Founder Lou Fiscella says the proposed club is building toward a men’s team in 2027 and a women’s team in 2028.
HUNTSVILLE, Texas. Iron Forest FC is building toward a proposed 2027 debut in Huntsville, with founder and CEO Lou Fiscella outlining plans for a pre-professional men’s soccer team and a later women’s team.
The club is targeting entry into USL League Two, a pre-professional league that gives college players a summer pathway while maintaining collegiate eligibility. Iron Forest FC has not announced a final home venue, ticket prices or confirmed league entry.
Fiscella described the effort as a long-term local project intended to connect players, families, students, supporters and businesses around a Huntsville soccer club. The club’s public roadmap places a crest reveal and fan shop in fall 2026, followed by a venue announcement and jersey launch in winter.
A Club Built for Huntsville
Iron Forest FC presents its plan as a new gathering point for Huntsville and East Texas supporters. Its public site says the organization wants to develop elite local talent and create a team identity rooted in the Piney Woods and the city’s community life.
Fiscella has a long connection to soccer as a player, coach and executive. The club identifies him as a former New York Cosmos Reserve Team player and a former player with the New Jersey Nationals. It also lists playing experience in Denmark and Italy, college experience at Christopher Newport University and Fairleigh Dickinson University, and coaching experience at Sam Houston State University.
That local coaching connection is part of why the proposal has a Huntsville focus. Fiscella said a club needs trust and relationships in the community before it can build a sustainable base of support.
“USL League Two is a pre-professional league,” Fiscella said. He described a future roster that could include Division I, II and III college players along with international players.
A Proposed Pathway for College Players
USL League Two operates in the summer, a schedule designed around the college calendar. Iron Forest FC says that timing would allow college athletes to play during their break while pursuing the next stages of their careers.
The proposed club’s website says it is actively working toward a USL League Two franchise in Huntsville. That language remains important. The club describes its league entry as a target, and its frequently asked questions say matches would take place from May through July if entry is approved.
Fiscella said the goal is to create a roster that combines domestic and international talent. “We’ll have a mix of domestic and international players coming,” he said.
The roster plan is still developmental. The public roadmap lists open evaluations and player signings in spring 2027. The club is collecting player information now and says it plans to send forms, dates and locations when tryout camps are scheduled.
For local players, the immediate opportunity is pre-registration for scouting. It is not a completed roster process, and the club has not yet announced dates or locations for its evaluation camps.
The Timeline for a Men’s and Women’s Team
Fiscella said the men’s team is planned for 2027. He also described a women’s team as the next phase of the project.
“In 2027 we are going to be starting our men’s team,” Fiscella said. “In 2028 we’ll have a USL women’s team as well.”
The club’s public roadmap points to four stages. Fall 2026 is slated for the crest reveal and founding-member merchandise. Winter 2026 is slated for a home venue announcement and official kit designs. Spring 2027 is planned for tryouts and player signings. Summer 2027 is the proposed opening match period.
Those dates are the club’s stated targets, not completed milestones. The venue is still being finalized, and the club says stadium coordinates and ticket prices have not been announced.
What Supporters Can Expect Next
Iron Forest FC is inviting supporters to sign up for updates about season tickets, merchandise, sponsorships, volunteer opportunities and host-family programs. The club says founding members will receive priority booking and discounts when season tickets become available.
Fiscella’s public presentation also included a possible red-carpet-style kit event with an invitation to community leaders and supporters. The club has not announced a date or venue for that event, so readers should wait for an official notice before making plans.
The next firm public milestone is the club’s planned winter venue announcement. That announcement will determine where Huntsville’s proposed team expects to play and will add practical details for supporters, players and local businesses.
Until then, the central fact is straightforward. Iron Forest FC is a proposed Huntsville soccer club with a 2027 target, a founder with local coaching ties and a stated ambition to build both men’s and women’s programs. League approval, a stadium and ticketing remain unresolved.
For readers, that means the current invitation is to follow a developing local project and wait for club announcements before treating proposed milestones as completed facts.
For club updates, player scouting registration and supporter information, visit Iron Forest FC website or their Facebook page.