LAS VEGAS - Las Vegas Lights FC announced on Thursday it had signed defender Younes Boudadi to a one-year contract with a club option for the 2026 season ahead of the 2025 USL Championship season. The transaction is pending league and federation approval.

Boudadi most recently competed for Hartford Athletic, where he made 17 appearances a season ago after a mid-season transfer from Indy Eleven. The 29-year-old has recorded 125 appearances in the USL Championship since 2020, also seeing action for Reno 1868 FC, and has recorded 13 assists and 99 chances created in 9,519 minutes of action across the regular season and playoffs.

“We are pleased to welcome Younes to the club. He brings excellent experience to our squad with 125 matches under his belt in this league, including playoff appearances,” said Lights Sporting Director Gianleonardo Neglia. “His abilities on the field will add consistency and competition in our defensive group, but he has also proven himself to be a great fit for our locker room culture during his time with us throughout this preseason.”

Boudadi was drafted in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft by LAFC, but he ultimately joined Reno 1868 FC ahead of the 2020 USL Championship season. After making seven appearances as a rookie, he joined Hartford, where he became a full-time starter, racking up 62 appearances with four assists over two seasons.

He then joined Indy Eleven, where he also saw immediate and consistent success with 32 appearances as the side reached the 2023 USL Championship Playoffs. He remained with Indy at the start of 2024, making eight appearances before rejoining Hartford mid-season.