s first “home-away-from-home” game will be Friday, May 3, at Audi Field, in Southwest D.C., against Bethlehem Steel FC from Chester, Pennsylvania.
Audi Field is the home stadium for D.C. United, the Major League Soccer team which owns Loudoun’s United Soccer League team.
“While there may have been other options, Audi Field probably made the most sense, for a number of reasons,” said WTOP’s senior sports director Dave Johnson, who is also the television voice for D.C. United. “The fan base is used to coming to Audi Field, and the operations staff is used to staging events at Audi Field.”
In addition, Johnson said playing at Audi Field will likely inspire players.
“Loudoun United head coach Richie Williams is coaching a group of players who want to one day play for D.C. United, so playing in the big stadium, Williams told me, is a motivation,” Johnson said.
Two other games — May 19 against Hartford Athletic FC, and June 28 against Louisville City FC — will be played at Audi Field.
The location of two other “home” games have not yet been announced: June 15 against Indy Eleven, and June 28 against Atlanta United 2.
According to the team schedule, the first game at Loudoun United Stadium will be Aug. 9, against Charlotte Independence.
“After playing on the road for the first two months of the season, we are very much looking forward to coming home,” Adam Behnke, Loudoun United FC Chief Operating Officer, said, in a statement. “By playing at Audi Field it helps us connect our fanbase with our parent club, shows our proud affiliation and most importantly provides our fans an affordable opportunity to enjoy one of the best soccer-specific venues in the country.”
