The 2026 Heartland Division 2 season arrives with plenty to prove. Eight clubs spread across Chicago and its suburbs will compete in Group A, each with their own ambitions, identities, and reasons to believe this could be their year. The Midwest Premier League’s promotion and relegation structure continues to sharpen the stakes, and with only one automatic promotion spot available, the margin for error is as thin as ever.
Last season told a story of emerging order at the top. Edgewater Castle FC claimed the Division 2 crown, while RKC Third Coast II and Steel City FC rounded out the top three. But rosters evolve, confidence shifts, and new clubs enter the picture. The 2026 Group A table will be written from scratch, and every match will count.
Steel City FC returns to Division 2 with familiar resolve. The Joliet-based club finished third in last season’s standings and will be looking to convert that experience into a promotion push. Their presence in the division is a known quantity, especially with all-time leading scorer Jake Lysik, Justin Darlage, and Head Coach Nigel Dillard leading the charge. This is a club that competes hard and understands what it takes to grind through a ten-game season.
Berber City FC, based in Chicago, returns for another campaign after finishing fourth in 2025. The club has been steadily building since their MWPL debut in 2021, and each season adds another layer of experience to their roster and organization. A promotion push has been within reach, the question is whether this is the year they finally break through.
Chicago City SC also returns to the fold, bringing continuity to a division that has seen significant turnover. Their experience in the league, in addition to their large academy roster, gives them a foundation to build from as they look to push up the table in 2026.
AAC Eagles, Czarni Jaslo, FC Select, and JaHbat FC round out the eight-club group, bringing a mix of Chicago-area football culture to the competition. Czarni Jaslo is no stranger to the upper levels of this league, having competed in Division 1 in 2025 before being relegated. That experience of playing at the top flight, however difficult the campaign, brings a certain credibility and hunger to their return. JaHbat FC has already welcomed in a mix of high school and college stars, such as Joseph Munyaneza, Jonny Harwood, and Benjie Koziura, further amplifying the vast amount of talent in Chicagoland. For the others, the division presents an opportunity to establish themselves, build an identity, and begin the climb.
Perhaps the most intriguing storyline heading into 2026 is the arrival of Sueno FC from Bolingbrook, IL. The club enters MWPL competition with a dual structure from the start, fielding both a squad in Division 2 and a first team in USL2, a decision that signals long-term ambition rather than a simple one-season experiment. Sueno FC already carries notable pedigree. In last season’s USL2 competition, the club produced players who went on to the MLS SuperDraft, MLS Next Pro, Liga MX, and clubs in the Czech Republic, a remarkable output for any developmental program, let alone one making its MWPL debut.
Group A in 2026 has the makings of a genuinely competitive division. Steel City FC and Berber City FC bring experience and unfinished business. Czarni Jaslo arrive with the chip of relegation on their shoulder. And Sueno FC enter with ambition, infrastructure, and a player development record that commands respect from day one.
With only one promotion spot available and ten matches to settle the matter, there is no room for slow starts or dropped points. The Heartland Division 2 — Group A campaign begins now. Every match matters.
Feature Interview: Josh Guerra (Sueno FC)
As part of this season preview, we spoke with Sueno FC owner Josh Guerra about the club’s transition into MWPL play, the challenges of competing on multiple fronts, and what success looks like in their debut Division 2 campaign.
Sueno FC enters Division 2 not just as a new club, but as one already operating at scale, with a second squad added alongside their first appearance in the MWPL. For Guerra, that structure is central to everything Sueno is trying to build.
“Adding a second team to the club is a very exciting step. It changes things a bit, of course, but in a positive way. Having a second squad allows us to expand our footprint in the market, reach more players, and give meaningful minutes to younger players who are coming through the system. It’s about creating a proper pathway within the club, giving these lads the chance to develop in real competitive football rather than just waiting for opportunities.“
That pathway is already bearing fruit. Last season, three players from Sueno’s squad were selected in the MLS SuperDraft, one signed in MLS Next Pro, one in Liga MX, and two found clubs in the Czech Republic. It’s the kind of player development record that announces a club’s intentions clearly, and sets expectations high.
The transition from USL2 to MWPL will ask different questions of the squad, and Guerra is thoughtful about what those differences look like. “In USL2 you often see squads full of very athletic young players, many of them coming straight out of the college system. The matches can be very quick, very transitional. With the MWPL, I expect something a little different in character. You’ll likely face teams that are slightly more settled, perhaps a few experienced players mixed in with younger lads. The game might ask different questions of you – organization, patience with the ball, and managing moments across the ninety minutes.“
Competing across two competitions while integrating a second squad creates its own set of pressures. But Guerra is clear about how he wants his staff to approach it: by keeping the focus close. “Promotion is a wonderful objective to have, but you must be careful not to let it become a burden on the players. Our goal as a staff is to keep their focus on the work: the training session today, the match this weekend, doing the simple things well. Let’s win the next tackle, the next pass, the next training session.“
It’s a philosophy grounded in process over outcome, and one that reflects a club thinking beyond a single season. When asked to define success for Sueno’s debut campaign in Division 2, Guerra’s answer is telling: “For Sueno FC, success this season is about establishing ourselves properly in Division 2. We want to be competitive every week, difficult to play against, and consistent in our performances. Are the players improving? Are the young players gaining experience? Are we building a squad that believes in itself? If we finish the season knowing we’ve created a stronger football club – one that can challenge at the top – then I would consider that a very good season indeed. If promotion comes along with that, well, that would be a wonderful bonus.“