May 21st, 2026
Met Oval Brooklyn Announces Elite Girls Partnership
with Brooklyn City F.C.
BROOKLYN, NY -- Met Oval Brooklyn and Brooklyn City F.C. announced
today a strategic partnership that will see Brooklyn City F.C.’s top level U13–U19 girls
teams integrate with Met Oval Brooklyn beginning with the 2026–2027 season.
As part of the partnership, top Brooklyn City F.C. girls teams will compete as MetOval
Brooklyn City in the National Academy League (NAL) Northeast Girls Division,
providing players with direct access to one of the country’s premier national youth
competition platforms and a clearly defined pathway for long-term player development.
The partnership strengthens Met Oval Brooklyn’s commitment to building a complete
elite player development pathway for girls and boys throughout Brooklyn, while
continuing Brooklyn City F.C. 's long-standing track record for developing talented
female players through a unique club-based community, supporting their journey from
youth to the highest semi-pro and professional women’s levels.
“This partnership represents an important step forward for girls soccer in Brooklyn,”
said Jesse DeLorenzo, Brooklyn City F.C. president. “Brooklyn City F.C. has built an
outstanding culture and development environment for female players, and by integrating with Met Oval Brooklyn and the National Academy League platform, we are creating expanded opportunities for players to compete, develop, and pursue collegiate and professional pathways at the highest levels, including our own senior teams.”
Through the integration, players will benefit from:
● Participation in the National Academy League Northeast Girls Division
● Access to Metropolitan Oval’s proven player development methodology
● Elite-level coaching, training, and competition environments
● Enhanced exposure to college recruitment and national scouting opportunities
● Professional pathway as an official club partner of USL SuperLeague women’s
team Brooklyn FC
Built on Metropolitan Oval’s century-long tradition of elite player development, the
partnership aims to elevate the standard of girls soccer in Brooklyn while maintaining a strong community-centered approach.
“Brooklyn City F.C. has always prioritized creating meaningful opportunities for girls and women to grow as people and players,” said Madison Pickett, Brooklyn City F.C. Youth Director of Coaching. “Partnering with Met Oval Brooklyn allows us to provide our players with direct access to one of the nation’s most respected development platforms while continuing to serve the Brooklyn soccer community.”
Players within the program will also gain exposure to Metropolitan Oval’s broader
development ecosystem, which includes pathways into national-level competition,
collegiate placement opportunities, and professional academy environments.
“We are excited to welcome Brooklyn City F.C.’s girls teams into the Met Oval Brooklyn
family,” said Jeffrey Saunders, Metropolitan Oval’s Sporting Director. “This partnership
reflects our shared commitment to creating the best possible development environment for female players in Brooklyn and providing them with access to elite competition platforms like the National Academy League and MLS Next.”
The integration will officially begin ahead of the Fall 2026 season, with teams competing as Met Oval Brooklyn City in the NAL Northeast Girls Division.
About Metropolitan Oval Metropolitan Oval is one of the most respected youth soccer academies in the United States, with a 100-year history of developing top-level players and creating pathways into collegiate and professional soccer. Metropolitan Oval operates elite development programs throughout New York City and provides players with direct access to national competition platforms and advanced player development opportunities.
About Brooklyn City F.C.
Brooklyn City F.C. is a community-based soccer club committed to uniting Brooklyn’s
diverse micro-communities, with the single goal of representing Brooklyn on a national
level in the women’s and men’s game. The club serves players of all ages and genders,
but since inception has been a leading environment for female players of all ages within
NYC.
For more information:
Instagram: @metovalbrooklyn | @brooklyncityfc | @metovalacademy | @bcfcw
Email: info@metropolitanoval.org
Website: https://metropolitanoval.or
November 12th, 2025
Brooklyn City F.C. and Brooklyn FC Unite to Create Borough-wide Women's Football Pathway
Partnership connects Gainbridge Super League club with Brooklyn’s leading girls and women’s program, creating a complete ecosystem from grassroots to professional
BROOKLYN, NY -- Brooklyn Football Club (Brooklyn FC) today announced a new partnership with Brooklyn City F.C. (BCFC) that connects Brooklyn’s professional women’s team in the Gainbridge Super League, a USL property, with the borough’s largest girls and women’s soccer community. The agreement establishes a Brooklyn Women’s Football Ecosystem that gives roughly 350 female players in the BCFC club community a clear pathway from grassroots to the professional game, while opening matchday and community benefits to BCFC players of all genders.
