Detroit City FC is an American professional soccer team located in Detroit, Michigan. The team plays in the USL Championship. Before this, the team was part of the National Premier Soccer League from 2012 to 2019 and the National Independent Soccer Association in 2020 and 2021. Detroit City FC plays its home games at Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck, which is a part of Detroit. A new stadium called AlumniFi Field is planned to open in southwestern Detroit in 2027.

The team’s nickname is Le Rouge, which comes from Detroit’s French history and the River Rouge that flows through Detroit and its suburbs. In addition to its men’s professional team, Detroit City FC also has a women’s outdoor team in the USL W League, an indoor team in the MASLW, teams for younger players in the United Premier Soccer League and USL Academy, and youth teams in Southeast and Mid-Michigan.

History

Detroit City FC was founded by five residents of Detroit who wanted to create a team that would support the city and strengthen the community through soccer. In their first season in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), Detroit City FC finished second in the five-team Great Lakes Conference of the Midwest Region. Le Rouge lost 2–1 to AFC Cleveland in the Great Lakes Conference Semi-finals, ending their season with a 5–2–5 record. In December 2012, it was announced that head coach Kylie Stannard and associate coach Cale Wassermann would not return for a second season due to other responsibilities. The following month, Ben Pirmann became the new head coach, and Adil Salmoni was hired as associate head coach.

In 2013, Detroit City FC finished first in the Great Lakes Conference of the Midwest Region and was ranked No. 1 in the NPSL after an undefeated regular season and winning the Rust Belt Derby Championship. After beating AFC Cleveland for the third time that season in the semi-finals 3–1, DCFC lost to the Erie Admirals, ending the season with a 12–1–1 record.

In 2014, the club had an 8–3–3 record in all competitions and finished second in the newly formed Great Lakes West Conference of the Midwest Region of the NPSL. Detroit City FC made its first appearance in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on May 7, losing to RWB Adria in penalty kicks after a 2–2 draw. During the NPSL regular season, the club won the Rust Belt Derby trophy for the second year in a row. The team also extended its home winning streak to 15 games, with its last home loss occurring in July 2013. In July 2015, the club reached its Cass Tech attendance record of 3,884 supporters for a 3–1 win against the Michigan Stars.

The 2016 pre-season included a Keyworth investment drive that raised $741,250 for stadium renovations. On March 10, the club confirmed the return of 2015 Black Arrow MVP Dave Edwardson. Detroit City played its first home game at Keyworth Stadium on May 20, 2016, drawing 1–1 against AFC Ann Arbor in front of a then-record 7,410 supporters. The team advanced in the U.S. Open Cup by beating the Michigan Bucks on penalties before losing to Louisville City FC, a professional team from the third division USL, also on penalties. The 2016 NPSL regular season was less successful, with the team failing to qualify for the playoffs and finishing with a 4–4–4 record. In August 2016, it was confirmed that Ben Pirmann would return for a fifth season with the club.

After launching 2017 season tickets, the club announced it would play against Glentoran F.C. in May to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Detroit Cougars, a team that played in the United Soccer Association in 1967. Detroit City also had an international friendly against Venezia FC, which they won 2–0. Despite starting the 2017 NPSL season with two points from three games, the team went on a nine-game winning streak to finish second overall in the Great Lakes Conference. The post-season included three wins, including a 3–2 victory over first-place Ann Arbor to win the Midwest Championship. Detroit ended its season in the NPSL national semi-finals with a penalty shootout loss to Midland-Odessa FC from Texas, in front of a record crowd of 7,533.

In early 2018, original founder Ben Steffans left the ownership group and was replaced by Mike Lasinski as a full partner and Joe Richert as a minor partner. After the 2018 season, the club opened the Detroit City Fieldhouse in Detroit, Michigan. The Fieldhouse includes a bar, two indoor soccer fields, and the club’s office and training facilities. It was also announced that head coach Ben Pirmann would leave to join Memphis 901 FC as an assistant coach. His replacement, Trevor James, a former player for Ipswich Town F.C. and assistant coach under Bobby Robson, was named on January 4, 2019.

Detroit City FC finished first in the Midwest-Great Lakes conference for the 2019 season but was eliminated in the region finals by Cleveland SC on penalties. In the NPSL Members Cup, Detroit City came in first with an overall record of 8–1–1.

