Lubbock Matadors SC is a semi-professional men's soccer club based in Lubbock, Texas. Founded in 2021, it competes in USL League Two, an amateur league in the United States league system. It previously played in the National Premier Soccer League. It plays its home games at the 8,471-capacity Lowery Field.
On December 14, 2021, the National Premier Soccer League announced a new expansion team would be placed in Lubbock for the 2022 season. The ownership effort was led by former DC United and FC Dallas front office member Michael Hitchcock, along with Texas Tech alumni Brent McCarty, David Joyner, Eric Cunningham, and Lance Patton.
The Matadors announced Paul Gilbert as the team's first head coach on December 20.
The team's first game was an NPSL matchup against Fort Worth Vaqueros FC on Monday, May 9 at Lowery Field. Their first game of the season ended in a 3âÂÂ1 loss drawing in 4,239 fans for the first NPSL game in Lubbock.
On Friday May 30, 2025, the Matadors set a franchise record attendance with 6,223 fans in attendance for their home opener of the 2025 season.
Lubbock qualified for its first U.S. Open Cup in 2024 based on its league results from the previous season.
The team's home field returned to Lowery Field in Lubbock after spending their second season at Lubbock-Cooper High School's Pirate Stadium due to renovations to their typical home pitch.
The Mascot of the Lubbock Matadors is a bull named Notorious. He was officially unveiled on February 25, 2023 at the Two Docs Brewing Company, the main kit sponsor for the Matadors. Notorious has since been a key part of the marketing efforts for the Matadors both at games and at different events throughout the community.
The Lubbock Matadors' officially recognized supporters group is the Mozos. The group consists of fans that play different instruments, have chants and songs prepared for throughout the game, and smoke bombs that go off following a Matadors Goal.
The Lubbock Matadors' main rivalry is with West Texas FC in El Dustico. The two teams compete for the Golden Tumbleweed, symbolic of the two teams - who are separated by just 118 miles. On February 18, 2025 the rivalry grew more intense as the Matadors signed manager David Ormiston away from West Texas F.C. following their Lone Star Conference Championship.