No matter where his soccer journey has taken him, Chris Richards has always kept his hometown close to his heart. That love for Birmingham has now manifested itself in a tremendous way.
Richards and Birmingham Legion FC announced on Thursday that the Crystal Palace and United States Men’s National Team star defender has joined the ownership group of the USL Championship side and Alabama’s first professional soccer club.
“This means everything to me,” Richards said of investing in Legion FC. “It’s the city I was raised in and the city that made me, so to be able to give back to it and the people who formed this soccer community around it means the world to me.”
Richards’ involvement is the latest bit of good news in what has been quite the momentum-building offseason for Legion FC. It all comes to a head for The Black and Gold when it opens its 2025 campaign in March. Fans can join in on the excitement now with affordable season packages and single game tickets available at bhmlegion.com/tickets.
“We are truly excited to welcome Chris to the Birmingham Legion FC ownership group,” said club President and General Manager Jay Heaps.
“This is a significant moment for the city of Birmingham and Legion FC as Chris will help us continue to grow the game of soccer in his hometown. Chris has shown that there is a pathway to the professional ranks at the highest levels from Birmingham and, with his involvement, we look forward to Legion FC helping even more local players realize that dream.”
Having attended Legion FC matches in past summers when he visited his family during the offseason, Richards has seen firsthand that there is a growing appetite for soccer in The Magic City. And continuing to cultivate that culture played a huge role in his decision to become more involved with the club.
“We’ve had a lot of players (from Birmingham) become successful,” explained the 24-year-old Richards who has received 23 caps and scored a goal for the USMNT. “Now with the Legion, we have a professional circuit for local talent. Being able to grow that and have kids around Birmingham and Alabama see that this is a proven model is something that’s really important to me.”
Born in Birmingham on March 28, 2000, Richards fell in love with soccer by coming up through the youth ranks with Hoover SC. After a successful stint at Hoover High School, he garnered the attention of FC Dallas, which led to him signing an academy contract in 2017 and his first professional contract a year later.
It quickly became evident that Richards’ talent on the pitch was destined for an even greater level of competition as he signed with Bayern Munich, where he would make appearances for the European giants in both the Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League from 2020-22. The six-foot-two Richards has since become a fixture for Crystal Palace both on the backline and in the midfield.
He still returns to the U.S. often for international duty and is set to feature for the USMNT when it jointly hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Now as he begins this new journey as an integral part of his hometown club, Richards has even more reason to travel stateside and is excited for what’s to come.
“What interested me is the plan that the ownership group has,” Richards said. “It’s not just to grow the club, but to grow the game in the city and throughout the southeast. I think Birmingham is a big step in that and hopefully with my help and the help of the other investors, we can make Birmingham Legion a really big name in USL.”
Legion FC begins the 2025 season at Protective Stadium on Saturday, March 8 against Loudoun United FC. The club will be celebrating all things Birmingham during the match as part of 205 Night.
Festivities include games, giveaways, appearances by local mascots, plus a special video message from Richards. Be a part of the fun by purchasing the 205 Ticket Package, which includes a VIP Club Seat, food voucher and a limited edition Legion FC branded 205 t-shirt.
