WRITTEN BY CRYSTAL SANDS
With an estimated fan base of 3 billion to 4 billion people worldwide, soccer is the world’s most popular sport, and Maine’s first professional soccer team has found a unique way to embrace it. In just its second year as a professional team, Portland Hearts of Pine is selling out games and bringing an extraordinary professional soccer experience to Maine.
Founded in 2023 and playing its inaugural season in 2025, Portland Hearts of Pine is a professional American soccer team that competes in USL League One, the third tier of the American soccer league system. In its first season, the team made the playoffs and finished seventh in the league. But Portland Hearts of Pine is about more than competition — it is about bringing people together.
Gabe Hoffman-Johnson is the founder and chief community officer for the team. He said one of the main reasons for bringing a professional soccer team to Maine was to build community.
According to Hoffman-Johnson, “[It] started with a belief that soccer can bring people together in a way that’s bigger than the game itself. I grew up in it. I played, my family was around it, and a lot of what shaped me came through soccer. But the part that always stuck with me wasn’t just the game, it was what it could do. The connections, the community, the way it could create something bigger than the field.”
So far, that community connection has been profound.
The team’s home field is Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland, and tickets to 2026 home games sold out before the season even began. It seems people from the Portland area and beyond were eager for both soccer and the sense of community the sport can bring.
For those excited about experiencing a professional soccer game and connecting with others in the community, Hoffman-Johnson described what attending a home game is like. He said there is great food from local vendors. Fans can get oysters and grab a local beer. Before the game, children can play in the Kids Zone area. All the while, a packed stadium gathers to experience an exciting soccer match.
“It’s part sporting event, part festival. What makes it unique is that it doesn’t exist until people show up. Fitzy (Fitzpatrick Stadium) becomes a place to gather, to convene, almost like a town square. You’re arm in arm with people you may not know, but in that moment you’re connected. There’s a kind of shared energy there that’s hard to describe, and honestly something people are really craving,” he said.
Hoffman-Johnson added, “You see it at Fitzy, people from all over the state, different backgrounds, all in one place. If we’re doing this right, it feels like it belongs to everyone. That sense of belonging and shared experience is powerful, and it’s something that can have a real impact on how people feel connected to each other and to where they live.”
That sense of belonging may be more important than ever as many people search for real human connection in an increasingly digital world. But strong demand for connection, along with the popularity of soccer, has led to both benefits and challenges for team management. With tickets for the entire season selling out so quickly, many people who want to attend a game and experience that community are unable to.
Hoffman-Johnson said the lack of ticket availability is a good problem to have — but it is still a problem for management. Tickets for the 2026 season, which begins in June, went on sale in March and quickly sold out. Currently, both season tickets and single-game tickets are sold out, but Hoffman-Johnson said management is working to create solutions that allow more people to experience a Hearts of Pine game.
For the 2026 season, fans can sign up for “Last Chance” tickets. On the Hearts of Pine website, under “Single Match Tickets,” there is an optional form to sign up for up to four Last Chance tickets. While tickets cannot be guaranteed, for those who did not already purchase tickets, this may be the best chance to watch the team and experience professional soccer in Maine during the 2026 season.
And with the success of Hearts of Pine, Hoffman-Johnson said efforts are underway to bring women’s professional soccer to Portland, with hopes that play will begin in 2027. This would create even more opportunities for fans to experience professional soccer and the sense of community a team can bring to an area.
Ultimately, Hoffman-Johnson said it has been exciting to see momentum around Hearts of Pine build so quickly. On the field, reaching the semifinals last year was a major success. Off the field, the team has become a beacon for community-driven soccer. He said the team’s slogan, “Lead with your heart,” is not just a tagline but reflects how the team shows up for each other and the community.
“You see it in the way people talk about the club, not just here, but across the country. We’re shipping jerseys to every state and more than 30 countries. There’s a sense that this is a club people connect with, even if they’ve never been to Maine,” he said. “That’s been one of the most meaningful parts of it. You start to see Maine being recognized as a place that’s doing something different in American soccer, and that’s something we’re really proud of.”
For more information about the Hearts of Pine professional soccer team, visit heartsofpine.com.
Even if you are not able to catch a game this year, there will be community events surrounding the World Cup, including watch parties and day-of-play events. In addition to trying for a Last Chance ticket, be sure to check the team’s website early next year to purchase tickets for 2027 when they become available.