Tormenta Stadium – South Georgia Tormenta FC

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43

Tormenta Stadium 100 Tormenta Way Statesboro, Georgia 30458

Year Opened: 2022

Capacity: 3,500

For the 912

In the face of a brewing storm, the ibis is the last animal to leave its home and the first to return. It was this bravery that South Georgia Tormenta FC set out to establish a professional soccer team in the heart of football country.

Founded in September 2015 in Statesboro, Georgia, South Georgia Tormenta FC began play in USL League Two, then known as the Premier Development League, hosting matches at Georgia Southern University’s Bo Pitts Field. After three seasons in USL2, the club made the jump to USL League One, the second tier of the United Soccer League system, just below the USL Championship. The move to USL1 presented an opportunity for Tormenta to grow both at a competitive level and with building their soccer-specific stadium.

Tormenta goes well beyond just their USL1 team; in true international futbol club style, Tormenta also has a women’s club and youth academy.

Food & Beverage 4

The depth of food and beverages here is somewhat limited, but the quality exceeds expectations. It would be easy just to have the typical stadium concessions, such as hot dogs, candy, and nacho chips with gelatinous nacho cheese dip, but Tormenta makes a concerted effort to provide quality food, featuring the local Sugar Magnolia Bistro & Bar including a food truck on site.

Sugar Magnolia’s stadium menu includes grilled hot dogs topped with chili, cheese, and slaw, or in any combination. Shoestring fries can have chili or cheese added, or can be topped with truffle oil instead. Chicken tenders or pizza sticks are also available. The bakery and café branch of Sugar Magnolia also has a presence, offering a collection of confections like Rice Krispie treats, cake pops, handmade ice cream sandwiches, and more.

Beverages go beyond the typical Coca-Cola lineup and include lemonade, sweet tea, and a combination of the two, an Arnold Palmer. Hot chocolate and coffee are also on hand for the chilly, early-season matchups. Alcoholic selections include Coors and Miller products, Dos Equis, and Heineken, along with Angry Orchard, High Noon seltzers, and VMC canned margaritas and palomas. The VIP section, “The Nest”, also has a limited selection of handmade mixed drinks.

Atmosphere 3

Tormenta Stadium is still a work in progress – dirt and gravel mounds still remain around the exterior of the stadium, and construction on housing, dining, and entertainment aspects that will be integrated into the stadium will soon begin in earnest.

However, what the stadium lacks in polish it makes up for in ambition. The end goal is to create a community built around the “eat-play-live” model, attracting fans to arrive early, stay after the match, or even call the surrounding development home in the apartments that will overlook the pitch at its south end. The goal is for the third phase of the development to be completed toward the end of 2026, just in time for the USL adoption of their new promotion/relegation model for the 2027 season.

Currently, seating is limited to the east side of the stadium, plus the VIP Nest at the north end. The setting sun can be challenging early for those in the stands, but once the match starts, this issue seems to resolve itself. The hot Georgia summer sun can also impact the overall comfort of the experience, but matches here are held at night, so it does help alleviate some the punishing summer Georgia heat.

The stands were designed to get fans as close to the action as possible, less than five feet from the touchline, helping to amplify the crowd’s energy. Fan engagement is strong, with halftime recognitions, youth skills competitions, and theme nights. The supporter section “Category 5” fuels the energy during the match with drums, bells, and plumes of magenta and blue smoke following Tormenta's goals, while LED stadium lights strobe in sync, celebrating with the crowd.

What Tormenta currently lacks in a physical stadium structure is more than made up for in the overall fan experience. It is easy to get caught up in the passion and care Tormenta regulars have for their team. In the future, as the stadium and surrounding development begin to take shape, it will just add to the overall atmosphere that surrounds the match.

Neighborhood 3

The current master plan for Tormenta Stadium is that it will be an “eat-play-live” community, with the stadium as the focal point. A brewery, concert venue, and apartments will tie “The Clubhouse” family entertainment center and Tormenta’s training facility to the stadium.

