AC Connecticut is an American amateur

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

team based in

Newtown, Connecticut Newtown is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is part of the Greater Danbury metropolitan area as well as the New York metropolitan area. Newtown was founded in 1705, and later incorporated in 1711. As of the 2020 censu ...

, playing in

USL League Two USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional developmental soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States and Canada, forming part of the United States soccer league syste ...

, the fourth tier of the

American soccer pyramid The United States soccer league system is a series of professional and amateur soccer leagues based, in whole or in part, in the United States. Sometimes called the American soccer pyramid, teams and leagues are not linked by the system of prom ...

. The team colors are blue, black and white.

History

CFC Azul was founded as a

USL PDL USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional developmental soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States and Canada, forming part of the United States soccer league syste ...

team on December 21, 2011, and launched its inaugural season in 2012. The club is the pinnacle for a 70-plus youth team organization and is Connecticut's only professional organized soccer franchise. In its first season of play, CFC Azul finished mid-table tied for 4th place with fellow expansion team

Worcester Hydra Worcester Hydra was an American soccer team based in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 2011, the team played in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northeast Division ...

. In 2013, CFC finished in 6th place with a record of 2 wins, 6 losses and 6 draws. In time for the start of the 2014 season, Peter D'Amico became the primary owner and managing partner of the Azul. Additionally, CFC teamed up with

WXCI WXCI (91.7 FM) is a student radio station broadcasting an educational format. Licensed to Danbury, Connecticut, United States, the station serves the Danbury area. The station is owned by Western Connecticut State University. WXCI broadcasts to ...

91.7 FM to broadcast play-by-play of Azul's home games. The team split off from its Connecticut Football Club (CFC) parent and was renamed AC Connecticut on September 5, 2014. In 2021, AC Connecticut announced a partnership with

Hartford Athletic Hartford Athletic is an American professional soccer team based in Hartford, Connecticut. The club was founded in 2018 and started play in the USL Championship in 2019. It is the only pro soccer team in Connecticut. History On June 8, 2021, Ha ...

to identify potential players and create a pathway to pro soccer.

Stadium

The team was originally scheduled to play their home games at

Reese Stadium Reese Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located on the campus of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. It is home to the Yale Bulldogs soccer and lacrosse teams. Reese Stadium is also the home of the Elm City Express professional soccer tea ...

on the campus of

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...

. However, due to scheduling conflicts, CFC Azul ended playing their 2012 home games at various locations throughout Connecticut including

Veterans Stadium Veterans Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. The seating capacities were 65,358 for footb ...

New Britain, CT New Britain is a city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is located approximately southwest of Hartford. According to 2020 Census, the population of the city is 74,135. Among the southernmost of the communities encompassed wit ...

. For the 2013 season, CFC Azul played their home games at

Central Connecticut State University Central Connecticut State University (Central Connecticut, CCSU, Central Connecticut State, or informally Central) is a public university in New Britain, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1849 as the State Normal School, CCSU is Connecticut ...

. CFC Azul signed a muti-year contract to play their games the Westside Athletic Complex at

Western Connecticut State University Western Connecticut State University (WCSU and WestConn) is a public university in Danbury, Connecticut. It was founded in 1903 as a teacher's college and is part of the Connecticut State University System. WCSU consists of four schools: the Anc ...

. AC Connecticut now plays their home games at

Dillion Stadium Dillion may refer to: * James Dillion, American Olympic discus thrower * Dillion Everett, a character in the science fiction television series ''Stargate: Atlantis'' * Dillion Creek, a stream in Missouri See also * Dillian Gordon, British art h ...

Hartford, CT Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded County (United States), county government in 19 ...

the home of the

USL Championship The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer) as a Division II league since 2017, pl ...

team, the

. They also have facilities in

Newtown, CT Newtown is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is part of the Greater Danbury metropolitan area as well as the New York metropolitan area. Newtown was founded in 1705, and later incorporated in 1711. As of the 2020 censu ...

North Yarmouth Academy North Yarmouth Academy (also known as "NYA") is an independent, co-ed, college preparatory day school serving students from early childhood education to postgraduate. NYA was founded in 1814, in what was then North Yarmouth, Maine, prior to the 184 ...

Sports & Fitness.

Year-by-year

Players and staff

Notable former players

* Steve Covino *

Ryan Kinne Ryan Kinne (born August 31, 1989 in Waterbury, Connecticut, United States) is a former American soccer player. Career College and amateur Kinne played his college career at Monmouth University where he was an NSCAA All-American, Hermann Trophy ...

* Jannik Eckenrode *

Gianluca Catalano Gianluca Catalano (born May 6, 2000) is a Canadian soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Vaughan Azzurri in League1 Ontario. Youth career He began playing soccer at age three with Kleinburg Nobleton SC. As a youth, he was a member of the ...

* Henry Kessler

Current staff

* Robin Schuppert – General Manager * Alex Harrison – Head Coach * Joe Mingachos – Head Coach * Joe Falstoe – Assistant Coach * Sean Weir – Fitness Coach * Paul Winstanley – Goalie Coach

References

External links

* Soccer clubs in Connecticut Sports in New Haven, Connecticut 2011 establishments in Connecticut USL League Two teams {{Connecticut-footyclub-stub