Professional soccer clubs Lexington SC and Louisville City FC will meet this season with a trophy on the line as Republic Bank presents the Commonwealth Cup.
The Commonwealth Cup will go to the team that wins the head-to-head series between these new rivals. The first match will be played Thursday, May 1 — Kentucky Derby weekend — at Louisville’s Lynn Family Stadium. The return game is set for Saturday, July 26, at Lexington SC Stadium.
LouCity and Lexington are working together on the Commonwealth Cup’s design. The clubs are also planning a summer service project benefitting local food pantries in conjunction with Republic Bank, Kentucky’s top-rated community bank.
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“Republic Bank is proud to sponsor the Commonwealth Cup between Louisville City Football Club and Lexington Sporting Club,” said Logan Pichel, CEO and President of Republic Bank, in a press release. “For over 40 years, Republic Bank’s ‘goal’ has been to enable the communities we serve to thrive. We aim to make that goal a reality for our clients, shareholders, associates, and communities — and to celebrate each and every goal in this epic matchup. Whether it’s the Commonwealth Cup or through other important initiatives and programs, Republic Bank is honored to be part of all the exciting action on and off the pitch in Louisville, Lexington, and beyond.”
This year, Lexington SC rose the ranks to join LouCity in the USL Championship, the United Soccer League’s top flight consisting of 24 teams across the country. The clubs’ venues are separated by roughly 75 miles as LouCity competes in its 11th season and Lexington its third.
In the event of split results this season, the Commonwealth Cup will go to the club with the highest goal differential before other traditional two-legged soccer tiebreakers determine a winner.
“Moving up the USL Championship league is a milestone moment for Lexington SC, and the introduction of the Commonwealth Cup shows how far the game has come in Kentucky,” said Lexington SC CEO Kim Shelton in the release. “Together with LouCity and Republic Bank, we’re shaping a future that puts Kentucky soccer on the national stage.”
Anticipation is building for the Commonwealth Cup’s first leg. Kickoff at Lynn Family Stadium is set for 8 p.m. on May 1, conveniently after Churchill Downs’ races that afternoon. LouCity vs. Lexington is an official Kentucky Derby Festival event with tickets and more information available at LouCity.com/Lexington.
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“Our rivalry with Lexington is something bigger than two soccer games a year,” said LouCity President James O’Connor in the release. “We’re thrilled to partner with Republic Bank in elevating the series, building a stronger city and state, and making an impact in the community through the power of soccer. The Commonwealth Cup provides a platform that unites Kentucky’s pro soccer clubs, and that will only encourage growth for the game in our communities. Of course, we’re always excited by the opportunity to lift a trophy, too. We hope to see the stands packed with purple May 1 for a massive game at Lynn Family Stadium.”
Having tested one another in preseason play the last two years, Louisville and Lexington have met only once previously for an official game, in the second round of the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. LouCity defeated Lexington, 1-0, at Lynn Family Stadium. At the time, Lexington was a member of USL League One.
ABOUT LEXINGTON SC
Lexington Sporting Club is a U.S. Soccer professional soccer club competing in the USL Championship (U.S. Soccer Second Division men’s professional soccer), and in USL Super League (U.S. Soccer First Division women’s professional soccer). The two professional teams are the pinnacle of the soccer ecosystem in Lexington that features more than 1,000 players within its youth and academy systems. Lexington SC has recently opened a 7500-seat, state-of-the-art stadium, indoor facilities and training fields.
ABOUT LOUISVILLE CITY FC
Since its first season in 2015, Louisville City has become the most successful club in the United Soccer League, with four Eastern Conference titles and two USL Championship trophies. The club is regularly among the USL Championship’s leaders in attendance, averaging about 10,000 fans per game at Lynn Family Stadium, the world-class facility LouCity shares with sister club Racing Louisville FC. The two professional teams are owned by Soccer Holdings, LLC, which oversees the LouCity & Racing Academy, with more than 1,500 school-aged children across three counties, and the charitable LouCity & Racing Foundation.
Press release provided by Jonathan Lintner, Vice President of Communications, Lou City FC
This article appears in Apr 11-24, 2025.