Besides the pitch, already completed are two phases of Eagles Corner shopping centers that include Huey McGoo’s Chicken Tenders, Eggs Up Grill, Starbucks, Crumble Cookie, and the nation’s busiest Publix supermarket. A second similar, but larger, center is further down Tormenta Way and has some food options, including Wayback Burger, Blaze Pizza, Hibachi Express Ramen, and Chick-fil-A, along with more retail shops.

If seeking more of Statesboro’s local tastes, the Blue Mile leads to downtown and is home to Del Sur, Gnats Landing, Azul Tex-Mex Express, and Dolan’s Bar-B-Que. Downtown Statesboro also has its concentration of eateries, such as Vandy’s Bar-BQ, Bull and Barrel Steakhouse, or Sugar Magnolia’s brick-and-mortar location. Alternatively, if looking to grab a drink downtown before the match, both 1910 Wine Bar and Eagle Creek Brewing Company are viable options.

For a full day or weekend in Statesboro, there is a good chance the Georgia Southern baseball or softball teams could be hosting a weekend series, which you can hit up before heading over to Tormenta Stadium.

As the development begins to rise out of the Georgia red clay that currently surrounds Tormenta Stadium, it will provide visitors with more options for food, drink, shopping, and entertainment, only bolstering the current soccer experience.

Fans 3

With a population of about 33,000, Statesboro is one of the smallest cities to host a professional sports team. That presents challenges, but it also strengthens the bond between the team and the community.

Tormenta’s supporters group, Category 5, fills a small section of bleachers along the near end line – they start beats on plastic work buckets, ring bells, and let out blasts from a vuvuzela. They do not necessarily seem to have organized chants that add another level to the fandom, but remain engaged throughout, and amp up their enthusiasm as the match reaches its waning moments.

Access 3

Statesboro is a bit of an island in the southern Georgia countryside, about an hour west of Savannah. Tormenta Stadium is just off the corner of possibly the busiest intersection in Statesboro at Veterans Memorial Parkway and US Highway 301.

Parking is available along Tormenta Way and next door at The Clubhouse, which is just a short walk away. A campus shuttle bus stop is also located just outside the venue, providing easy access from campus.

Within the facility, the bleacher sections can be a bit tight to navigate, especially the front row, but there are plenty of access points to the east side bleachers, which does make moving around a bit easier.

Return on Investment 5

Attending a Tormenta match is affordable and well worth the price of admission. General admission tickets start at $15 for adults and $5 for children, with only a modest $1.50 convenience fee per ticket. Parking is currently free, and concession prices are kept reasonable, especially considering the restaurant-quality food served here.

Extras 3

The Tormenta mascot, Bolt, is on hand to interact with kids and take photos with fans. 2022 saw Tormenta win the USL1 title not just with their men’s team, but their women’s team also won the USLW title the same year, and those championships are recognized in the stadium.

The connection to the community here cannot be understated – the appreciation the players show fans after the match goes a long way in strengthening that communal bond in representing not just Statesboro, but South Georgia and the coastal Low Country.

Final Thoughts

Tormenta owner Darin Van Tassell often refers to four pillars of international language – food, music, art, and Sport – as elements that bring people together. These pillars are woven into the fabric of the Tormenta experience: the music that will eventually energize the pregame atmosphere outside the stadium, the artistry behind the stadium’s design, the diverse food offerings inside and outside the venue, and, of course, the beautiful game itself. Together, these elements bring people from various backgrounds in a common language.

While Tormenta Stadium is still a work in progress, it is clear that as the ongoing development takes shape, it will only bolster the game-day atmosphere. However, what is most evident about the experience that surrounds Tormenta FC is the connection between the team and the Statesboro community—it is evident that the Tormenta organization is a part of the fabric of the city and is sincerely appreciated by Tormenta’s fans.

Players are lovingly greeted after the match by adoring fans as they return to the locker room, and one-time Tormenta players who left for other opportunities are welcomed back with open arms, much like family members returning home.

Stadium rendering courtesy of South Georgia Tormenta FC

At first thought, professional soccer and rural South Georgia seem to go together like a square peg in a round hole, but a visit to Tormenta Stadium quickly proves otherwise. The experience is less about the location and more about the connection between team and community, something even a casual visitor to Tormenta Stadium will notice.