Austin FC has announced the signing of 16-year-old midfielder Owen Wolff as an MLS Homegrown Player for the team’s inaugural MLS season through 2025 with a one-year option.
Wolff becomes the youngest player to sign with Austin FC to date, as well as the first Homegrown Player to sign a contract.
The terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Wolff has been training with Austin FC’s first team since preseason and made his debut with the first team on July 13, 2021, in an international friendly against Liga MX side Club Tigres UANL at Q2 Stadium.
He made a substitute appearance and contributed an assist in Rodney Redes’ 62′ goal.
Prior to joining Austin FC, Wolff was part of Atlanta United’s reserve squad in 2020 and played five matches with Atlanta United’s U-16 squad during the 2019-20 U.S. Soccer Development Academy season.
He also made four appearances with Columbus Crew’s Academy U-16 team in 2018-19.
Wolff is the second-oldest son of Austin FC Head Coach, Josh Wolff.
Homegrown Player status is a classification for certain players who have participated in a club’s Player Development Program and brings with it a variety of benefits, including being automatically protected in Expansion Drafts (up to age 25). Clubs can also use the Homegrown Subsidy provided by the league to supplement players’ salaries.