Austin FC Overview
Austin FC is a professional soccer club based in Austin, Texas, competing in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. Founded on October 12, 2018, the club began league play in 2021 and is the first major professional sports league team to play in the Texas capital. Their home matches are held at Q2 Stadium, a 20,738-seat soccer-specific venue in north Austin.
The club is owned by Two Oak Ventures and led by chief executive officer and chairman Anthony Precourt. Nico Estévez serves as the team’s head coach, and the club operates a reserve side, Austin FC II, which plays in MLS Next Pro. Austin FC’s identity is shaped by bright green, marketed by the club as “verde,” and black, along with a passionate supporters’ culture built around groups such as Austin Anthem, Los Verdes, La Murga de Austin, and Oak Army New Braunfels.
Founding and Organizational Origins
Austin FC emerged from a long-running effort to bring top-flight professional soccer to Austin, a city that, prior to 2021, was the largest in the United States without a major professional sports franchise. Previous attempts in the market included the Austin Aztex, which were founded in 2008 and later relocated to Orlando in 2010 before becoming Orlando City SC, a 2011 rebrand of the Aztex that entered hiatus after 2015, and Austin Bold, which played in the USL Championship from 2019 to 2021. In October 2017, Columbus Crew operator Precourt Sports Ventures announced its intention to move the group’s MLS franchise rights to Austin.
On August 15, 2018, the Austin City Council voted 7–4 to authorize negotiations on a stadium lease with Precourt Sports Ventures. One week later, on August 22, 2018, the club’s name and crest were unveiled at the North Door on Austin’s east side, with the badge designed by local brand studio The Butler Bros. The design features “Bright Verde” intertwined oaks and four roots representing the compass directions. On December 19, 2018, Precourt Sports Ventures and the City of Austin finalized a stadium financing agreement at McKalla Place, and in January 2019, the operating rights of the Columbus Crew were transferred to the Haslam and Edwards families, allowing Austin FC to come aboard as an expansion team.
In July 2019, the ownership group was renamed Two Oak Ventures and later expanded to include local celebrities and businesspeople such as actor Matthew McConaughey, entrepreneur Eduardo Margain, former Dell executive Marius Haas, energy entrepreneur Bryan Sheffield, and real estate businessman David Kahn. Austin FC launched the first professional soccer academy in Austin in August 2019 and broke ground on the St. David’s Performance Center, a $45 million, privately funded training facility in northeast Austin, later that same year.
Growth Into Major League Soccer Competition
Austin FC’s move into MLS began with the build-out of its technical staff. In July 2019, the club hired Josh Wolff as its first head coach, and in November 2019, former United States national team teammate Claudio Reyna joined as the club’s sporting director. The club signed its first player, Rodney Redes, in July 2020, and named Alexander Ring the first captain ahead of the inaugural 2021 season.
Austin FC played its first MLS match on April 17, 2021, losing 0–2 to LAFC at Banc of California Stadium. The club’s first victory came a week later against the Colorado Rapids, a 3–1 win in which Diego Fagúndez scored the club’s first goal and Designated Player Cecilio Dominguez added two more. The home opener at Q2 Stadium was held on June 19, 2021, against the San Jose Earthquakes and ended 0–0, before the team earned its first home win on July 1, 2021, a 4–1 result over the Portland Timbers, highlighted by Jon Gallagher’s first home goal and the first MLS goal at Q2 Stadium.
The club continued to invest in talent, signing Sebastián Driussi from Zenit Saint Petersburg for a $7 million transfer fee in July 2021. Driussi became the first Austin FC player to reach 10, 20, and 30 career goals for the club, was named the team’s first All-Star in 2022, and later became the second captain. Owen Wolff, son of head coach Josh Wolff, signed as the club’s first homegrown player in September 2021.
Austin FC Competitive Journey
From their inaugural 2021 season onward, Austin FC progressed steadily through Major League Soccer, added continental experience in the CONCACAF Champions League in 2023, and reached their first tournament final at the 2025 U.S. Open Cup. The club has built an active home sellout streak and continues to expand its player development pipeline through the Austin FC Academy and the Austin FC II reserve team.
Early Seasons and Development (2021–2022)
The 2021 season was about laying foundations. Beyond the early results and the launch of Q2 Stadium, Austin FC concentrated on building out its roster, establishing club leadership, and engaging a young, fast-growing supporters’ base. Alexander Ring set the tone as the first captain, and a mix of veterans and young signings gave the club its first on-field identity.
