St. Louis CITY2 has completed the transfer of forward Nighte Pickering from USL Championship side Las Vegas Lights FC, the club announced. The 21-year-old striker is under contract with CITY2 through the end of the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro season, with a club option through June 2027.
Player background and recent form
Pickering arrives after a 2025 season with Las Vegas in which he featured in 39 games across all competitions, scoring seven goals and recording one assist. Before joining Las Vegas he spent three seasons with Memphis 901, making 70 appearances and contributing 12 goals and three assists across competitions.
- Age: 21 (born Jan. 26, 2005)
- Position: Forward
- Professional appearances: more than 100
- Youth development: FC Dallas academy (2017–2022)
- U.S. youth national teams: appearances at U-17 and U-19 level
What the club said
“Nighte is a dynamic forward who is dangerous in the box and does a good job of bringing others into the game with his hold up play,”
The comment came from St. Louis CITY’s assistant sporting director, Ally Mackay, who added that Pickering’s experience and quality are expected to bolster the squad as CITY2 aims to finish the MLS NEXT Pro season on a positive note.
Contract and career milestones
The transfer notice reiterates that Pickering’s new deal runs through the 2026 season with a club option through June 2027. He first became a notable young professional when he signed with Memphis 901 at 17, becoming the youngest professional signing in that club’s history. His youth international experience includes appearances in friendlies against England and Morocco.
| Name | Nighte Pickering (pronounced NYTE PICK-er-ing) |
|---|---|
| DOB | 01/26/2005 |
| Height / Weight | 6'0" / 161 lbs |
| Hometown | Birmingham, Alabama |
| Previous club | Las Vegas Lights FC |
For Pickering's new club, the signing represents an infusion of a young, experienced forward into their MLS NEXT Pro roster. For local readers in Pickering, Ontario, the surname makes the item immediately searchable, but the player himself is from Birmingham, Alabama, and has no stated ties to the Ontario city in the transfer announcement.
St. Louis CITY2 will integrate Pickering into its squad as it continues competition in MLS NEXT Pro; the club highlighted his hold-up play and ability to involve teammates as key attributes. The transfer completes with the formal transaction note from CITY2 confirming terms and player details.
