Union Omaha

Union Omaha Soccer Club is an American professional soccer team based in Omaha, Nebraska. In 2020, the team made its debut in USL League One (USL1).

History

In 2019, USL1 awarded a franchise to Alliance Omaha Soccer Holdings to begin play in the 2020 season, with former head coach at the University of Nebraska Omaha, Jay Mims, announced as the club's first manager. Union Omaha finished 2020 in second place to qualify for the USL1 championship game. However, the match was canceled due to an outbreak of COVID-19 within the team's roster.

By defeating the Richmond Kickers 2–0 in the second to last match of the 2021 season, the Owls became the USL League One regular-season champions and clinched the top seed for the playoffs. Union Omaha then finished the season winning their first ever championship, beating defending champion Greenville Triumph SC 3–0 in the final.

Union Omaha made a deep run in the 2022 U.S. Open Cup, entering in the second round and advancing to the quarterfinals as the last remaining third division team in the competition. In April, the Owls defeated Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire FC in a penalty shootout in the third round, becoming the first USL1 team to defeat an MLS team in U.S. Open Cup history. After defeating fellow USL1 side Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC, Omaha played Minnesota United FC of MLS in the Round of 16 and won 2–1. They were the first third division team since Orlando City in 2013 to advance to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals. The club's run in the competition ended with a 6–0 defeat to hosts Sporting Kansas City in the quarterfinals; approximately 700 fans traveled from Omaha to attend the match at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas.