Soccer in the New York metropolitan area explained

The sport of soccer has a long history in New York City, beginning in the 1910s with the first iteration of the American Soccer League. In the 1970s, with the rise of the first iteration of the North American Soccer League, the New York Cosmos became one of the most recognizable brands in American soccer.

Presently, there are six professional soccer clubs in the New York City region. New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls play in the top division, Major League Soccer, while their reserve teams New York Red Bulls II and New York City FC II compete in the third tier league MLS Next Pro. NJ/NY Gotham FC, a women's team, competes in the National Women's Soccer League. New York City FC plays in the Bronx, New York City FC II plays in Queens, and the other three teams play in northern New Jersey. Brooklyn FC, a new soccer club, will be fielding a woman's team in the first-division USL Super League starting in 2024 and a men's team in the second-division USL Championship in 2025, both playing in Maimonides Park in Coney Island. A second New York Cosmos club most recently played in the third-division National Independent Soccer Association before going on hiatus in January of 2021.

The region has also hosted 27 U.S. Open Cup finals at various venues including Starlight Park, Triborough Stadium, Dexter Park, the Metropolitan Oval, the Polo Grounds and Ebbets Field. Despite this, a New York City-based club has not won the Open Cup since the 1991 final, where the Brooklyn Italians defeated the Richardson Rockets. The last time a local club reached the final was 2003, where the New York Red Bulls, then known as MetroStars, lost to Chicago Fire.

Today, major stadiums that host soccer matches include Red Bull Arena, Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, and MetLife Stadium, which will host the 2026 World Cup Final.[1] New York City FC is planning the first soccer-specific stadium in New York City, to be built in Queens and opening in 2027.[2]

Professional clubs

width=160px Club !width=150px Stadium !width=80px Capacity !width=80px Founded !Notes
Major League Soccer (2)
New York Red BullsRed Bull Arenaalign=center 25,189align=center 1995New York's first MLS franchise. Play in New Jersey. Won the Supporters' Shield in 2013, 2015, and 2018.
New York City FCYankee Stadiumalign=center 33,444align=center 2013Founded by City Football Group and the New York Yankees in 2013. First match played in 2015. Winner of 2021 MLS Cup
National Women's Soccer League (1)
NJ/NY Gotham FCRed Bull Arenaalign=center 25,189align=center 2007
USL Super League (1)
Brooklyn FCMaimonides Parkalign=center 7,000align=center 2024To begin play in the 2024-25 season
MLS Next Pro (2)
New York Red Bulls IIMSU Soccer Parkalign=center 5,000align=center 2015New York Red Bulls reserve team. Winner of 2016 USL Cup.
New York City FC IIBelson Stadiumalign=center 2,168align=center 2021New York City FC reserve team.

