 | |||
| Full name | Vermont Green Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | The Boys in Green, Les Verts | ||
| Founded | 2021; 4 years ago (2021) | ||
| Stadium | Virtue Field | ||
| Capacity | 2,500 | ||
| Coordinates | 44°28′05″N73°11′40″W / 44.4681°N 73.1944°W /44.4681; -73.1944 | ||
| Coach | Chris Taylor | ||
| League | USL League Two | ||
| 2025 | 1st, Northeast Division Playoffs:USL2 National Champions | ||
| Website | vermontgreenfc | ||
 Current season | |||
Vermont Green Football Club is an Americansoccer team based inBurlington, Vermont that began play inUSL League Two in the 2022 season.[1][2][3] The club mission is centered onenvironmental justice with the goal of becoming anet zero soccer club.[4] They are also a member ofOne Percent for the Planet, donating 1% of the club's annual revenues to approved environmental partners.[5] VGFC's environmental mission has drawn coverage fromThe New York Times,BBC Sport,The Guardian, and theMen in Blazers podcast.[6][7][8] The Green finished their 2025 campaign with 16 wins, 3 draws and 0 losses, winning their first National Championship.
Prior to the Green, theBurlington, Vermont area was home to USL League Two club,Vermont Voltage, which played from 1997 until 2014.
The club was officially announced asUSL League Two's newest team on October 12, 2021.[9][10] One of the club's co-founders isMatthew Wolff, a graphic designer known for his work on soccer logos and jerseys. Wolff designed Vermont Green FC's logo, which was unveiled in February 2022.[11] He continues to design all of the club's kits and apparel.[12]
The club played its first match on May 16, 2022, defeatingBoston City FC 4–0. Norwegian Eythor Bjorgolfsson scored their first goal on a penalty late in the first half.[13] On May 28, 2022, Vermont Green FC won in their home opener, in front of a crowd of 1,001 people. Portuguese midfielder Rodrigo Vaza scored his first goal for the club and the first home VGFC goal in history.[14] On July 17, 2022, the Green defeatedWestern Mass Pioneers 1–0 in front of a capacity crowd of 2,500 to clinch a playoff spot in their first season of play.[15] After upsetting hostsLionsbridge FC in the opening round, VGFC were eliminated by eventual national runner upLong Island Roughriders.[16]
Interest in Vermont Green continued to grow in the lead-up to their second season. In the spring of 2023, it was announced they had sold out of season tickets for the upcoming season, with a total of 1,250 sold. Five of the team's seven home league matches were sellouts. On the field, the Green won ten matches and finished 3rd in USL League Two's Northeast Division. The Green were eliminated from USL League Two playoff contention after a 1–1 draw atPathfinder FC in their penultimate match, ultimately finishing two points behindWestern Mass Pioneers for the final playoff spot.[17] In addition to their league schedule, the team also played friendlies againstCS Mont-Royal Outremont of Ligue1 Quebec,Kingston Stockade of the National Premier Soccer League, and local sideJuba Star FC.[18] After the season, the Green were recognized as the 2023 USL League Two Organization of the Year, chosen from the league’s 122 clubs across the US and Canada.[19]
On December 11, 2023, it was announced that Vermont Green qualified for theU.S. Open Cup for the first time.[20] Vermont Green won thefirst round match againstUSL League One teamLexington SC 4-3.[21] In round two, VGFC hosted again. Despite leading early on a goal by Israeli forward Yaniv Bazini, they were eventually defeated 2-1 byMLS Next Pro sideCarolina Core FC in front of sellout crowd.[22]
In 2024, it was announced that the club would begin an annual match against the reigning champion of the CanadianLigue1 Québec, to be known as theMaple Cup.[23] In May, the club announced they would form a women's team.[24] Coached bySam Mewis, they hosted a friendly match againstLigue1 Québec sideFC Laval on June 22, 2024 as a preview to the Maple Cup, winning the match onpenalty kicks after a 1-1 draw in regulation.[25]
On July 13, 2024, Vermont Green clinched its second-ever postseason berth after coming from behind in the second half to beat Western Mass Pioneers 3-1 in an away game. They finished the regular season with a 9-2-2 record, good enough for 3rd place in the Northeast Division.
