Austin FC has announced the signing of defender Riley Thomas to a short-term agreement from its MLS NEXT Pro affiliate, Austin FC II. This marks Thomas's fourth and final short-term contract this season. He will be available for selection in Austin's upcoming MLS match against Portland on Saturday, April 5 at Q2 Stadium.
Thomas joined Austin FC last December through the MLS SuperDraft. Since then, he has participated in two MLS NEXT Pro matches, playing full games in ATXFC II’s 4-2 victory over Colorado Rapids 2 and a 0-0 draw with St. Louis City 2. Additionally, Thomas was on the bench for Austin FC’s last three MLS matches.
A graduate of the University of North Carolina, Thomas played in 86 matches over five seasons at UNC, starting in 85 of them. In 2024, he was recognized as a United Soccer Coaches Third Team All-American.
According to the "2025 MLS Roster Rules and Regulations," clubs can sign players aged 25 or younger from their affiliates to a maximum of four short-term agreements each season. These contracts can last up to four days each, with a total maximum duration of 16 days per season. Players signed under these agreements can be included on up to four MLS league match rosters per season but are limited to appearing in no more than two league matches. However, they may participate in any number of non-league games during their short-term agreements.
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