Soccer in the New York metropolitan area

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Red Bull Arena is New York metropolitan area's first professional soccer-specific stadium in the modern era of American soccer. Redbull arena.jpg
Red Bull Arena is New York metropolitan area's first professional soccer-specific stadium in the modern era of American soccer.

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.

Contents

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

ClubStadiumCapacityFoundedNotes
Major League Soccer (2)
New York Red Bulls Red Bull Arena 25,1891995New York's first MLS franchise. Play in New Jersey. Won the Supporters' Shield in 2013, 2015, and 2018.
New York City FC Yankee Stadium 33,4442013Founded 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 FC Red Bull Arena 25,1892007
USL Super League (1)
Brooklyn FC Maimonides Park 7,0002024To begin play in the 2024-25 season
MLS Next Pro (2)
New York Red Bulls II MSU Soccer Park 5,0002015 New York Red Bulls reserve team. Winner of 2016 USL Cup.
New York City FC II Belson Stadium 2,1682021 New York City FC reserve team.

Amateur clubs

ClubStadiumCapacityFoundedNotes
USL League Two (4)
Cedar Stars Rush Fairleigh Dickinson University 2018
F.A. Euro Belson Stadium 2,6002013
FC Motown Ranger Stadium 1,2002012
Long Island Rough Riders Hofstra University Soccer Stadium 1,6001994
Manhattan SC Gaelic Park 2018
Morris Elite SC Rutgers Newark Stadium2016
Westchester Flames City Park Stadium 1,8451999
National Premier Soccer League (4)
FC Motown Ranger Stadium 1,2002012
FC Monmouth Count Basie Park2017
United Premier Soccer League - Premier (4)
EFA MetroLyndhurst, NJ
FSA ProHudson Sports Complex2014
Javier Velasco Soccer AcademyPerth Amboy, NJ
North Jersey Alliance FC Weequahic Park 2012
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 Academy Ramapo College of New Jersey 5,0002013
Doxa FCJoseph F. Fosina Field1,0001962
KidSuper Samba AC Baker Athletics Complex 3,5002017
Lansdowne Yonkers FC Tibbet Brook Park1,0001997
New York Athletic Club Travers Island Soccer Field 2502008Played organized since 2008. NYAC founded in 1868.
New York Greek American Metropolitan Oval 1,5001941
New York Pancyprian-Freedoms Belson Stadium 2,5001974
New York Shamrocks SC Roosevelt Island 1501960
Sporting SC Soundview Park 1502002
Zum Schneider FC 03 Randalls Island 1502003
Cosmopolitan Soccer League Division II (6)
Afghan FC NY Randalls Island 150
Beyond FC Laurel Hill Park 3002011
Central Park Rangers FC Central Park 1001999
DeSportiva Sociedad NY Randalls Island 150
FC Japan Randalls Island 1501992
FC UlqiniGreenbelt Recreation Center
Hoboken FC 1912 Laurel Hill Park 3001912
Kelmendi FC NY Randalls Island 1502012
Manhattan Celtic Randalls Island 1501998
Manhattan Kickers Randalls Island 1501973
New York Ukrainians McCarren Park 2001947
NYPD FC Flushing Meadows
Polonia Gwardia NY McCarren Park 200
Real Olé FCRed Wing Park
Richmond County FCCorporal Thompson Park2016
Stal Mielec NY McCarren Park 2002004
Williamsburg International F.C. Bushwick Inlet Park 2011
NCAA Division I (N/A)
Columbia Lions (Ivy) Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium 3,5001906First recorded game in 1870. Fielded varsity team since 1906. [3]
Fordham Rams (Atlantic 10) Coffey Field 7,0001979
Hofstra Pride (CAA)
Iona Gaels (MAAC)
LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds (NEC)
Manhattan Jaspers (MAAC)
Marist Red Foxes (MAAC) Leonidoff Field 5,0001981
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 Stadium 2,1681979Won NCAA Tournament in 1996.
NCAA Division II (N/A)
Concordia Clippers Clipper Soccer Field
Queens Knights Queens 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.

Team D1 Regular Season U.S. Open Cup D1
Playoffs
Domestic Total CONCACAF Champions League North
American SuperLiga
Total
Brookhattan 1215005
Brooklyn Celtic 735150015
Brooklyn Field Club 1102002
Brooklyn Hispano 3216006
Brooklyn Italians 0202002
Eintracht 0101001
Elizabeth S.C. 0202002
New York AO Krete 0101001
New York Americans 1113003
New York City FC 0011001
New York Cosmos (original club) 705120012
New York Cosmos (modern club) [4] 0003003
New York Greek American 0404004
New York Hakoah 3137007
New York Hungaria 0101001
New York Nationals 0101001
New York Pancyprian-Freedoms 0303003
New York Red Bulls 3003003
Paterson 1102002
Robins Dry Dock 0101001

New York derbies

There are 3 professional New York derbies:

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

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References

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