Head Coach Oscar Pareja first mentioned FC Dallas was working on a USL side back in May. MLS subsequently confirmed the side will be a USL III team. Then in June, FCD President Dan Hunt said a USL side was coming at some point.

On Wednesday, FCD technical director Fernando Clavijo confirmed the USL team is on track and coming next season, "It's right on, it's coming. In 2019 we will have it."

According to Clavijo, some moves will be happening soon with coaching being one of the first decisions being discussed. "[Now] in 2018 we will start working on it and rosters and everything else. We are moving ahead. Hopefully soon, we can start talking about coaches and who's running it and what we need to do."

A USL team will be a big boost for FC Dallas and its prodigious youth academy. Right now there is no way for players to bridge between the academy and the senior side except for Homegrown contracts. Players on Homegrown deals can struggle for playing time and stagnate. Not to mention later bloomers who get passed over for Homegrown deals at 18 and get lost in the college shuffle.

Jesus Ferreira (#27 in black) of FC Dallas plays on loan with Tulsa Roughnecks of the USL. (Tulsa Roughnecks / Brooke Carroll)

The lack of highly competitive playing time between 18 and 23 for most players is the biggest gap in the FC Dallas system. To combat that gap, FC Dallas has sent six different players out on loan this season.

Perhaps a USL side could help FC Dallas retain more academy graduates who could later be sold for profit. That too is something that concerns FC Dallas ownership, return on academy investment.

Clavijo says FC Dallas is making a big step for the franchise's future. "[USL] is a definitely a commitment that we need to do for some of the younger players. For some of the younger players, internationals that we are trying to bring too."

The idea that FC Dallas would use their USL team for development of international players as well as their own Homegrowns, that's something new. And something for fans to get excited about.