A ‘new era’ for soccer in West Michigan as a professional team to debut in 2027 [Video]

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — Professional soccer is coming to West Michigan and will call the new Amway Stadium being built in Grand Rapids its home.

David Van Andel announced the formation of a men’s soccer team to start play in 2027. Currently the club is going by the temporary name of West Michigan Soccer with an official title still in the works.

The team is set to play in the MLS Next Pro league, the third highest professional soccer league in the U.S. Formed in 2022, the league currently has 29 teams across the U.S. and Canada. Another four clubs, including Grand Rapids, are expected to join MLS Next Pro in the coming years.

Much like Minor League Baseball, MLS Next Pro features a number of teams affiliated with a Major League Soccer club. It’s not clear if the Grand Rapids team has an affiliation.

In November, Grand Action 2.0 …