Birmingham Legion to host New Mexico United at Shelby County venue

Birmingham Legion FC will shift its July 24 home match against New Mexico United to Dunnavant Valley Fields, turning a scheduling conflict at Protective Stadium into a match beside the club’s training center. General-admission tickets are set at $20, and parking will be free on a first-come, first-served basis.

The club will stage the match at the Exhibition Field at Dunnavant Valley Fields, adjacent to the Legion FC Training Center at 19220 US 280 in Birmingham. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on Friday, July 24, 2026, and the game is a “Soccer in Shelby County” match presented by Coca-Cola United. Each ticket includes one Coca-Cola beverage of choice while supplies last, and the event will also feature a family fun zone, inflatables and food trucks.

Jay Heaps, the club’s CEO and head coach, said the team wants to create a close-to-the-action fan experience and give families a chance to connect with the club in a different setting. Capacity is limited because of the space at the practice facility.

The match will be the first public game at Dunnavant Valley Fields. The club calls it the first professional soccer match ever held in Shelby County. It will also be the first USL Championship league match at the site since the training center opened in 2024. Birmingham Legion FC had already trained at Dunnavant Valley Fields for the past three seasons and staged preseason friendlies there in 2025 and 2026, but those matches were limited to season ticket holders or invited guests.

The club’s training complex at 1021 Dunnavant Valley Rd. spans 9,000 square feet and includes six full-sized outdoor grass practice fields, locker rooms, a weight room, a media room, a player lounge and a physical therapy office staffed by UAB Medicine doctors. Dunnavant Valley Fields was formerly known as Sports Blast in North Shelby County.