 | ||||
| Full name | The Miami Football Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | May 20, 2015; 10 years ago (2015-05-20) | |||
| Stadium | Pitbull Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 20,000 | |||
| Owner | Riccardo Silva | |||
| CEO | Michael Williamson | |||
| Head Coach | Gastόn Maddoni | |||
| League | USL Championship | |||
| 2024 | 12th, Eastern Conference Playoffs: DNQ | |||
| Website | miamifc.com | |||
 Current season | ||||
Miami FC is an American professionalsoccer team based inMiami,Florida that competes in theUSL Championship, the second tier of theAmerican soccer pyramid.
The club began play in theNorth American Soccer League (NASL) in the2016 season. Following the demise of the NASL, the club participated in theNational Premier Soccer League (NPSL) and theNational Independent Soccer Association (NISA) before moving to theUSL Championship for the 2020 season. The team currently plays its home games atPitbull Stadium on the campus ofFlorida International University.
The club was announced on May 20, 2015, as the 12th North American Soccer League franchise with plans to begin play in the2016 season and later confirmed it would play out of Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium on the campus of Florida International University.[1][2] The team, co-owned by media entrepreneurRiccardo Silva and formerItaly national team defenderPaolo Maldini, came only one year after formerEngland national team star andMajor League Soccer legendDavid Beckham announced his intent to launch an MLS team in the city.[3][4]
In September 2015,Alessandro Nesta was appointed as the club's first coach.[citation needed] On November 20, 2015, Italian sportswear companyMacron were announced as the club's kit suppliers on a three-year deal.[5]
Nesta resigned as coach following the completion of the 2017 season, on November 17.[6]
In January 2018, following the suspension and later cancellation of the2018 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.[7][8] 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.[9][10] The team hiredPaul Dalglish as the new head coach on January 25.[11] The team played its home matches at its former training grounds on the campus ofSt. Thomas University inMiami Gardens.[12]
The team went on to dominate theregular season in the NPSL's Sunshine Conference. Only one loss toJacksonville 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.[13][14] 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 defeatedFC Motown, 3–1, for the NPSL National Championship on August 4.[15]
For the2019 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 overMiami United FC, 3–2.[16] 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 theNew York Cosmos B, 3–1, and earning the organization's eighth trophy in three years.[17][18]
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.[19][20][21] However, on July 24, 2019, it was announced that Miami would instead join theNational Independent Soccer Association (NISA) for the inaugural Fall 2019 season.[22][23] 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 theNISA East Coast Championship overStumptown Athletic, its ninth trophy in three years.[24][25]
On December 11, 2019, formerUSL Championship clubOttawa 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.[26][27]
Following the conclusion of the 2021 season, head coach and technical directorPaul Dalglish left the team.[28] On November 29, formerInter Miami CF assistant coachAnthony Pulis was named Miami FC's new head coach.[29]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.[30]Antonio Nocerino, a formerAC Milan andOrlando 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 inHomestead, 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.[31][32]
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 2016–2019 |  Macron | — |
| 2020–present | Helbiz[33] |
| Year | Reg. Season | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 5,427 | – |
| 2017 | 5,172 | 7,115 |
| 2019[f] | 569 | 1,309 |
| 2020[g] | N/A | – |
| 2021[h] | 699 | – |
| 2022 | 1,144 | – |
| 2023 | 1,432 | – |
| 2024 | 1,075 | – |
| Name | Location | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Pitbull Stadium | Miami, Florida | 2016–2017, 2019,[i] 2020–present |
| Cobb Stadium | Coral Gables, Florida | 2017;1 match in U.S. Open Cup[36] |
| St. Thomas University Soccer Field | Miami Gardens, Florida | 2018 |
| Florida International University Soccer Stadium | Miami, Florida | 2018;2 matches in U.S. Open Cup[37][38] 2022;1 match in U.S. Open Cup 2023; 1 match in U.S. Open Cup[39] 2024; 1 match in U.S. Open Cup,[40] 4 matches inUSL Championship |
| Buccaneer Field | Miami Shores, Florida | 2019 |
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
| Position | Staff | Nation |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Gastόn Maddoni |  Argentina |
| Assistant coach | Matias Farao | Argentina |
| Goalkeeper coach | Cristian Blanco | Argentina |
