Hogsett met with MLS on ‘path forward’ for Indianapolis soccer club

Talks to establish a Major League Soccer franchise in Indianapolis are picking up again after two years of little movement, though the city has not answered several key questions, including where it plans to construct a soccer stadium.

Mayor Joe Hogsett traveled to meet with MLS Commissioner Don Garber and other MLS executives last week to continue his pitch to secure a soccer club in the Circle City. Garber and Hogsett discussed the city’s campaign to secure financing and site plans to build a soccer-specific stadium in downtown Indianapolis, a physical asset the league has said is key for a city to be awarded an MLS franchise.

“Given Major League Soccer’s continued growth as a league, and soccer’s growth as a sport, I remain committed to doing everything in my power to position Indianapolis for success,” Hogsett said in a statement via his spokesperson.

Yet, the exact site of the future stadium remains unclear. Hogsett’s statement did not directly answer a question from IndyStar asking where the city envisioned putting the stadium following reporting by the Indianapolis Business Journal that the city is eyeing an undisclosed site near Lucas Oil Stadium.

Previously, the city had been focused on acquiring the Indianapolis Downtown Heliport and piecing together several surrounding land parcels to amass an area large enough to fit a stadium. The heliport’s decommissioning has stalled, and the Federal Aviation Administration has not given a clear timeline for when the agency will decide whether to close the heliport for good.

MLS prefers cities bidding for teams to have a stadium specifically used for soccer, and the city previously indicated it intended to build one to seat 20,000 people at 355 E. Pearl St. Stadium footprints tend to span anywhere from 10 to 25 acres.

In a social media post, Garber confirmed that he met with Hogsett and said the pair continued discussions about Indianapolis’ efforts in the meeting.

“I recently met with Mayor Hogsett to continue discussions about Indianapolis’ efforts to develop a new soccer-first stadium as part of the city’s vision for Major League Soccer,” Garber said in a post to X, alongside a photo of the two in what appears to be an MLS office. “I was encouraged by our conversation and appreciate the mayor’s leadership and commitment to pursuing a team for Indianapolis.”

Since Indianapolis leaders expressed serious goals to submit a franchise bid in 2024, Garber has shown a keen interest in striking a deal with the city, even traveling to Indianapolis to meet with Governor Mike Braun and hold court with Indianapolis politicians and tourism leaders at a Pacers home game. Garber will be stepping down at the end of the year, handing over the reins to Larry Berg as the next commissioner in 2027.

Commissioner Garber Statement About Meeting with Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett:

“I recently met with Mayor Hogsett to continue discussions about Indianapolis’ efforts to develop a new soccer-first stadium as part of the city’s vision for Major League Soccer. I was encouraged by… pic.twitter.com/NUcBqILtt3

— MLS Communications (@MLS_PR) September 18, 2026

As the state’s politicians gear up for another legislative session starting in January, Hogsett said he would present MLS, state and local partners “a path forward” in the coming weeks and months. Buy-in across the aisle is key, as the state Republican party holds a supermajority in both chambers and chairs state committees that the city needs to hear and pass vital funding mechanisms for an expensive stadium. Earlier this year, then-Senate leader Rod Bray cast doubt on the city’s stadium plan, saying “there’s not much chance” the numbers would work out.

A Professional Sports Development Area, or special taxing district to redirect taxes to pay for the cost of large sports facilities, easily passed the City-County Council and the Metropolitan Development Commission but sat off the State Budget Committee’s agenda for more than two years as the initial soccer hubbub fizzled out.

Representatives for the Capital Improvement Board, which owns and operates Lucas Oil Stadium, Gainbridge Fieldhouse and the Indiana Convention Center, did not immediately respond to IndyStar’s request for comment.

The city has not publicly identified a potential club owner, either. It can cost up to half a billion dollars to join the league and more to help pay for a stadium.

Still, through the stalls and challenges, MLS has publicly remained confident in Indianapolis’ ability to put a bid together, citing the city’s track record as a sports town.

“The city has established itself as one of America’s great sports cities, with a strong track record of hosting major events and a growing passion for soccer,” Garber said. “We look forward to continuing our conversations as the city’s plans continue to take shape.”

Alysa Guffey writes business and development stories at IndyStar. Contact her at alysa.guffey@indystar.com.

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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Hogsett met with MLS on ‘path forward’ for Indianapolis soccer club