BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Birmingham Legion FC announced on Thursday the addition of current United States Men’s National Team and Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards to the club’s ownership group.

A native of Birmingham, Ala., Richards becomes an investor in Alabama's first professional soccer club, joining an ownership group that also includes Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame member Dominique Wilkins.

“This means everything to me,” said Richards 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.”

“We are truly excited to have 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. 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,” he said. “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 appeared for the European giants in both the Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League from 2020-22. The 6-foot-2 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,” said Richards. “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.”