Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy's Rochester New York have pulled out of next season's MLS NEXT Pro campaign.
Vardy became a co-owner of Rochester, who were set to compete in the third tier of American soccer, when he bought a minority stake in the club in June 2021.
In a statement released on Friday night, the club revealed they were left with "no time and no choice but to decline fielding a team in 2023".
It is currently unclear whether the club will fold entirely, or just sit out a year while it continues to look for fresh investment before returning to the league in 2024.
In a long statement posted on the MLS NEXT Pro website, the club said: "It is with a heavy heart and a great sense of disappointment that we share with you Rochester NY Football Club will not participate in the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro season.
"This decision involved a great deal of input from many stakeholders including MLS NEXT Pro and was not one we arrived at lightly. Our full intention for 2023 was to reward RNYFC supporters with another exciting season of professional soccer in Rochester. Our fans turned out in great numbers in 2022, cheered loudly, and were as impassioned as the players themselves.
"Most recently, we were in advanced discussions with an ownership group to acquire a majority interest in RNYFC. However, the purchasing group decided not to proceed earlier this week as we were moving to close. This left us with no time and no choice but to decline fielding a team in 2023."