In 2022, Austin FC opened with an MLS record 10 goals in their first two matches and lifted their first trophy, the Copa Tejas, on July 16, 2022. A 3–0 home win over Real Salt Lake later that season, in which substitute Moussa Djitte scored the first hat trick in club history, clinched Austin’s first playoff berth. Austin then beat Real Salt Lake in a penalty shootout for their first MLS playoff victory, advanced past FC Dallas, and reached the Western Conference Final, where they fell 3–0 to LAFC.
Breakthrough in Major League Soccer (2023–2024)
Off the field, 2023 brought a major leadership change. In January 2023, sporting director Claudio Reyna resigned following public attention tied to the U.S. men’s national team coaching situation, then briefly remained with the club as a technical advisor before departing. Josh Wolff took on additional sporting responsibilities, and in June 2023, Rodolfo Borrell, a former assistant coach to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, was named the new sporting director. The club also debuted its reserve side, Austin FC II, in MLS Next Pro in 2023 and added its first MLS Next Pro player to a first-team short-term deal.
On the field, the team qualified for the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League, their first continental competition, but were eliminated by Violette AC of Haiti. A run in the 2023 U.S. Open Cup ended in a 2–0 home loss to the Chicago Fire, and Austin failed to qualify for the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs. After a second consecutive playoff miss in 2024, the club parted ways with head coach Josh Wolff on October 6, 2024, and later that year named Nico Estévez as the new head coach in preparation for 2025.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2025–Present)
Under Nico Estévez, Austin FC reached the 2025 U.S. Open Cup final, the first tournament final in club history, hosted at Q2 Stadium and ending in a 1–2 loss to Nashville SC, with Myrto Uzuni scoring Austin’s lone goal. The club qualified for the first round of the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, where they were matched against LAFC.
Austin FC has continued to invest in infrastructure and youth development. The St. David’s Performance Center, a $45 million, privately funded complex in northeast Austin, supports the first team, Austin FC II, and the Austin FC Academy, while Parmer Field serves as the home venue for Austin FC II. Off the field, the club has leaned into its Austin identity, adding an armadillo jocktag in February 2024 to honor the Armadillo World Headquarters cultural legacy and maintaining a sellout streak at Q2 Stadium that is the longest active streak in MLS.
Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
Austin FC’s identity centers on attacking play, energy at home, and a strong connection to the city of Austin. The team uses its high-intensity home atmosphere at Q2 Stadium as a clear competitive edge, and the club’s development system, including the Austin FC Academy, Austin FC II, and homegrown signings such as Owen Wolff, has become a long-term foundation for roster building.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
Major milestones include the founding of the club in 2018, the opening of Q2 Stadium in 2021, the first MLS victory over the Colorado Rapids, the first Copa Tejas trophy in 2022, the first MLS playoff win against Real Salt Lake, the first Western Conference Final appearance, the first continental match in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League, and the 2025 U.S. Open Cup final, the first tournament final in franchise history.
Austin FC Achievements and Results
Austin FC’s competitive record includes the Copa Tejas title in 2022, multiple Western Conference playoff runs, and the club’s first tournament final in 2025. The team has built a strong home record with a long sellout streak and has expanded its trophy cabinet beyond its opening years.
Major League Soccer Achievements
Austin FC earned their first MLS playoff berth in 2022 and advanced all the way to the Western Conference Final, a club first. In 2025, the club returned to the MLS Cup Playoffs, matched against LAFC in the first round. The club’s first MLS victory came against the Colorado Rapids in 2021, and the first playoff victory came at home over Real Salt Lake in 2022.
Conference Achievements
As a Western Conference member, Austin FC has qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2022 and 2025, reaching the Western Conference Final in 2022. The 2022 playoff run, which included wins over Real Salt Lake and FC Dallas, marked the club’s deepest postseason run in MLS play.
Divisional Achievements
Austin FC has consistently played within the Western Conference’s competitive structure since joining MLS. The club’s best Western Conference regular season standing to date was sixth place in 2025, paired with a first-round playoff exit.
Series Achievements
Austin FC lifted the Copa Tejas, a rivalry trophy contested among Texas MLS clubs, in 2022, marking the club’s first trophy. The team later reached the 2025 U.S. Open Cup final, hosted at Q2 Stadium, which represented the first major tournament final in franchise history. Additional series appearances include the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League and the 2023 Leagues Cup.
