 Interim logo | |
| Founded | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Ground | |
| Owners |
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| League | MLS Next Pro (men's) |
| Website | liprosoccer |
The Island F.C. is an Americanprofessionalsoccer club based inUniondale, New York. Majority-owned by Mitchell Rechler, the club plans to commence play inMLS Next Pro, a men's Division 3 league in theUnited States league system, in the 2027 season. It also plans to field a professional women's team in the future. It will play its home games at a new,soccer-specific stadium to be built at theMitchel Athletic Complex.
The Island F.C. was co-founded in 2025 byDix Hills native Mitchell Rechler andGlen Cove nativePeter Zaratin.[1][2] Rechler is amanaging partner at theprivate equity firm Rechler Equity Partners,[3][4] while Zaratin is the owner of theLong Island Rough Riders and itswomen's team.[1] Rechler and Zaratin met in 2007,[2] and first teamed up for a failed attempt to gainUnited Soccer Leaguefranchise rights for the Rough Riders in 2016, in which the pair would've invested in apublic-private partnership to build amulti-purpose stadium at theSuffolk County Community College's campus inBrentwood.[3][5] The pair would later attempt to forge anaffiliation between the Rough Riders andMajor League Soccer franchiseNew York City FC in 2019, which also fell through.[2] Rechler and Zaratin, along with otherinvestors, financed the $25 million launch of The Island F.C. – $20 million of which to be spent on the construction of the club's home ground.[6][7]
The club's foundation was announced at an October 2025media event held at theLong Island Children's Museum, attended by local business leaders and politicians.[7][8][9] The club plans to commence play inMLS Next Pro, a men's Division 3 league in theUnited States league system, in the 2027 season.[9] A professional women's team will also be fielded by the club in the future.[4][8]
The Island F.C. is co-owned by Mitchell Rechler andPeter Zaratin. Rechler is the club's majority owner, and serves as itschairman, while Zaratin serves as itspresident.[6][8]
The Island F.C. will play its home games at asoccer-specific stadium to be built at theMitchel Athletic Complex, inUniondale, New York. Its $20 million construction cost will be privately funded.[4][6] The stadium will be opened with a capacity of 2,500, with provisions for a future expansion to 5,000.[7][10]
Rechler, originally from Dix Hills, and Zaratin, a Glen Cove native, became business partners in 2007. About seven years ago, they talked to New York City FC about being their Long Island youth soccer operation, though that did not come to fruition.
The Long Island Rough Riders soccer team on Thursday offered to build Suffolk County Community College a 5,000-seat artificial turf soccer stadium at the school's Brentwood campus...
Elected officials and business leaders joined team owners on Tuesday [...] the new team is headed by developer Mitchell Rechler, who is its principal owner and chairman, and Peter Zaratin, who serves as its president. Plans are also underway to return professional women's soccer to Long Island...
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