Charlotte FC is back on the training field this week as the club prepares for its fifth season in Major League Soccer, with head coach Dean Smith saying the team’s focus is now on turning progress into trophies.
Charlotte has reached the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, including a wild-card appearance in 2023, but has yet to advance past the first round. Smith said the club must now raise its ambitions.
“Sometimes football can be cruel, but our aim is to just keep getting better and pushing the standards that we’ve got,” Smith said. “We finished top four. Now the only way you can get better is to try and win something.”
The team began preseason training Monday and will spend about three weeks in Charlotte before heading into match preparation. Charlotte FC will host a preseason friendly against the Charleston Battery on Saturday, Jan. 24.
The MLS regular season opens Feb. 21, as Charlotte looks to build on recent success and make a deeper postseason run.
