Sporting JAX narrows possible location for a 15,000-seat soccer stadium and mixed-use district in Jacksonville

A long-planned permanent venue moves closer to a site decision

Sporting JAX, Jacksonville’s United Soccer League organization fielding professional women’s and men’s teams, has narrowed its search for a permanent home into a targeted site for a proposed 15,000-seat soccer-specific stadium and surrounding mixed-use development. The club has publicly framed the project as a year-round, community-accessible venue designed to host soccer and other events, paired with commercial and residential components.

The planned stadium would become the long-term home for both Sporting JAX’s women’s side in the USL Super League and the club’s men’s team in the USL Championship. The men’s club is set to begin play in March 2026, while the organization has been using the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium as an interim venue. Hodges Stadium seats about 9,400 and has been positioned as a temporary home while permanent-stadium plans advance.

What is known about the stadium concept

Public statements by club leadership describe a 15,000-seat, soccer-specific facility intended to function as a broader civic gathering space. The concept has included the possibility of concerts, community events, and amateur or collegiate sporting uses in addition to professional matches. The club has also described a development program that could incorporate retail and dining space, lodging, and other components typically associated with sports-anchored districts.

On the business side, Sporting JAX has disclosed that its broader stadium vision aligns with an investor-backed strategy that pairs sports franchises with adjacent real estate development. The club has also indicated that vendor discussions for non-soccer elements have progressed beyond preliminary conversations, signaling that planning has moved past a purely conceptual phase.

How the search has evolved

The stadium search has been active for more than a year, with multiple sites evaluated. A prominent early example was the former Sears property at Regency Square Mall, which local reporting previously described as one of dozens of locations under review. Later statements from the club’s representatives indicated that the Sears/Regency location was no longer being considered, reflecting a narrowing of options and shifting site priorities.

Club leadership has identified practical criteria for a final location, including visibility from and access to major highways, sufficient land area to support a stadium plus surrounding development, and a site positioned to draw from across the region.

Key items still unresolved

• Final site confirmation and land control details, including purchase terms and closing timeline.
• Entitlements and zoning approvals, which typically determine density, traffic requirements, and permitted uses.
• Infrastructure and transportation planning, including roadway access, parking strategy, and transit connectivity.
• A construction schedule aligned with the club’s previously discussed 2026–2027 opening window.

The stadium plan has been presented as a dual-purpose project: a professional sports venue and a broader mixed-use district intended to support year-round activity.

Sporting JAX has said further details are expected in 2026 as planning and approvals progress. Until a permanent site is finalized and cleared through local processes, the club’s professional teams are expected to continue playing at Hodges Stadium.