On August 15, 2019, the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) announced that Detroit City FC would join the NISA for the 2020 season. On September 28, 2019, the club announced plans to add a women’s team in 2020, which would compete in United Women’s Soccer (UWS).

The 2020 seasons were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The NISA 2019–20 Spring season was canceled after Detroit City had played only one match, and the 2020 UWS season was canceled before it began. On June 19, 2020, the club announced a UWS Stadium Showcase in July, where the women’s team would play against Lansing United, Midwest United, and Livonia FC. Detroit won their first-ever home match 2–1 against Lansing but lost 1–3 to Midwest United in the final. NISA announced an Independent Cup involving 15 teams across four regions, with Detroit City FC competing in the Great Lakes Division alongside former NPSL rivals FC Buffalo and Cleveland SC.

On July 30, 2020, the club announced the sale of non-share "units" to fans and the public, allowing fan investment in the club. The newly created Board of Managers would control decisions through Class A Membership. Originally planned to end on November 20, over 2,000 supporters pledged more than $1,000,000 in five days, reaching the investment limit.

On November 13, 2021, it was announced that Detroit City FC would join the USL Championship for the 2022 season, becoming the third NISA team to join the league after Miami FC and Oakland Roots SC.

In 2022, Detroit City FC upset top-ranked Pittsburgh in the playoffs, marking their first playoff win since joining the league.

On May 16, 2024, the club announced plans to build a new soccer-specific stadium at the site of the abandoned Southwest Detroit Hospital near Corktown and Mexicantown. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2025, with the stadium named AlumniFi Field in August 2025. The club hopes the stadium will be completed in time for the 2027 season.

Since joining the USL,

Club culture

Detroit City FC was started in 2012 to support the city of Detroit and help build community through partnerships and charity work. The club's motto is "Passion for our city. Passion for the game."

The club runs the Detroit City Futbol League, a summer soccer league for adults that focuses on community involvement. In 2014, the team added a fall soccer league called Soktoberfest. Detroit City FC also partners with Think Detroit PAL to offer free youth soccer clinics and free tickets to PAL participants.

Each season, one home game is used to raise money for a Detroit-area charity. On May 26, 2013, the team's game against Zanesville Athletic supported the Wounded Warrior Project and Hooligans for Heroes, a group started by members of the Northern Guard Supporters. On June 6, 2014, the club became the first American sports team to wear a uniform supporting LGBTQ inclusion during a match. The June 6 game against Erie Admirals S.C. was dedicated to inclusivity in sports, and special jerseys were sold to help the Ruth Ellis Center, a shelter for LGBTQ youth in Highland Park, MI. In 2015, the team wore alternate uniforms to support Think Detroit PAL, and sold the game-worn kits to help youth soccer programs. On June 25, 2016, the team's game against Dayton Dynamo raised money for Freedom House Detroit, a group that helps refugees seeking asylum in the United States and Canada.

In 2014, the club partnered with United Way of Southeastern Michigan to support the "Michigan No Kid Hungry" initiative and promote healthy lifestyles for Detroit youth. On September 7, 2014, the club hosted a Detroit Public Schools Showcase, which included a friendly match for the team and a regulation match between Cass Tech High School and Detroit Renaissance High School. Money from the event supported the boys' soccer programs. The club has invested in improving the Cass Tech High School field, which benefits both soccer and football teams. The club also gave new uniforms to the Cass Tech girls' soccer program early in the 2014 season.

Detroit City FC has several supporter groups, with the largest being the Northern Guard Supporters. Many supporters are politically left-leaning, and their section of the stadium displays banners and flags supporting left-wing causes.

A 2020 article in the Morning Star noted that the club and its supporters focus on progressive values, anti-fascism, and community work. The club was founded in 2012 to help Detroit's cultural and social growth through grassroots soccer. The Northern Guard Supporters are described as anti-racist and anti-fascist, supporting movements like Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ+ equality. A smaller group, the Keyworth Casuals, is more explicitly leftist and works on social activism, including refugee support and local equality campaigns.

Both the club's leaders and supporters aim to stay independent and avoid commercialization. The club's chief executive, Sean Mann, has refused offers from investors that would change the club's mission, emphasizing community ownership and social responsibility. Supporters also support causes like the annual Prideraiser campaign and local efforts to help LGBTQ+ youth.

