Austin FC Academy players are being investigated for allegations of sexual abuse in the club’s youth section.
The investigation is being conducted by the Austin Police Department and the FBI.
Austin FC Academy said in a statement that it first learned of the youth-on-youth misconduct allegations occurring amongst Academy players in December 2025.
The soccer team said after learning about these issues from families connected to the players, they “suspended and expelled players, in coordination with MLS and law enforcement.”
They also reported the allegations to local enforcement, notified the U.S. Center for SafeSport and MLS, provided resources to parents and families and initiated an internal investigation with MLS on the alleged misconduct.
The academy said they suspended all activities for the affected age group while everything was beginning to be investigated.
“Austin FC Academy prioritizes the health and safety of our youth players above everything else,” the statement said. “We continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement throughout its ongoing investigation.”
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Austin Police confirmed the investigation was happening to the Guardian and other news outlets.
“We can confirm there is an active investigation in relation to this. However, the investigation involves juveniles and remains ongoing, so at this time, we are not sharing further information,” police said.
The Austin FC Academy has five teams, ranging U-13 through U-18, that are a part of the MLS Next league.
There’s at least 100 players involved with the program, which is overseen by a separate coaching staff and leadership structure from the senior team.
