Ottawa Fury FC
Canadian club that played in NASL and USL before dissolving in 2019.
Ottawa Fury FC was a professional soccer team based in Ottawa, Ontario, that played in the North American Soccer League and later the USL Championship. Their home matches were held at TD Place Stadium. The club ceased operations on November 8, 2019, and its USL franchise rights were sold to Miami FC on December 11, 2019. A separate club, Atlético Ottawa, was created in 2020 to represent the city in the Canadian Premier League, also playing at TD Place Stadium.
The franchise was awarded to Ottawa on June 20, 2011, with plans to join the NASL in 2014 after renovations at Lansdowne Park. In February 2013, a name selection campaign drew over 4,000 submissions, and club president John Pugh announced the chosen name: Ottawa Fury FC. Marc Dos Santos was named the first head coach on May 23, 2013, and the official crest was revealed two days later. Assistant coach Martin Nash, goalkeeping coach David Bellemare, and technical director Philip Dos Santos were also appointed before the 2014 season.
Because Lansdowne Park wasn’t ready for the 2014 spring season, the team played temporarily at Keith Harris Stadium. After an unbeaten pre-season, they lost 2–0 to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in their first competitive match on April 12, 2014, finishing the spring season sixth with three wins in nine games. They moved into TD Place Stadium for the fall season, losing 1–0 to the New York Cosmos in their first match there on July 20. After failing to win any of their first six fall matches, they finished eighth. In 2015, Chelsea academy coach Darko Buser joined the management team. After another unbeaten pre-season, the club placed ninth in the spring but won the fall season title with 45 points from 20 games, six points ahead of Minnesota United. They beat Minnesota 2–1 in extra time in the Soccer Bowl semi-final but lost 3–2 to the New York Cosmos in the final. Marc Dos Santos stepped down in November 2015 to join Sporting Kansas City, and Paul Dalglish was named his replacement. Philip Dos Santos left as technical director the following month, replaced by Buser. A third straight unbeaten pre-season preceded a ninth-place spring finish in 2016 with nine points from ten games, and the club finished bottom of the fall table amid rumors of leaving the NASL.
On October 25, 2016, Ottawa Fury announced they would join the United Soccer League for the 2017 season.
Quick Facts
- Clubname
- Ottawa Fury
- Fullname
- Ottawa Fury Football Club
- Founded
- 2011-06-20
- Dissolved
- 2019-11-08
- Stadium
- TD Place Stadium, Ottawa
- Capacity
- 24,000
- Owntitle
- Owner
- Owner
- Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group
- Chrtitle
- President
- Chairman
- John Pugh
- Mgrtitle
- General manager
- Manager
- Julian de Guzman
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Ottawa Fury FC was awarded an expansion franchise in the North American Soccer League on June 20, 2011, with plans to join in 2014 after developments at Lansdowne Park were completed. The club name was chosen from over 4,000 submissions in a fan campaign. Marc Dos Santos was named the first head coach on May 23, 2013, and the official crest was revealed two days later. The club played its first competitive match on April 12, 2014, a 2–0 loss at Fort Lauderdale Strikers, and moved into TD Place Stadium in July 2014.
The club won the 2015 NASL fall season championship with 45 points from 20 games, six points clear of Minnesota United. They defeated Minnesota in the Soccer Bowl semi-final but lost 3–2 to the New York Cosmos in the final. After the 2016 season, the club joined the USL Championship, citing losses of up to $2 million per year in the NASL. In 2019, the Fury reached the USL play-offs for the first time but were eliminated in the play-in round by the Charleston Battery on penalties. The club suspended operations on November 8, 2019, after failing to receive sanctioning from the USSF and CONCACAF for the 2020 season.
Reader's Guide
Ottawa Fury FC represented the national capital in professional soccer for six seasons, bridging two leagues: the North American Soccer League and the USL Championship. Their 2015 fall season title and run to the Soccer Bowl final marked the club's competitive peak. The club's dissolution in 2019 highlighted the complex cross-border sanctioning issues involving Canada Soccer, the USSF, and CONCACAF, particularly after the launch of the Canadian Premier League. The sale of its USL franchise rights to Miami FC ended the Fury's presence, though an unrelated club, Atlético Ottawa, was formed in 2020 to represent the city in the Canadian Premier League, continuing the soccer tradition at TD Place Stadium. The Fury's legacy includes the supporter groups Bytown Boys Supporters Club and Stony Monday Riot, which fostered local soccer culture.
Did You Know?
- Ottawa Fury won the 2015 NASL fall season championship with 45 points, six points clear of Minnesota United.
- The club played its first five home games of 2014 at Keith Harris Stadium due to delays at Lansdowne Park.
- On December 11, 2019, the Fury sold its USL franchise rights to the ownership group of Miami FC.
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