PEORIA — Peoria City soccer will launch a mission to get back to the USL League 2 national championship game when it stages its 2026 season home opener Saturday, May 23.
They’ll line up against Great Plains Division rival Des Moines for a 7:30 p.m. match at Shea Stadium.
“The goal is to be better,” third-year Peoria City head coach Mike Paye said. “And to get back to that national championship game, get another shot at it.”
Peoria City has perhaps its best roster yet in the USL2.
It has a strong local presence with forward Mitch Coughlon (Washington High School), goalkeeper Joseph Heiar (Dunlap High School), midfielder Thatcher Hogan (Notre Dame High School), Kayden Hudson (Notre Dame High School), midfielder Max Matarelli (Notre Dame High School) and defender Joel McIntyre (Notre Dame High School).
Most of them are with college teams now, home for the summer to play for Peoria.
There is some impressive international talent as well, especially with a center-back tandem of Abasa Aremeyaw and Jackson Kasanzu.
Aremeyaw is from Accra, Ghana, and played as a professional last season for Gulf United in the United Arab Emirates.
He came to the U.S. in 2022 and signed with Philadelphia of the MLS. He’s stepped back to rebuild his career and climb the game’s ladder again.
“I have a passion for soccer,” Aremeyaw said. “I’m happy to be here, play here, it’s a great place for me to be.”
Kasanzu is a big personality and is from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He likes to go by his father’s family name – Simba. Yes, the meaning is lion.
“I believe this is a great opportunity for me,” he said.
There are more, from popular returning goalkeeper Sami Slimi to leadership midfielder Tommy Coughlin (University of Wisconsin-Green Bay).
It will be a team filled with strong characters and story plot lines as the summer plays out. The complete roster is on the team’s site online.
Ticket information is available online via the team as well.
The Flying Carp schedule
Peoria City is in the USL2 Great Plains Division with Des Moines, Santa Fe Wanderers, FC Ambush, Springfield FC and Sunflower State FC.
Here’s a look at the 2026 schedule:
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star senior writer and sports columnist, and covers Bradley men’s basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria City soccer is on a mission. Here’s a look at the roster, schedule
Reporting by Dave Eminian, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