Amateur clubs

Club Stadium Capacity Founded Notes
USL League Two (4)
Cedar Stars RushFairleigh Dickinson University2018
F.A. EuroBelson Stadium2,6002013
FC MotownRanger Stadium1,2002012
Long Island Rough RidersHofstra University Soccer Stadium1,6001994
Manhattan SCGaelic Park2018
Morris Elite SCRutgers Newark Stadium2016
Westchester FlamesCity Park Stadium1,8451999
National Premier Soccer League (4)
FC MotownRanger Stadium1,2002012
FC MonmouthCount Basie Park2017
United Premier Soccer League - Premier (4)
EFA MetroLyndhurst, NJ
FSA ProHudson Sports Complex2014
Javier Velasco Soccer AcademyPerth Amboy, NJ
North Jersey Alliance FCWeequahic Park2012
NY Renegades FCHicksville
NYC Haiti United SCBrooklyn
Oyster Bay United FCOyster Bay
Real New York FCLiberty Park2014
Queensboro FC IIQueens
Union SCUnion, NJ
United Premier Soccer League - Division 1 (4)
Academias Barcelona SCVictory Field, Forest Park
Amigos FC New YorkLong Island2018
Astoria Knights FCAviator Sports & Event Center5,0002018
Atlas FC NYCLong Island
AYSAB Football ClubBrooklyn
East Coast FCLong Island
FC B3astQueens
FSA Pro IIHudson Sports Complex2014
FTFA GunnersElizabeth, NJ
Galo FCLong Island
Ironbound Soccer ClubNewark, NJ
LDUQ-USA Pro FC EliteMontvale, NJ
New Jersey Alliance FC U23Jersey City, NJ
NY Hota Bavarians SCFranklin Square
Rosedale Soccer ClubJamaica
Sons of Queens FCWoodside
UCFSC WarriorsRahway, NJ
Unisamba FCPaterson, NJ
Cosmopolitan Soccer League Division I (5)
Cedar Stars AcademyRamapo College of New Jersey5,0002013
Doxa FCJoseph F. Fosina Field1,0001962
KidSuper Samba ACBaker Athletics Complex3,5002017
Lansdowne Yonkers FCTibbet Brook Park1,0001997
New York Athletic ClubTravers Island Soccer Field2502008Played organized since 2008. NYAC founded in 1868.
New York Greek AmericanMetropolitan Oval1,5001941
New York Pancyprian-FreedomsBelson Stadium2,5001974
New York Shamrocks SCRoosevelt Island1501960
Sporting SCSoundview Park1502002
Zum Schneider FC 03Randalls Island1502003
Cosmopolitan Soccer League Division II (6)
Afghan FC NYRandalls Island150
Beyond FCLaurel Hill Park3002011
Central Park Rangers FCCentral Park1001999
DeSportiva Sociedad NYRandalls Island150
FC JapanRandalls Island1501992
FC UlqiniGreenbelt Recreation Center
Hoboken FC 1912Laurel Hill Park3001912
Kelmendi FC NYRandalls Island1502012
Manhattan CelticRandalls Island1501998
Manhattan KickersRandalls Island1501973
New York UkrainiansMcCarren Park2001947
NYPD FCFlushing Meadows
Polonia Gwardia NYMcCarren Park200
Real Olé FCRed Wing Park
Richmond County FCCorporal Thompson Park2016
Stal Mielec NYMcCarren Park2002004
Williamsburg International F.C.Bushwick Inlet Park2011
NCAA Division I (N/A)
Columbia Lions (Ivy)Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium3,5001906First recorded game in 1870. Fielded varsity team since 1906.[3]
Fordham Rams (Atlantic 10)Coffey Field7,0001979
Hofstra Pride (CAA)
Iona Gaels (MAAC)
LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds (NEC)
Manhattan Jaspers (MAAC)
Marist Red Foxes (MAAC)Leonidoff Field5,0001981
Monmouth Hawks (MAAC)
NJIT Highlanders (Sun Belt)
Saint Peter's Peacocks (MAAC)
Rutgers Scarlet Knights (Big Ten)
St. Francis Terriers (NEC)
St. John's Red Storm (Big East)Belson Stadium2,1681979Won NCAA Tournament in 1996.
NCAA Division II (N/A)
Concordia ClippersClipper Soccer Field
Queens KnightsQueens College Track & Soccer Field
NCAA Division III (N/A)
Baruch Bearcats
Brooklyn Bulldogs
CCNY Beavers
Hunter Hawks
John Jay Bloodhounds
Lehman Lightning
Medgar Evers Cougars
NYU Violets
Sarah Lawrence Gryphons
Staten Island Dolphins
St. Joseph's Bears
Yeshiva Maccabees
York Cardinals
CMSV Dolphins

Most successful clubs overall

Teams in italics are no longer active.

TeamD1 Regular SeasonU.S. Open CupD1
Playoffs
Domestic TotalTotal<-- LIST IS ORDERED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, IE. MOST LEAGUES, MOST FA CUPS, MOST LEAGUE CUPS AND SO ON. -->-
1 2 1 5 0 0 5
Brooklyn Celtic 7 3 5 15 0 0 15
Brooklyn Field Club 1 1 0 2 0 0 2
Brooklyn Hispano 3 2 1 6 0 0 6
0 2 0 2 0 0 2
0 1 0 1 0 0 1
0 2 0 2 0 0 2
0 1 0 1 0 0 1
New York Americans 1 1 1 3 0 0 3
0 0 1 1 0 0 1
New York Cosmos (original club) 7 0 5 12 0 0 12
New York Cosmos (modern club)[4] 0 0 0 30 0 3
0 4 0 4 0 0 4
3 1 3 7 0 0 7
New York Hungaria 0 1 0 1 0 0 1
New York Nationals 0 1 0 1 0 0 1
0 3 0 3 0 0 3
3 0 0 30 0 3
1 1 0 2 0 0 2
Robins Dry Dock 0 1 0 1 0 0 1

New York derbies

There are 3 professional New York derbies:

See main article: Hudson River derby. New York Red Bulls and New York City FC met for the first time in 2015 at the first inaugural New York derby in MLS[5]

New York Red Bulls and New York Cosmos met for the first time in 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup

New York City FC and New York Cosmos met for the first time in 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bowman . Emma . The 2026 World Cup final will take place at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium . npr.org . National Public Radio . 19 April 2024 . 4 February 2024.
  2. Web site: Waldstein . David . New York City Is Closer to Getting Its First Soccer Stadium . . 19 April 2024 . 11 April 2024.
  3. Web site: All-Time Results. Columbia University Athletics. 19 June 2015.
  4. On hiatus since January 2021
  5. News: Red Bulls take care of NYCFC in raucous inaugural New York derby. Sports Illustrated. 11 May 2015.