Austin FC academy facing investigation into youth-on-youth sexual abuse claims

Law enforcement officials said Monday they are investigating allegations of misconduct by players at Austin FC's developmental youth academy, which resulted in players being expelled and the suspension of team activities for the affected age group.

Law enforcement officials said Monday they are investigating allegations of misconduct by players at Austin FC's developmental youth academy, which resulted in players being expelled and the suspension of team activities for the affected age group. In a statement issued Friday, Austin FC Academy said it learned in December 2025 of allegations of “youth-on-youth” misconduct among a group of players and immediately reported it to Austin police, Major League Soccer and the U.S. Center for SafeSport. Neither the academy nor police provided details on the alleged misconduct.

Major League Soccer club Austin FC is under investigation by the Austin, Texas police department and the FBI for allegations relating to sexual abuse within the club’s academy. Multiple sources, speaking to the Guardian under the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the investigation, said that the investigation is focused on interactions between academy players.

Austin FC reported allegations to local law enforcement Multiple sources confirm the ongoing inquiries Major League Soccer club Austin FC is under investigation by the Austin, Texas police department and the FBI for allegations relating to sexual abuse within the club’s academy. Multiple sources, speaking to the Guardian under the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the investigation, said that the investigation is focused on interactions between academy players. An Austin FC club source said that multiple academy families reported the issues in question to the club. The Austin police department confirmed the existence of the investigation to the Guardian on Thursday, adding that because it “involves juveniles and is ongoing,” no other details could be shared. An FBI spokesperson said the bureau could “neither confirm nor deny” the existence of an investigation and declined to comment further. Sources at MLS and Austin FC confirmed the existence of the Austin police department and the FBI’s investigations. Continue reading...