Charlotte FC recently announced that it signed Andrew Johnson ’25 to a first-team contract. Johnson’s contract will see him signed for the entirety of the 2026 season, with a club option for future seasons.
Johnson was drafted 47th overall by Charlotte during the 2025 Major League Soccer SuperDraft ahead of his senior season with the Red. During the 2025 SuperDraft, Johnson was drafted alongside sophomore Alex Harris and senior Alioune Ka.
Johnson will be the fourth Red alum to play in the MLS, behind only David Mahoney ’05, Emeka Eneli ’23 and Harris.
Before his time with the Red, Johnson played for the Philadelphia Union Academy, a youth developmental team for the Philadelphia Union of the MLS. After five years with the Union, Johnson made the choice to join MLS NEXT team, FC Delco Academy. MLS NEXT is the top-ranked amateur soccer platform in the United States.
Since beginning his soccer career at Cornell, Johnson has been a staple of the Red’s backline, starting in 17 matches and being named an All-Ivy Honorable Mention his freshman year. Most recently, during his senior year, as the Red’s defensive captain, he was a unanimous All-Ivy selection and led the team to one of the top ten best goal differentials in the country and the highest in the Ivy League.
Andrew Johnson ’25 as captain of the Red’s defensive unit (photo courtesy of Andrew Johnson).
After four years playing for the Red, Johnson acknowledged how his time at Cornell prepared him for the jump to the MLS.
“I am so grateful for the trust [the coaches] put in me, the amount of work they put in year in and year out,” Johnson said. “I am super grateful for my teammates as well, for how much they pushed me and how much they wanted me to succeed.”
The impact Johnson had on the pitch during his career at Cornell is undeniable. Multiple NCAA tournament runs demonstrate how successful Johnson’s time with the Red was.
Johnson highlighted the Red’s 2022 NCAA tournament victory over No. 6 Maryland as his favorite Red memory.
“It is definitely beating Maryland in the tournament my freshman year,” Johnson said. “It felt like the entire school was there. … We went into that game just thinking some people are still doubting us, even though we’re higher-ranked than this team. So we really had a chip on our shoulder, and winning that game was one of the coolest experiences.”
In addition to playing for the Red, Johnson has also represented Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ national team, already earning six caps for the team. While Johnson was born in the United States, most of his family is from Saint Vincent, including his parents. Johnson’s father, Elton Johnson, also represented the country on the international level.
His strong connection to Saint Vincent, alongside the hiring of an experienced head coach who previously coached in the MLS, bolstered Johnson’s interest in representing Saint Vincent on the national stage.
“I originally went for a camp and played a couple friendlies against Grenada,” Johnson said. “I did well in those and then just a few weeks later, there was the Gold Cup qualifying match against Jamaica, which was probably the coolest experience of my life.”
Signing a professional contract to play in the MLS for Charlotte FC represented the achievement of a lifelong dream for Johnson, but he does not plan on slowing down anytime soon.
Andrew Johnson ’25 preparing for his MLS debut (photo courtesy of Andrew Johnson).
“I have a really good support system, they are reminding me this is a great achievement,” Johnson said. “Obviously, you do not want to get ahead of yourself, because it’s really only the beginning of hopefully a long career. If you get too caught up in the excitement, you can fall behind a little by taking your foot off the gas.”
Johnson’s focus will now be on the 2026 MLS season, which began on Feb. 1. Charlotte will be hoping to build on its success from last season, which saw the team finish fourth in the Eastern Conference but fall short in the playoffs.
Johnson will have an entire season to carve out his place in the MLS, where he will have the opportunity to prove why he is one of the best football players on the planet.
Matthew Leonard is a member of the Class of 2028 in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. He is the sports editor of the 144th Editorial Board and was previously the assistant sports editor of the 143rd Editorial Board. He can be reached at mleonard@cornellsun.com.
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