Fresh off the excitement of the World Cup, the North American Soccer Expo is once again bringing a flurry of industry professionals to the area beginning this Thursday.
The three-day event, which takes place at the Vibe Credit Union Showplace in Novi, will be the site of over 1,000 soccer professions that includes coaches, club directors, administrators, educators, exhibitors, tech providers and decision-makers from throughout the game.
They’ll be on hand to provide live field demonstrations, classroom sessions, college recruiting conversations and more.
“As soccer continues to capture the attention of families, athletes, coaches, and communities across North America, Metro Detroit is becoming part of that larger story,” North American Soccer Expo executive director Paul Tinnion said in a media release. “The Expo brings together the people doing the work every day — from youth clubs and coaching educators to professional organizations, technology companies, and leaders in player development.”
As it has in year’s past, the Expo brings together a diverse group of individuals. Girls Academy sporting director Meghan Frey will have a session on the pathway for women after club soccer. Former Sporting Kansas City head coach and U.S. Soccer midfielder Peter Vermes will be hosting a Q&A session. Former U-D Mercy head coach Nick Deren will provide a field session on creating goalscoring chances.
Other presenters include US Youth Soccer’s Joel Dragan, Bobby Wood (with training company Sogility) who had 45 appearances and 13 goals for the US Men’s National Team, Dan Lock, who is Columbus Crew’s head of coaching and individual development, and many more.
The 2026 North American Soccer Expo begins Thursday and concludes on Saturday evening.