Steve Malik Is Building a Soccer Empire in North Carolina—And He’s Not Done Yet
Steve Malik, the Cary-based tech entrepreneur best known for selling his health IT company Medfusion for $43 million, has quietly become one of the most influential figures in American soccer. As the owner of North Carolina FC and the North Carolina Courage, Malik is leveraging his entrepreneurial savvy to turn the Triangle region into a serious soccer stronghold—and he’s playing the long game.
After acquiring the Carolina RailHawks in 2015 and rebranding them as North Carolina FC, Malik made an even bolder move: purchasing the Western New York Flash in 2017 and relocating the team to Cary as the North Carolina Courage. Since then, the Courage have become a dominant force in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)—winning multiple league titles and attracting top-tier global talent.
But Malik’s ambitions extend far beyond the pitch. He’s been at the center of efforts to transform downtown Raleigh with the Downtown South development—a proposed mixed-use district anchored by a $300 million, 20,000-seat stadium. Though his bid for a Major League Soccer franchise has faced hurdles, including political pushback and real estate complications, Malik remains undeterred.
In late 2023, Malik explored selling a controlling stake in the Courage to Avenue Capital founder and former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry, in a deal that valued the team at $108 million. While the deal was ultimately blocked by NWSL restrictions on private equity ownership, the attempted valuation signaled a major shift in how women’s sports are being priced—and perceived.
What sets Malik apart is his long-term vision: an integrated ecosystem where youth academies, professional teams, and infrastructure development all work in concert. It’s a model he believes will not only grow soccer in the Southeast but could serve as a blueprint nationwide.
“There’s a huge opportunity in front of us,” Malik said in a recent interview. “We’re not just building teams—we’re building the future of the sport.”
And with Cary already home to two professional clubs and a growing population hungry for live sports, that future may be closer than it looks.
