Charlotte FC waive former No. 1 pick Ben Bender

Field Level Media|published: Fri 25th April, 13:57 2025

Apr 1, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Charlotte FC midfielder Ben Bender (15) heads the ball over Toronto FC midfielder Brandon Servania (23) in the first half at BMO Field. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Charlotte FC waived midfielder Ben Bender, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 draft, on Friday.

Bender, 24, tallied eight goals and eight assists in 61 appearances across all competitions with the club.

He played most of 2024 with USL Championship side Tampa Bay and has not appeared in an MLS match in 2025.

"Ben has been with us since our inaugural season, and we're thankful for all his contributions to the club over the past four years," general manager Zoran Krneta said. "His playing time has decreased over the past two seasons, and he found it difficult to break into the team. Consistent minutes are crucial to development as a young player, so we believe this move is in the best interest of both parties.

Krneta said the team needed the roster space in order to shore up its defense due to injuries to two of four fullbacks.

--Field Level Media