[2] He played for coaches Hassan Nazari and David Hudgell on the '88 Dallas Texans, and his prolific scoring touch helped lead his team to back-to-back-to-back USYSA National Championships (U17, U18, U19), as well as a Dallas Cup Super Group Victory - a feat that no other American team has accomplished in the last 25 years.

In 2006, Akpan entered Harvard University where he played on the men's soccer team, and was also a member of The Phoenix – S K Club.

Akpan made his second short-term loan switch of the season to USSF D-2 club FC Tampa Bay in July 2010.

[8] On March 28, 2013, Akpan was traded to New York Red Bulls in exchange for a conditional 2015 MLS SuperDraft pick.

Akpan was traded by New York with allocation money to New England Revolution in exchange for Saër Sène and an international roster spot on August 12, 2014.