TULSA, Okla. (July 17, 2026) – FC Tulsa announced today that it has signed defender Joel Sangwa to a 25-day contract, pending league and federation approval. He will be available for selection on Saturday, July 18 against El Paso Locomotive FC.
“We’re excited to welcome Joel to Tulsa,” said General Manager and Sporting Director Caleb Sewell. “He’s no stranger to our environment, having trained with us previously, so he already understands what we’re building and what’s expected day to day. With the injury situation we’re currently navigating, this is a real opportunity for him to step in and make an impact, and we’re confident he’ll take it with both hands.”
Sangwa arrives in Oklahoma after playing 719 minutes for FC Tucson in USL League Two in 2026. There, he helped FC Tucson finish second in the Southwest Division while anchoring a back line that allowed just 0.92 goals per match.
Prior to this, the 27-year-old featured for Huntsville City FC, the MLS Next Pro side for Nashville SC, in 2024. Across 22 matches and 13 starts, he recorded a goal and an assist while leading the side with 65% accuracy on long balls.
Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Sangwa began his collegiate career at Iowa Western Community College where he helped win the NJCAA National Championship in 2021. He then transferred to Akron where he started all 38 matches across his final two years of eligibility with 17 of those being shutouts.
2026 FC Tulsa Roster (as of July 17, 2026):
Goalkeeper (4): Noah Adams*, Triston Henry, Dane Jacomen, Alexander Tambakis
Defender (9): Lamar Batista, Ian Carlo Souza Daniel, Abdoulaye Cissoko, Alonzo Clarke, Owen Damm, Delentz Pierre, Grant Robinson, Joel Sangwa^, Lucas Stauffer, Harvey St Clair
Midfielder (7): Marcos Cerato, Giordano Colli, Boubacar Diallo, Jeorgio Kocevski, Zion Siranga*, Bailey Sparks, Jamie Webber
Forward (6): Remi Cabral, Kalil ElMedkhar, Bruno Lapa, Stefan Lukic, Nelson Pierre, Logan Dorsey
*USL Academy signing | ^25-Day contract
FC Tulsa is back in action at ONEOK Field on Saturday, July 18 as it takes on El Paso Locomotive FC at 7:30 p.m. in a Western Conference clash. Tickets are available at fctulsa.com/tickets or by calling 918-727-2231. The match will be broadcast on My41 and streamed on ESPN+.
