Altidore joins Westbrook in OKC for Soccer group

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Former United States forward Jozy Altidore has joined NBA star Russell Westbrook as part of the OKC for Soccer ownership group, the organization said Thursday.

The ownership group has purchased the rights to a USL Championship team that previously was the OKC Energy. The group plans to have a team ready for a new stadium slated to open in downtown Oklahoma City in 2028.

Altidore is a two-time U.S. Soccer Player of the Year and two-time World Cup participant who has played in the English Premier League and Spain's LaLiga.

"It's rare to see a club and its pathway so deeply rooted in the community from day one," Altidore said in a statement. "It aligns perfectly with an ambition to create a world-class environment for soccer in OKC at all levels of the game."

Altidore joins a group that includes primary owners Echo Investment Capital, Altidore's business partner, Alex Lee and the Chickasaw Nation.

"We are thrilled to welcome Jozy Altidore and Alex Lee to the OKC for Soccer family," said Christian Kanady, founding partner and CEO of Echo. "Jozy brings something you cannot manufacture: world-class credibility, a player's understanding of what it takes to develop talent, and the ability to inspire the next generation from the locker room to the boardroom."