sport
Charlotte Opens New Sports Campus, Expands Youth and Adult Leagues
The new Eastland Sports Campus will add fields and courts in East Charlotte, but residents can join existing flag football and multi-sport programs immediately through established local providers.
How we reported this
Charlotte broke ground on the $67.1 million Eastland Sports Campus, a 29-to-30-acre site in East Charlotte that will feature six outdoor soccer and lacrosse fields plus a 100,000-square-foot indoor center with 10 basketball courts when it opens in late 2028.
The project matters now because NCHSAA sanctioning of Girls Flag Football has accelerated local interest in the sport, and families need places to play while the new complex is built. Current leagues already serve thousands of Charlotte players each year and operate at existing fields and community centers across the city.
Youth flag football and multi-sport entry points
Charlotte Premier Sports focuses on flag football, the fastest-growing youth sport in the area. i9 Sports has run year-round leagues in flag football, soccer, baseball, basketball, volleyball and lacrosse for ages 3 and up for more than 15 years. The YMCA of Greater Charlotte runs recreational and competitive soccer and basketball leagues that reach more than 12,000 kids annually at its 14 branches. Charlotte Youth Sports Program offers Co-Ed Flag Football for ages 4-5 and Girls Flag Football for ages 8-13, with practices at Northridge Middle School and a season of 6-8 games in the Charlotte area. Camino United, backed by Charlotte FC's Pitches for Progress initiative, has expanded its soccer program from 8 to 45 players to keep youth engaged after school.
Adult league options and costs
Adults can enter through SportsLink, which requires a $40 annual SportsLink Passport plus per-league fees for kickball, softball, pickleball and ultimate Frisbee at skill levels for players 18 and older. Stonewall Sports Charlotte, the largest LGBTQ+ sports group in the Carolinas, fields more than 2,000 players each year in dodgeball, bowling, cornhole, esports and volleyball for a $40 participation fee. Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation runs tiered basketball, flag football, kickball, pickleball, soccer and softball leagues at community centers, with summer registration handled through its website. These programs already provide the structure and schedules that will feed into the Eastland campus once it is complete.
Residents interested in starting should check the websites of i9 Sports, the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, SportsLink and Stonewall Sports Charlotte for current season calendars and registration windows. Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation lists its league tiers and sign-up details online. These steps allow players to begin competing at existing venues while the Eastland project advances toward its 2028 opening.