The partnership officially kicked off on Tuesday, Nov. 11, when Brooklyn City F.C. youth players attended Brooklyn FC women’s training to watch the session, meet players and staff, and experience a professional environment up close. The first major public celebration follows at Maimonides Park on Saturday, Nov. 22, when BCFC players and families are invited to a dedicated BCFC Day at a Brooklyn FC home match, featuring fan experiences and group ticket opportunities.
“From the beginning, our vision in Brooklyn has been simple, to build a professional club that stands on the shoulders of the already existing soccer community,” said Dave Barry, president of Brooklyn FC. “Brooklyn City F.C. has been doing the work in this borough for years, from WPSL and NYMWSL to a deep youth pyramid. Formalizing this partnership means a four-year-old in a Development Center, a teenager breaking through in WPSL and a professional at Maimonides Park can all see themselves in the Brooklyn story.”
Founded in 2017 by longtime Brooklyn resident Jesse DeLorenzo, Brooklyn City F.C. has built a vertically integrated club model that runs from grassroots programs for young children through competitive youth teams and into women’s and men’s amateur and semi-professional teams that represent Brooklyn in regional and national competition. The women’s first team competes in the Women’s Premier Soccer League, with additional women’s sides in WPSL2 and the New York Metropolitan Women’s Soccer League, while youth teams play across local and regional leagues such as EDP and the Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League.
“This partnership keeps the pathway for Brooklyn players right here in Brooklyn,” said Jesse DeLorenzo, president of Brooklyn City F.C. “For more than seven years, our mission has been to unite the borough’s communities and give players a chance to represent Brooklyn at the highest possible level. Connecting our womens’ and girls’ teams to a Division One professional club in our own borough brings that mission to life and lays the foundation for the next generation.”
Through the new partnership, BCFC’s women’s teams will sit alongside Brooklyn FC in a shared ecosystem that gives players structured options at every stage. Joint initiatives will include collaborative scouting and player identification, shared trial invitations, a mutual player prospect database and a pathway for Brooklyn F.C. trialists who do not immediately sign professional contracts to land at the appropriate BCFC level.
On the youth side, BCFC will serve as an official pathway partner for Brooklyn FC women. The partnership includes shared player development initiatives, mentorship from Brooklyn FC first-team players, and opportunities for BCFC coaches to learn from Brooklyn FC’s professional environment, building a shared football language across the pathway.
As part of the partnership, Brooklyn City FC families will receive season-long discounted ticket access to all Brooklyn FC home matches, along with a reserved VIP fieldside allocation and dedicated BCFC Day or Night fixtures each season. At the Nov. 22 match, Brooklyn City FC players will take part in fan experience packages that include a pre-match warm-up viewing opportunity, player walkouts, ball kid roles and post-match autograph sessions with Brooklyn FC players.
Brooklyn FC will also serve as the title sponsor for BCFC’s Development Centers, supporting grassroots training for girls ages four to twelve across multiple Brooklyn neighborhoods. In addition, Brooklyn FC will feature as an official club partner via sleeve patch branding on BCFC youth match and training kits, girls and boys, beginning with the current season. BCFC boys and men’s teams will also receive access to group ticket offers, fan experience programs, and other joint initiatives between the two clubs, reinforcing a shared Brooklyn identity across the full club.
About Brooklyn Football Club
Brooklyn Football Club is the borough’s professional soccer club, competing in the United Soccer League ecosystem. The club’s women’s team plays in the Gainbridge Super League, the top tier of U.S. women’s soccer, while the men’s team will debut in the USL Championship in 2026. United by a commitment to community, culture, and competitive excellence, Brooklyn FC represents the global game with local heart. Learn more at brooklynfootballclub.com.
