Well last year I didn’t think Loudoun had it in them to make it to the playoffs and sure enough the latest edition of ‘who the hell should listen to this nerd?’ reared its ugly head. Playoffs was the good part!

Much of the notable stuff with Loudoun occured off the field; things started in April with an Athletic report detailing the working conditions (more on that in a second), followed by news of a primary ownership takeover by local youth program Virginia Revolution (the second or potentially third such ownership group to assume a primary role since the team’s first season in 2019), and the mutual separation of coach Ryan Martin from Loudoun at the end of last season. So now, the team has done a lot of work.

How much work?

A bunch! With the Revolution’s interest in Loudoun, one team has become four; Loudoun has announced plans for separate presences in the USL League Two, the USL W League and USL Youth League, with teams all beginning this season.

For Loudoun United’s USL Championship side, the roster has been constructed by Alen Marcina, late of San Antonio FC and hired by Loudoun last summer before assuming a Sporting Director role in the winter, and hiring Anthony Limbrick has the team’s coach. The team has undergone a makeover, with seven returning players from 2025, and three of them were acquired during last season. Last season’s 2025 USL Young Player of the Year (Abdellatif Aboukoura) is the team’s longest tenured player, with 85 games played since debuting for Loudoun in 2021 at the age of 16.

So, what about the new guys?

They’re intriguing! Marcos Dias is the MLS Next Pro single season assists record holder, Sean Young came from the CPL on a transfer and like Aboukoura has logged a lot of time in League; his 157 appearances is the all-time leader at Pacific FC and he turns 25 next month. Attacking players such as Jack Panayotou, Richie Aman, Thor Ulfasson and Andres Souper are all new to Loudoun and all are 26 and younger. Bolu Akinyode returns with Jacob Erlandson, and they are joined by Sal Mazzaferro, Aidan O’Connor and Noah Adnan, all of whom come from good performances at MLS Next Pro sides.

So how are they going to lineup?

Hard to say; I kind of piece this between preseason closed door lineups, Limbrick tendencies and if everyone’s healthy, so this is probably wrong:

Any additional reading you want to share?

Sure! Here’s my chat with Marcina and Loudoun President Karl Sharman, and my chat with Limbrick.

Where do they end up?

Not a cop out, but I genuinely don’t know; this is not only a team with a lot of turnover (the first one Loudoun’s had this widespread since 2023), but those doing the turnover have pulled in a variety of different options from different places. In an Eastern Conference where Louisville and Charleston are #1 and 2 and occasionally flip position by mood, everyone is trying to be the best in the non Chuckletucky region. With that in mind, if:

• Dias, Mazzaferro and O’Connor can bring their respective MLSNP prowess up a level
• Souper and Ulfarsson can regain some younger form
• Young’s CPL creds translate into USLC success
• Aboukoura and Erlandson come back healthy and in their first half of 2025 form

Then this could be something sooner than later, and Marcina deserves all the praise and then some.

What were you saying about working conditions?

The USL and Players’ Association have been in talks over a new CBA for 18 months, and said document expired at the end of 2025. The players would like healthcare coverage, consistent working conditions across franchises and a bigger share of the image likeness pie. The League has been reluctant to do so, so the players have responding by standing still for the first minute of every game so far in 2026. The League has cut away from this gesture on its broadcasts, and when the players wore T-shirts decrying working standards as they walked out in the 2025 USL Cup Final, the trophy lift was omitted from broadcast. The League even recently emailed players in what could modestly be considered a union-busting gesture. Recent CBA talks included a mediator (who was recently sent away) and the PA has a vote from its players to authorize a strike if inecessary, and at the moment it appears headed that way.

How soon?

It remains to be seen; personally I was surprised games last week went off (Loudoun was due to have a game at Rhode Island, but it was postponed due to weather), and my guess it the PA wanted to give all the players a chance to demonstrate at their respective home fields. It should be noted as well that while the USLC has an expired CBA, League One does not, but the Players’ Association represents both, as well as the Super League, the Women’s Professional League equivalent of the NWSL.

The USL is due to participate in the 2026 Open Cup First Round matches next week (Loudoun is due to play at West Chester United SC Tuesday), so I’d imagine we’re coming very close to a next move.