Before the NPSL Midwest-Great Lakes conference ended, supporters of Detroit City FC, FC Buffalo, and AFC Cleveland formed the "Rust Belt Derby." The winner was determined by regular-season match results. These games were highly competitive and popular with fans, especially Detroit City FC supporters. Cleveland won the first derby in 2012, but Detroit City FC won the 2013, 2014, and 2015 trophies. The last derby was in 2016 after the conference split into East and West divisions.

AFC Ann Arbor was another rival of Detroit City FC before both teams left the NPSL and joined USL League Two and NISA. The rivalry continued in the Midwest Conference, with Ann Arbor winning the regular-season title in 2017. Both teams reached the NPSL playoffs and faced each other again, with Detroit City FC winning 3–2.

Detroit City FC also has a rivalry with Flint City Bucks (formerly the Michigan Bucks), another major team in Metro-Detroit. The teams faced each other in the U.S. Open Cup in 2015, 2016, and 2018, with Detroit City FC winning two matches in penalties. They also played a friendly game in 2019, which Flint City Bucks won 1–0.

Detroit City FC supporters often criticize Major League Soccer (MLS) for targeting Detroit for expansion. The club has performed well against MLS teams, including a 2–1 win over Columbus Crew in the 2022 U.S. Open Cup.

In 2020, Detroit City FC announced a women's team joining United Women's Soccer, reuniting with rivals AFC Ann Arbor and Lansing United. The team later continued rivalries with AFC Ann Arbor in 2021 after both moved to the USL W-League.

Team image

Detroit City FC's crest shows "The Spirit of Detroit" on a maroon background with gold fleur-de-lis symbols, which honor Detroit's French-speaking history.

The team's home uniforms are mostly dark red or maroon, called "rouge" because of the club's nickname. Away uniforms are usually white, but light gold uniforms were also worn, most recently in 2021. In 2019, the team released its first third uniforms, which were black. Since 2013, the club has created an extra uniform design each season called a "charity kit." These uniforms are sold at an auction after a specific game to support a local Detroit charity. In 2020, no charity kit was made because the season was shorter due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Players and staff

Flags show the national team as defined by FIFA rules; some exceptions exist. Players may have more than one nationality not managed by FIFA.

• Men's: Danny Dichio
• Women's (USL W League): David Dwaihy
• Women's (Major Arena Soccer League): Dani Evans

• Vacant

• Sean Mann – CEO
• Todd Kropp – COO
• Alex Wright
• David Dwaihy
• Mike Lasinski

At the end of each season, fans vote for the team's most valuable players, called the Black Arrow Award. The trophy's name comes from the nickname of Gil Heron, a player from Jamaica who lived in Detroit and later became the first Black player for Celtic F.C.

• 2012: Keith Lough and Josh Rogers
• 2013: Zach Myers
• 2014: Cyrus Saydee
• 2015: David Edwardson
• 2016: Tommy Catalano
• 2017: Tyrone Mondi
• 2018: Stephen Carroll
• 2019: Shawn Lawson
• 2020: Tendai Jirira
• 2021: Connor Rutz
• 2022: Nate Steinwascher
• 2023: Devon Amoo-Mensah
• 2024: Maxi Rodriguez
• 2025: Michael Bryant

• 2020: Sydney Blomquist
• 2021: Madison Duncan
• 2022: Shannon McCarthy
• 2023: Avery Peters
• 2024: Gabby Schriver
• 2025: Hannah Crum

Record

This is a partial list of the last five completed seasons by Detroit City FC. For the full list of every season, refer to the "List of Detroit City FC seasons."

• Cass Technical High School Stadium: 3,884 (July 11, 2015, vs. Michigan Stars)
• Keyworth Stadium: 7,887 (July 31, 2018, vs. Frosinone Calcio)

In 2016, after moving to Keyworth Stadium, Detroit City FC started an annual tradition of inviting at least one international club for a friendly match each year. This does not include Windsor TFC, a team based in nearby Windsor, which played yearly from its first season until 2020. The invited teams often share similar values with Detroit City FC or have an important connection to the city of Detroit. The 2018 match against Frosinone Calcio, a team from Italy’s Serie A, set a new attendance record for the club with 7,887 fans. In 2019, after announcing a planned friendly with Lobos BUAP from Mexico, Lobos BUAP faced financial problems and was replaced in both the Liga MX and the friendly match with FC Juárez.