May 20, 2025
Brooklyn City F.C. to Join TLfC in 2026
BROOKLYN, NY -- The League for Clubs (TLfC) is excited to announce the addition of Brooklyn City F.C. to our roster of clubs. Brooklyn City F.C. will begin play in TLfC in the 2026 season.
Brooklyn City F.C. was founded in 2017 and has seen rapid growth over its seven years in existence. The club currently fields two men’s teams that play in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League. In 2021, Brooklyn City F.C. won the Harry J. Saunders Cup, an annual League Cup put on by the Cosmopolitan Soccer League and played across New York City.
“Joining The League for Clubs provides the platform for Brooklyn City F.C. to fulfill its mission to support a complete player pathway within our club, from youth to adult, and ultimately with the opportunity to compete on a national level,” said Jesse DeLorenzo, Brooklyn F.C. President. “It brings more men’s semi-pro soccer back to Brooklyn in a high-quality environment, which the Brooklyn soccer community deserves and is eager to support! We can’t wait to hit the field in 2026!!”
Brooklyn City F.C. also has a women’s first team that competes in the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL), a second team that competes in WPSL Division 2 and a year-round women’s team that competes in the New York Metropolitan Women’s Soccer League (NYMWSL). On the youth side, Brooklyn City F.C. boasts over 20 teams and 350 players, competing regionally in the Elite Development Program (EDP), locally in the Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League (CJSL) and at tournaments up and down the Mid-Atlantic coast.
The club recently opened offices in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, overlooking the New York harbor. Brooklyn City F.C. plays at multiple venues, including Aviator Sports Complex, which is the home to its WPSL teams and older elite youth teams.
The League for Clubs was founded as an alternative to existing lower-level options in men’s soccer in America. At The League, our mission is to work collaboratively to help every club at this level become sustainable and successful, both on and off the pitch.
For more information on our
mission and goals, please read the open letter written by our five founding owners at
theleaguefc.com.
5/19/2025
Brooklyn City F.C. Partners With Berry Park for Women's Teams
BROOKLYN, NY -- Brooklyn City F.C. is thrilled to announce the addition of Berry Park Brooklyn, as a club partner and sponsor of our women’s teams, starting with the 2025 WPSL and WPSL Division II seasons.
Berry Park will be featured prominently on the back of the Brooklyn City F.C. Home BKLYN Kit, as well as women’s warm-up jackets, both supplied by Hummel Sport.
Established in 2009, Berry Park has become a cornerstone of the Williamsburg neighborhood in Brooklyn. Now entirely women-owned, the establishment places a strong emphasis on promoting women’s sports, with a particular focus on local teams and soccer.
“As a guiding principle of Berry Park, a women-owned business, ‘we are a rooftop for the people and soccer for all’”, said Elena Vazintaris, co-owner of Berry Park. “Partnering with BCFC is more than just a sponsorship, it is an alignment of values: investing in community, creating visibility for women athletes and building a culture where local talent thrives.”
“We’re excited to be part of the momentum behind BCFC and can’t wait to cheer them on!"
The partnership will mark the beginning of a growing collaboration between the two organizations to further provide easier access to attend, support, and/or view women’s soccer at all levels, including Brooklyn City F.C. First Teams. Berry Park also provides the club with an additional new venue for hosting events, team functions, and potential viewing parties.
“We couldn’t think of a more synergistic sponsor and partner to add to the BCFC family, than Berry Park,” said Jesse DeLorenzo, President and Founder of Brooklyn City F.C. “An institution in North Brooklyn for many years, Berry Park’s commitment to supporting women’s sports aligns perfectly with Brooklyn City F.C.’s consistent commitment to the female game.”
Brooklyn City F.C. was founded in 2017, and from inception the club has given a special emphasis on pathways for female players, and promoting the women’s game from the club’s inception. BCFC extends from the grassroots levels at ages 3-4, through competitive youth teams from ages 7-18, to women’s and men’s amateur and semi-pro teams. The club’s mission aims to use the global game of football to unite and represent the many diverse communities and cultures in Brooklyn, under a single club banner.