Tormenta FC Leaves USL League One in 2026 | Soccer News

South Georgia Tormenta FC Will Not Field Team in 2026, Players Released as Free Agents

South Georgia Tormenta FC will not compete in the USL League One season in 2026, the club announced this week. The decision comes just two weeks before the scheduled start of the season, leaving players and fans in a state of uncertainty.

The USL announced the club would not field a side for the upcoming season in a short press release, but sources indicate the issue stems from workers’ compensation payments. According to reports, the club was unable to secure the necessary insurance to participate in the 2026 season.

The news is a significant blow to USL League One, as Tormenta FC has been a member since its inaugural season and won the League One title in 2022. The club’s absence will require other teams to adjust their schedules, with some scrambling to arrange friendly matches to fulfill season ticket holder agreements.

All 17 players who had signed or returned to the team in the offseason will be released as free agents and will receive three months of severance pay. This includes recent high-profile signings such as Sean Lewis, the back-to-back USL1 Goalkeeper of the Year from One Knoxville, defender Moses Mensah from the Birmingham Legion, and forward Lucca Dourado. The timing of the announcement presents a challenge for these players, who now face a tight window to find new clubs before the season begins.

The USL has implemented a special rule to assist affected players. Any USL League One club wishing to sign a player released by Tormenta will not have to use an international roster slot, even if the player is an international. This is expected to ease the signing process for 13 of the 17 released players, including Dourado, captain Conor Doyle, forward Yaniv Bazini, and Trinidad and Tobago international right back Shannon Gomez.

Despite the immediate disruption, sources close to the situation suggest that the club is not folding its professional men’s organization and intends to return to USL League One in the future. An announcement from the USL, in conjunction with Tormenta FC, is expected in the coming weeks to clarify the timeline for the club’s return and the future of Tormenta Stadium.

The situation has understandably created a somber mood within the soccer community. However, some local fans are being encouraged not to be discouraged, with indications that the upcoming announcement will contain “positive surprises” and potentially evoke a sense of optimism reminiscent of 2017, the club’s early years.

This is a developing story, and further updates are expected from the USL and Tormenta FC as details become available.