Elected officials and business leaders joined team owners on Tuesday to announce the launch of The Island F.C., a new professional soccer team that will play in MLS Next Pro, the development league of Major League Soccer. 

The new team is headed by developer Mitchell Rechler, who is its principal owner and chairman, and Peter Zaratin, who serves as its president. 

The Island F.C. will play its home games at a new stadium to be built at the Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale, which will launch with 2,500 seats and can be expanded to 5,000 seats. The new stadium, which will be privately funded, will also serve as a year-round academy training facility for young players of soccer and other sports, and an entertainment complex, according to a team statement. 

The new club is set to kick off its inaugural MLS Next Pro season in the spring of 2027. Rechler and partners are investing some $25 million in the venture, most of which to build the stadium.

“Since 1960, my family has focused on building Long Island to create a better quality of life for its’ residents, and this is another exciting step in that mission,” Rechler, a principal of Plainview-based real estate development firm Rechler Equities, said in the statement. “We have invested in the soccer space across Nassau and Suffolk for 20 years, and we are proud to bring professional soccer to our community with a club that will create lasting opportunities and give Long Islanders a team they can truly call their own.” 

Zaratin, a former soccer goalie, is founder and CEO of Globall Concepts, a sports and management company, and an owner of the Long Island Rough Riders professional soccer team. 

“We’re building a legacy for Long Island — one rooted in opportunity, pride, and lasting impact,” Zaratin said about the new venture. “Our mission is to empower aspiring soccer players through an Island-wide development pathway that ensures every player — regardless of background or gender — can reach their full potential in the game, while delivering a stadium experience that energizes fans, strengthens communities, and reflects the rich diversity of Long Island.” 

Ali Curtis, president of MLS Next Pro, said Long Island has a tremendous soccer tradition. 

“During the expansion process, Mitchell and his group continuously demonstrated their deep commitment and passion for the sport and for the Long Island community,” he said in the statement. “The Island F.C. will be a great addition to MLS Next Pro and we look forward to their first game.” 

The new soccer club aims to expand opportunities for young players to grow and succeed, with future programming and scholarship programs to be announced, according to the statement. Plans are also underway to return professional women’s soccer to Long Island and expand soccer academy initiatives in Suffolk County. 

Both of Long Island’s county executives expressed enthusiasm for the new team and its goals to expand youth soccer. 

“Soccer is one of the fastest growing sports and we are honored to have a professional soccer team right here in Nassau County, which will provide dynamic entertainment and create economic prosperity,” Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said in the statement. 

Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine added that soccer is one of the most popular sports for young people with thousands of fans dedicated to their favorite teams around the world. 

“The addition of a new MLS Next Pro team on Long Island would be a legacy achievement that will be supported for years,” he said in the statement. “Thank you to all who are working to bring this dream to Long Island.”