| Strength & performance coach | Lucas Vaeza |  United States |
(Appearances listed in parentheses next to total)
| Name | Years | League | Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Ariel Martínez | 2016–2019, 2021 | 21 (101) | 9 (14) | 1 (7) | 31 (122) |
| 2 |  Jaime Chavez | 2016–2018 | 24 (63) | 1 (5) | 3 (6) | 28 (74) |
| 3 | Dylan Mares | 2017–2018, 2019 | 21 (56) | 4 (12) | 2 (9) | 27 (77) |
| 4 |  Miguel González | 2019–2020 | 21 (31) | 4 (7) | 0 (1) | 25 (39) |
| 5 |  Stefano Pinho | 2017 | 17 (27) | 0 (1) | 4 (3) | 21 (31) |
| 6 | Kyle Murphy | 2022–2023 | 16 (62) | 0 (1) | 1 (3) | 17 (66) |
| 6 |  Mohamed Thiaw | 2019–2020 | 15 (30) | 2 (7) | 0 (1) | 17 (38) |
| 7 | Darío Suárez | 2018–2019 | 10 (24) | 4 (12) | 2 (4) | 16 (40) |
| 8 |  Joaquín Rivas | 2022–2023 | 14 (42) | 1 (1) | 0 (1) | 15 (44) |
| 8 | Vincenzo Rennella | 2016–2018 | 14 (39) | 0 (1) | 1 (8) | 15 (48) |
| 8 |  Kwadwo Poku | 2016–2017 | 13 (49) | 0 (1) | 2 (5) | 15 (55) |
(Goals scored listed in parentheses next to total)
| Name | Years | League | Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ariel Martínez | 2016–2019, 2021 | 101 (21) | 14 (9) | 7 (1) | 122 (31) |
| 2 |  Bolu Akinyode | 2021–2023 | 92 (2) | 2 (0) | 4 (0) | 98 (2) |
| 3 |  Paco Craig | 2021–2023 | 91 (6) | 2 (0) | 3 (0) | 96 (6) |
| 4 | Mario Daniel Vega | 2016–2018 | 75 (0) | 6 (0) | 8 (0) | 89 (0) |
| 5 |  Mason Trafford | 2016–2018 | 69 (0) | 6 (0) | 9 (0) | 84 (0) |
| 6 | Rhett Bernstein | 2016–2018 | 66 (2) | 6 (0) | 6 (1) | 78 (3) |
| 7 | Dylan Mares | 2017–2018, 2019 | 56 (21) | 12 (4) | 9 (2) | 77 (27) |
| 8 | Jaime Chavez | 2016–2018 | 63 (24) | 5 (1) | 6 (3) | 74 (28) |
| 9 | Callum Chapman-Page | 2019, 2021–2023 | 63 (5) | 8 (1) | 2 (0) | 73 (6) |
| 10 | Aedan Stanley | 2022–2023 | 64 (0) | 1 (0) | 4 (0) | 69 (0) |
| 10 | Mark Segbers | 2022–2023 | 64 (2) | 1 (0) | 4 (0) | 69 (2) |
| Name | From | To | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | %W | Honours | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alessandro Nesta | September 1, 2015[43] | November 17, 2017[6] | 71 | 35 | 17 | 19 | 111 | 78 | 049.30 | (1)NASL Spring Season (1)NASL Fall Season | |
 Paul Dalglish | January 25, 2018[44] | November 13, 2019[45] | 45 | 36 | 5 | 4 | 143 | 30 | 080.00 | (2) NPSL Sunshine Conference Championship (2018,2019) (2) NPSL South Region Championship (2018,2019) (2) NPSL Championship (2018,2019) (1)NISA East Coast Championship | |
| Nelson Vargas | November 14, 2019[46] | August 10, 2020 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 000.00 | ||
| Paul Dalglish | August 10, 2020[47] | November 15, 2021[28] | 46 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 71 | 64 | 043.48 | [j] | |
 Anthony Pulis | November 29, 2021[29] | June 20, 2023[49] | 54 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 74 | 63 | 035.19 | ||
| Lewis Neal (interim) | June 20, 2023 | November 9, 2023[50] | 19 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 24 | 21 | 047.37 | ||
| Antonio Nocerino | November 14, 2023[51] | October 16, 2024[52] | 33 | 3 | 2 | 28 | 27 | 82 | 009.09 | ||
| Marcello Alves (interim) | October 16, 2024 | January 23, 2025 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 000.00 | ||
| Gastόn Maddoni | January 23, 2025[53] | present | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | !— |
Miami FC draw the bulk of their support from the suburbs in the south and west of Miami.[citation needed]
The club's mascot isGolazo, a seven-foot-tallKingfisher bird with blue and orange feathers.[54]
The closest team geographically was theFort Lauderdale Strikers with games between the two sides often labelled theFL Clásico.[55] Fixtures with the other two teams in Florida, theTampa Bay Rowdies andJacksonville Armada are also keenly contested. These four teams competed for theCoastal Cup over the course of the2016 season.
After the 2016 season Tampa Bay left the NASL for theUnited 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 the2017 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 the2023 U.S. Open Cup, which saw Miami FC winning 3–1. The team also began a rivalry againstMiami United FC dubbed"Magic City Clasico". The teams met in the Second Round of the2018 U.S. Open Cup where United shocked FC, 3–1, to advance.[56] They would also meet in the 2022 Edition of theU.S. Open Cup, which Miami FC won 3–0.
They also have a local rivalry withMLS teamInter Miami, who they have played twice theUS Open Cup in2022 and2023.
In 2024, Miami andUSL League One sideFC Naples formed theAlligator Alley Derby, named afterInterstate 75 in Florida between Naples and Fort Lauderdale.[57] The two teams are set to play their first match against one another in the2025 USL Cup.
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.[58] They are named forMiami-Dade County.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)Sports teams based in theMiami metropolitan area | ||
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