The Green were undefeated during the2025 season, winning both the Northeast Division and the Eastern Conference. On August 2, the Green won their first-ever USL League Two national championship, defeatingBallard FC 2–1 after aMaximillian Kissel goal in stoppage time.[26] The Green hosted all five of their playoff matches en route to winning the trophy with sellouts at each. An estimated 5,000 people watched the final, far above the official stadium capacity of 2,700.[27]
Vermont Green FC’s club culture is defined by a strong emphasis on social engagement, environmental sustainability, and progressive values. The organization promotes an identity that extends beyond sport, positioning itself as a community-focused institution that seeks to address wider social and ecological issues. The club has five formal goals it seeks to achieve:[6]
Vermont Green FC integrates sustainability into its operations through carbon-conscious initiatives, eco-friendly merchandise, and campaigns highlighting the relationship between sport andclimate action. This environmental focus is not presented as a marketing device but as a guiding principle shaping both club policy and supporter engagement.
The club’s supporters, including the Green Mountain Bhoys group, have cultivated a politically conscious fan culture.[7] Matchdays feature banners and messages promotingsocial justice,anti-racism, and inclusivity, while the stands attract a diverse following, including many who were not previously interested in football. Support for the club is often framed as participation in a community project rather than traditional fandom, combining enthusiasm for the sport with civic and ethical commitment. Vermont Green’s model has attracted attention within US lower-league football as an example of a club seeking to redefine success in non-commercial and community-oriented terms. In the absence of promotion and relegation, growth is measured through its social reach and influence rather than league status.[7]
Players and staff also adopt the club's values personally. Speaking in 2025, the team's co-captain Zachary Zengue spoke of how playing for Vermont Green encouraged him to live more sustainably, while defender Victor Akoum emphasised the need for athletes to engage with climate issues.Sam Mewis, the coach of the women's team, said working at Vermont Green has stated: "All my time through professional soccer, we were so wasteful with plastic bottles and not reusing things...To see the way [Vermont Green are] operating, and to see that it is possible to have that mission be a core part of a club, is so inspirational, and should be something that more clubs pick up on and feel inspired by".[28]
The club plays their home matches atVirtue Field, a 2,500-seat stadium on the campus of theUniversity of Vermont.[28][29] The stadium includes sortedrecycling andportable toilets that collect waste for reuse as fertilizer.[28] The club's founders have stated that their ultimate goal is to build their own dedicated stadium at some point in the future with more environmentally-friendly features, such as solar power and natural fibers for the pitch.[28][30]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Adam Pfeifer – Sporting Director
Chris Taylor – Head Coach
Lee Williamson – Assistant Coach Jed Sass - Assistant Coach Robert Emmett - Goalkeeper Coach Hannah Tremel – Athletic TrainerSam Mewis – Women's team coach
Yaniv Bazini – 2024
Gerardo Castillo - 2024Reid Fisher - 2024 Francesco Montali - 2024Nate Jones – 2023
Giorgio Probo – 2023 Gevork Diarbian – 2023
Diba Nwegbo – 2022
Eythor Bjørgolfsson – 2022 Owen O'Malley – 2022 Nate Silveira – 2022| Season | USL League Two Northeast Division | Playoffs | US Open Cup | Avg. Attendance | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | PPG | Pos. | ||||
| 2022 | 14 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 38 | 14 | 24 | 28 | 2.00 | 3rd | Round of 16 | DNQ | 1,405 |
| 2023 | 14 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 38 | 12 | 26 | 31 | 2.21 | 3rd | DNQ | DNQ | 2,234 |
| 2024 | 13 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 31 | 9 | 22 | 29 | 2.23 | 3rd | Round of 16 | 2nd Round | 2,431 |
| 2025 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 38 | 8 | 30 | 36 | 2.57 | 1st | National Champions | DNQ | 2,500+ |
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