CARY, N.C. — Before a big match, the scene outside a Carolina RailHawks game is hardly unusual for a soccer team in second-to-last place in a second-tier professional league. At the entrance gate, interns at a folding table distribute discounted tickets bought online.
Inside the stadium, however, the mood is different. Protest banners rise from the stands, one quoting language from a federal indictment. The RailHawks, who compete in the North American Soccer League, have a loyal and vocal fan base, and it is not pleased that the team has found itself touched by a major international case of sports corruption.