Miami FC

History

North American Soccer League

The club was announced on May 20, 2015, as the 12th North American Soccer League franchise with plans to begin play in the 2016 season and later confirmed it would play out of Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium on the campus of Florida International University. The team, co-owned by media entrepreneur Riccardo Silva and former Italy national team defender Paolo Maldini, came only one year after former England national team star and Major League Soccer legend David Beckham announced his intent to launch an MLS team in the city.

In September 2015, Alessandro Nesta was appointed as the club's first coach. On November 20, 2015, Italian sportswear company Macron were announced as the club's kit suppliers on a three-year deal.

Nesta resigned as coach following the completion of the 2017 season, on November 17.[[File:Miami FC 2.png|thumb|100px|Miami FC 2 logo]]

National Premier Soccer League and 'Miami FC 2'

In January 2018, following the suspension and later cancellation of the 2018 NASL season, the organization announced the creation of "The Miami FC 2" in the National Premier Soccer League with 12 members of its 2017 NASL roster. The intention was for Miami FC's players to play with Miami FC 2 while waiting for the NASL's proposed winter schedule to take effect. The team hired Paul Dalglish as the new head coach on January 25. The team played its home matches at its former training grounds on the campus of St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens.

The team went on to dominate the regular season in the NPSL's Sunshine Conference. Only one loss to Jacksonville Armada FC in the regular season led the team to finish top of the table and in the conference playoffs the beat the Armada, 3–1, to win its first NPSL trophy. After advancing in the national playoffs, including winning the NPSL South Region, Miami FC 2 won the organization's first ever league championship when it defeated FC Motown, 3–1, for the NPSL National Championship on August 4.

For the 2019 NPSL season, the team returned to playing as Miami FC and repeated its previous year's success by finishing atop the regular season table and winning the Sunshine Conference over Miami United FC, 3–2. It won the South Region for a second straight year before becoming the first club to win a second NPSL National Championship when it defeated the New York Cosmos B, 3–1, and earning the organization's eighth trophy in three years.

National Independent Soccer Association

On November 15, 2018, the NPSL announced that Miami would be a founding member in a new professional league, commencing with the "NPSL Founders Cup" competition from August to November 2019, followed by a full league schedule in 2020 at either division 2 or 3 level. However, on July 24, 2019, it was announced that Miami would instead join the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) for the inaugural Fall 2019 season. The team went undefeated through seven games during the regular season, clinching the top playoff spot in the East Coast Conference. On November 9, Miami won the NISA East Coast Championship over Stumptown Athletic, its ninth trophy in three years.

USL Championship

On December 11, 2019, former USL Championship club Ottawa Fury FC announced that it had sold its franchise rights to the Miami FC ownership group, and the club would begin competition in the league beginning with the 2020 season.

Following the conclusion of the 2021 season, head coach and technical director Paul Dalglish left the team. On November 29, former Inter Miami CF assistant coach Anthony Pulis was named Miami FC's new head coach. In 2023, halfway through the season, Pulis stepped down as Head Coach. Lewis Neal was named Interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Antonio Nocerino, a former AC Milan and Orlando City SC player, became the next head coach.

On September 18, 2025, Miami FC announced plans to relocate to a new 15,000-seat stadium in Homestead, Florida. The stadium is part of a privately financed $300 million development, led by Sports Performance Hub, which also includes a youth academy, boarding school, and a hotel.

Sponsorship

Record

Year-by-year

Average attendance

Stadium

Players and staff

Current roster

-- Do NOT add new players before their signing is officially announced by the club -- and do NOT assign unreferenced jersey numbers as well. -- Do NOT create articles for new draft picks until they make either their USLC or US Open Cup debut, and do not add red wikilinks to these players as it prevents the creation of articles by people who don't understand the WP:FOOTY notability guidelines – Players with international caps should NOT be bolded – as per Wikipedia:WikiProject Football/Clubs – This is Wikipedia, not a football gazette. – Any unconfirmed and unsourced signing/transfer will be reverted at sight. – Thanks in advance. – This is the proposed new roster format and should not be removed just because it's not like the format used in other articles. Please discuss any concerns on the article's talk page. Removal will be reverted, likely within a few hours.

Staff

|- |Assistant coach|| Matias Farao || |- |Goalkeeper coach|| Cristian Blanco || |- |Strength & performance coach|| Lucas Vaeza || |- |}

Individual records

Top goalscorers

(Appearances listed in parentheses next to total)

Most appearances

(Goals scored listed in parentheses next to total)

Managerial records

Club culture

Miami FC draw the bulk of their support from the suburbs in the south and west of Miami.

