Exhibition Match · Inaugural Edition · 2026
The I-40 Derby Statesville · Hickory
Statesville's Greyhound Hollow
The Ville
May 2026
NPSL
USL
More Than a Match
A derby is local pride made physical. Two clubs, two communities, one pitch — and bragging rights that echo for years. Every great football culture is built around one. This is ours.
Two Rising Forces
Hickory FC are the 2025 NPSL National Champions — The Trees, a club that rose from nothing to the summit of American amateur football in two seasons. Statesville FC are The Herd, a new force in the Piedmont Foothills, hungry and ready.
29 Miles. Two Cities. One Road Between Them.
Statesville and Hickory are neighbors — connected by I-40 and now by something more. The I-40 Derby isn't a one-time exhibition. It's the beginning of a fixture that will define Piedmont Foothills football for generations. Mark your calendar. Pack Greyhound Hollow. This rivalry starts now.
The I-40 Derby isn't a one-time event. It's a tradition — one we're building together, for this community, for this region, and for every supporter who believes that football belongs here.
— Statesville FCThe Herd is Ready.
Pack Greyhound Hollow. Wear your colors. Make some noise.
#I40Derby · #TheHerd · @statesvillefootballclub