Since its debut in 2015, the new york city football club has cemented its place as a cornerstone in one of the world’s most competitive and proudest sporting cities. With an unmatched passion for beautiful football, trailblazing spirit and football citizenship, NYCFC has set a new benchmark for professional soccer in the United States.
History
The New York City Football Club is a professional soccer team that competes in the Major League Soccer. It was founded on May 21 2013 and is the twentieth MLS expansion club, playing its home games at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. The team is owned by a company called City Football Group (CFG) and is also co-owned by Yankee Global Enterprises, the owners of the New York Yankees.
CFG is a growing international sports holding company which owns teams such as Manchester City and Melbourne City. It also has interests in Japan’s Yokohama F Marinos, and Mumbai City FC.
NYCFC has risen to become one of the top MLS teams since its inception in 2013. The club’s first-ever signings were Spain’s record goal-scoring striker David Villa and Chelsea legend Frank Lampard, both of whom joined on loan from Real Madrid.
In their inaugural season in MLS, NYCFC finished fourth in the Eastern Conference and advanced to the play-offs for the first time. They made it to the MLS Cup Final in 2021 and beat Portland Timbers on penalties to win their first major title.
After a difficult start to the 2017 season, NYCFC enjoyed their best year in their history. They won four straight to end June and began July on a high note. But a poor run of results saw them lose their last five games and finish seventh in the East, three points out of third place.
For the 2018 season, they hired former Manchester City assistant Domenec Torrent as their head coach. He replaced Paul Vieira, who was fired following a 4-0 loss to Red Bulls in the US Open Cup.
The new coach started with a 2-1 home win over Toronto and then won four of his next five games. However, a slump saw the team lose all seven of its home games in August and September, including a 5-0 loss to the Cosmos in the US Open Cup.
During the playoffs, NYCFC lost a game to the Philadelphia Union in the first round before losing the conference semi-finals. The club has developed a rivalry with the Red Bulls, who have beaten them in six of their nine meetings in the Hudson River Derby, including a 7-0 home win in 2016.
Stadiums
Major League Soccer (MLS) side new york city football club has a storied history. Founded in 2013, NYCFC has enjoyed great success in the league, including winning a record-breaking 2021 MLS Cup. They have also had success in women’s football and eSports, and are now a part of The City Football Group, which owns clubs in the United States, India, Japan, China and Spain.
Since the beginning of the club, they have played most of their home games at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. Despite this, they were often forced to play at other venues in the area due to scheduling conflicts and lack of capacity. In the past, they have played at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J., and Rentschler Field in Hartford, Conn.
For the past 12 years, new york city councilman Francisco Moya has campaigned to see NYCFC built a proper stadium in the City. Several different sites have been considered, including Pier 40 on the Manhattan piers, Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens and Columbia University’s Baker Athletics Complex in Inwood.
Ultimately, the city and NYCFC have reached an agreement that will see them build a new stadium in the Willets Point neighborhood of Queens, which is close to Citi Field and Flushing Meadows. The stadium will cost around $780 million and open in 2027, marking the first purpose-built soccer-specific stadium in the City.
Although the stadium will be privately financed, the city will help with the project by building 2,500 units of affordable housing on city-owned land near the stadium. In return, NYCFC will have a property tax exemption.
This is a much lighter burden than that of Yankee Stadium, Barclays Center and Madison Square Garden, all of which owe billions in property taxes to the city. In addition, NYCFC will have to pay about $4 million annually as part of a 49-year lease on the land.
The redevelopment plan will feature a soccer stadium, 2,500 units of 100% affordable housing and a 250-room hotel. It will also include a new 650-seat public school and other public spaces.
Coaches
The club is a member of the Major League Soccer (MLS), which is the top level of American football. It competes in the Eastern Conference and plays its home games at Yankee Stadium, which is shared with baseball team the New York Yankees.
Founded in 2013 as the twenty-first expansion team in the MLS, NYCFC has established itself as the new benchmark for professional soccer teams in the United States. The club is co-owned by City Football Group and Yankee Global Enterprises, which owns the New York Yankees.
On May 21, 2013, the club was officially announced as a MLS expansion team. It is the first MLS franchise based in the New York metropolitan area and the second based in the city.
With a focus on developing talent from within the local community, NYCFC operates a number of clinics throughout the area. Designed to help players develop their technical abilities and improve their overall performance, these sessions are open registration based and are geared towards individual, team and position specific development.
The club also runs a winter training program for players, providing supplemental training opportunities to assist in preparing them for the coming season. This four-week course offers players a variety of individual, team and position-specific training sessions.
NYCFC has a long list of successful coaches, including Ronny Deila, Nick Cushing and David Lee. The latter is currently Sporting Director of the club, tasked with overseeing the technical development and recruitment of the team’s players.
After being named the head coach, Deila led NYCFC to their first MLS Cup in 2021, defeating Portland Timbers on penalties to win the league title. The trophy was the first MLS championship for a team from the city and the first for a New York sports franchise since the Giants won Super Bowl XLVI following the 2011 season.
In addition to coaching the professional side of the team, he also oversees the youth development academy and recruiting coaches and support staff. He is an Italian born former defender who has worked in the industry for over 15 years.
Players
The new york city football club is a professional soccer team that plays in Major League Soccer. The club is based in New York City and competes as an Eastern Conference team. It is co-owned by City Football Group (CFG), a holding company that also owns Manchester City, and Yankee Global Enterprises, owners of the New York Yankees.
NYCFC became the 2021 MLS Cup winners after defeating the Portland Timbers on penalties in the final of the tournament. It is the first MLS title to be won by a New York-based team since the New York Giants won Super Bowl XLVI following the 2011 season.
Since their founding, NYCFC have built a reputation for beautiful football and a deep commitment to giving back to the city through soccer, trailblazing spirit and football citizenship. With a roster that includes MLS and international veterans, as well as rising stars from the United States, NYCFC offers a world-class experience for fans around the country.
In 2014, Spain’s record goal-scoring striker David Villa became the club’s first-ever signing and captain, and soon followed by Chelsea legend and former Manchester City midfielder Frank Lampard. A year later, FIFA World Cup-winning midfielder Andrea Pirlo became the third Designated Player.
As a result of Villa’s departure in 2017, NYCFC underwent a period of transition. They released cult-hero Tommy McNamara, and loaned out winger Emmanuel Berget to FC Barcelona. The club also terminated the contracts of several first-team regulars, including defender Maxime Chanot and attacking midfielder Rodney Wallace.
While the club’s roster has changed dramatically, the team has remained a consistent force in the Eastern Conference. They have finished second in two of the last three seasons, and won their most recent MLS Cup in 2021 after defeating the Portland Timbers on penalty kicks.
The club’s top player is Maxi Hernandez, who joined on a free transfer from Real Madrid in 2017. He has been a steady performer throughout his career and remains one of the best attackers in MLS, consistently providing key assists and key passes. He has been especially influential during the club’s MLS Cup run, scoring a match-winning goal against Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference Final and then burying his penalty to win the cup in Portland.