The club's mascot is Golazo, a seven-foot-tall Kingfisher bird with blue and orange feathers.

Rivalries

The closest team geographically was the Fort Lauderdale Strikers with games between the two sides often labelled the FL Clásico. Fixtures with the other two teams in Florida, the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Jacksonville Armada are also keenly contested. These four teams competed for the Coastal Cup over the course of the 2016 season.

After the 2016 season Tampa Bay left the NASL for the United Soccer League and Fort Lauderdale ceased operations because of financial issues. That left Jacksonville as Miami FC's only in-state rival in the NASL. Miami did however face Tampa Bay in the third round of the 2017 U.S. Open Cup, defeating the Rowdies by a score of 2–0.

When the NASL cancelled the 2018 season, Miami and Jacksonville continued their rivalry in the NPSL in both 2018 and 2019 as both clubs continued operation. The two teams would meet again in the 2023 U.S. Open Cup, which saw Miami FC winning 3–1. The team also began a rivalry against Miami United FC dubbed "Magic City Clasico". The teams met in the Second Round of the 2018 U.S. Open Cup where United shocked FC, 3–1, to advance. They would also meet in the 2022 Edition of the U.S. Open Cup, which Miami FC won 3–0.

They also have a local rivalry with MLS team Inter Miami, who they have played twice the US Open Cup in 2022 and 2023.

In 2024, Miami and USL League One side FC Naples formed the Alligator Alley Derby, named after Interstate 75 in Florida between Naples and Fort Lauderdale. The two teams are set to play their first match against one another in the 2025 USL Cup.

Supporters group

Dade Brigade are the official supporters group of Miami FC and they occupy the east stand of Pitbull Stadium which is known as the Brigade End for home games. They are named for Miami-Dade County.

Honors

North American Soccer League

• Spring championship (1): 2017
• Fall championship (1): 2017

National Premier Soccer League

• National Championship (2): 2018, 2019
• South Region Championship (2): 2018, 2019
• Sunshine Conference Championship (2): 2018, 2019

