Miami FC moves to USL Championship, returns to FIU Riccardo Silva Stadium. Here’s why.
Miami FC officials confirmed the team is moving up to the USL Championship division for the 2020 season, and will return to FIU’s Riccardo Silva Stadium, named after its owner, where the team enjoyed success on and off the field in 2016 and 2017.
The USL Championship division is the second-tier U.S. professional league, behind Major League Soccer.
With Miami FC’s new affiliation, South Florida will have three teams starting in March 2020. Inter Miami will play in MLS, Miami FC in USL Championship, and Inter Miami will enter a team in USL League One, which is the third-tier league.
Miami FC was able to enter USL by acquiring the franchise rights of Ottawa Fury FC, which disbanded. The club has won nine trophies since its establishment in 2015. It played its first two seasons in the North American Soccer League (NASL), won the Spring Season and Fall Season Championships in 2017 and set several league records.
Miami FC advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2017 U.S. Open Cup, beating MLS teams Orlando City and Atlanta United along the way.
In 2018, after the NASL didn’t have enough teams to continue, Miami FC moved to the lower-profile National Premier Soccer League, moved its games to smaller venues and won back-to-back championships. This season, they played in the inaugural NISA Showcase and won the East Coast title.
The move to USL Championship and FIU Riccardo Silva Stadium will raise the profile of the team and offer a league that is more financially stable. Miami FC is coached by Miami native and former Miami Fusion player Nelson Vargas, who took over for Paul Dalglish, son of the legendary Scottish player Kenny Dalglish, who was promoted to team president and general manager.
“We could not be more excited to join the USL Championship in 2020, playing regular professional soccer in the heart of Miami at Riccardo Silva Stadium,” said Dalglish. “The decision to join USL gives us two key things. First, it gives us a stable platform to further expand our academy program and community work, meaning accessible, inclusive fun-filled family events that bring together Miami’s soccer community.
“Second, it means we’ll be playing 17 homes games at Riccardo Silva Stadium in Miami, providing a fantastic experience for the army of loyal fans that have stood by us. We can’t wait to get started and begin teh campaign to add to our trophy haul.”
Dalglish was the former coach and GM with Ottawa. Under his leadership, Miami FC has won 29 of its past 33 matches and is unbeaten in the last 20.