National Independent Soccer Association

• East Coast Championship (1): 2019

Notes

References

References

1. (May 20, 2015). "MIAMI FC BECOMES 12TH NASL CLUB".
2. Kaufman, Michelle. (October 28, 2015). "Miami FC strikes deal to play its home matches at FIU Stadium". The Miami Herald.
3. (February 5, 2014). "David Beckham confirms Miami franchise in Major League Soccer". CNN.
4. Das, Andrew. (May 20, 2015). "N.A.S.L. Will Add Miami Team in 2016, Beating David Beckham Onto Field". The New York Times.
5. (November 20, 2015). "MACRON AND MIAMI FC SIGN FOR A 3 YEARS PARTNERSHIP". Macron.
6. (November 17, 2017). "Gianluca Di Marzio :: Nesta saluta il Miami: "Grazie di tutto. Sono pronto per una nuova sfida"".
7. (February 27, 2018). "MIAMI FC RESPONDS TO NORTH AMERICAN SOCCER LEAGUE CANCELLATION OF 2018 SEASON". Miami FC.
8. (March 5, 2018). "THE MIAMI FC 2 SOLIDIFIES INAUGURAL ROSTER WITH 10 ADDITIONS". Miami FC.
9. (January 30, 2018). "MIAMI FC 2 TO DEBUT IN NATIONAL PREMIER SOCCER LEAGUE FOR 2018 SEASON". Miami FC.
10. (March 8, 2018). "THE MIAMI FC 2: CHAMPIONSHIP PEDIGREE". Miami FC.
11. "Miami FC Hires Paul Dalglish as New Head Coach".
12. "Miami FC 2 to debut in National Premier Soccer League for 2018 Season".
13. (July 6, 2018). "RECAP: THE MIAMI FC 2 DROPS PHYSICAL MATCH TO ARMADA 1–0".
14. Bunch, Matthew. (July 15, 2018). "The Miami FC 2 claims NPSL Sunshine Conference title in complete performance against Jacksonville Armada". Magic City Soccer.
15. (August 5, 2018). "MIAMI FC 2 CROWNED 2018 NPSL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS".
16. "RECAP: The Miami FC Comes From Behind to Capture Sunshine Conference Championship".
17. (July 20, 2019). "Tulsa Athletic falls at Miami FC in South Region finals". Tulsa World.
18. Lewis, Michael. (August 4, 2019). "THE MIAMI FC CLAIMS 2019 NPSL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP".
19. (November 15, 2018). "ELEVEN FOUNDING MEMBERS TO LAUNCH A NEW LEAGUE IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE NATIONAL PREMIER SOCCER LEAGUE".
20. (November 15, 2018). "NPSL is launching a pro league – could Fort Worth Vaqueros be involved?". Dallas News.
21. (November 15, 2018). "Eleven Founding Members to Launch a New League in Association with the National Premier Soccer League".
22. Official, NISA. (July 24, 2019). ""We are very excited @TheMiamiFC is joining @NISALeague and will begin competition this Fall 2019. Miami FC has a legacy of success and we welcome the level of competition they bring to the pitch," – Mr. John Prutch, Commissioner, NISA. #MiamiFC #NISAnationpic.twitter.com/34B7puXcP6".
23. (July 24, 2019). "The Miami FC Join NISA, Return to "Pro" Soccer".
24. (November 9, 2019). "MIAMI FC LIFTS 9TH TROPHY, WINNING NISA EAST COAST CHAMPIONSHIP 3-0 VS. STUMPTOWN ATHLETIC".
25. Carmenate, Achillies. (November 10, 2019). "MIAMI FC WINS NISA EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP, 9TH TROPHY IN FOUR YEARS".
26. (December 11, 2019). "Ottawa Fury FC Announce Relocation, Sale of Franchise Rights to The Miami FC".
27. Kauffman, Michelle. "Miami FC moves to USL Championship, returns to FIU Riccardo Silva Stadium. Here's why.".
28. (November 15, 2021). "Miami FC parts with coach Paul Dalglish despite making USL playoffs".
29. (November 29, 2021). "Inter Miami assistant coach Anthony Pulis named head coach of USL club Miami FC".
30. "Miami FC announce departure of Antony Pulis as Head Coach".
31. Krishnaiyer, Kartik. (September 18, 2025). "Miami FC to Relocate to Homestead - The Boca Raton Tribune". The Boca Raton Tribune.
32. "Miami FC Unveils New Stadium Plans".
33. "Miami FC Announces Major Jersey Sponsorship Deal with Presenting Sponsor Helbiz".
34. "Miami FC vs. Oakland Roots - 27 October 2019 - Soccerway".
35. "Miami FC vs. Stumptown Athletic - 10 November 2019 - Soccerway".
36. "Miami FC vs. Treasure Coast Tritons - 18 May 2017 - Soccerway".
37. "Miami FC vs. Red Force - 10 May 2018 - Soccerway".
38. "Miami FC vs. Miami United - 17 May 2018 - Soccerway".
39. "Miami FC vs. Jacksonville Armada - 4 April 2023 - Soccerway".
40. "Miami vs. Tormenta - 18 April 2024 - Soccerway".
41. "Roster". Miami FC.
42. "Staff".
43. (August 31, 2015}}{{dead link). "Italian Nesta appointed coach of new Miami club".
44. "Miami FC Hires Paul Dalglish as New Head Coach".
45. [https://www.miamifc.com/news/2019/11/13/the-miami-fc-appoints-paul-dalglish-as-general-manager- "THE MIAMI FC APPOINTS PAUL DALGLISH AS GENERAL MANAGER"] – The Miami FC, November 13, 2019
46. "Nelson Vargas Appointed as Head Coach of Miami FC".
47. "Paul Dalglish Resumes Coaching Responsibilities at Miami FC".
48. (July 12, 2021). "Miami FC Unbeaten In 4 Straight; Thrash Loudoun 4-1".
49. Cozzoli, Matteo. (June 20, 2023). "Miami FC Announces Departure of Anthony Pulis as Head Coach".
50. (November 9, 2023). "Coach Lewis Neal departs Miami FC".
51. (November 14, 2023). "Miami FC Announces Antonio Nocerino as Head Coach".
52. (October 16, 2024). "The Miami Football Club announces the departure of Head Coach Antonio Nocerino".
53. Orabi, Mariam. (January 23, 2025). "Miami FC Announces Gastόn Maddoni as Head Coach". The Miami Football Club.
54. "Meet Golazo!".
55. "Fort Lauderdale Strikers Look to Win the First-Ever Florida Clasico as They Face Miami FC This Weekend".
56. (May 20, 2018). "2018 US Open Cup round 2: Miami United eliminates shorthanded Miami FC 2".
57. (December 12, 2024). "USL Expands Jägermeister Cup, Launches First Interleague Competition Created by a Domestic Soccer League".
58. "Archived copy".