*The domain nycosmos.co.uk redirects to this page – as someone interested in the history of the team, I decided to take up the domain. To visit the current (recently relaunched) team website – please visit nycosmos.com
Back in 2011, I made my way over to Old Trafford and refused to “Stand up if you love Paul Scholes” while fulfilling an ambition to watch the New York Cosmos, back in action.
This was obviously the Paul Scholes testimonial, but more importantly, the New York Cosmos were playing for the first time since the mid 80’s. However, to me it was a bit of a false Cosmos, made up mainly of players who had no interest in the team and run by Cantona, who had no connection with the Cosmos or US soccer in general. My opinion was that he was appointed to generate publicity in the UK.
Fast forward to 2015, now with no Cantona in sight, and the capable Giovanni Savarese in control, the Cosmos are back for real and have been for a couple of years. The Cosmos were taking part in their third season in the revived NASL, albeit the “second” tier of US Soccer. They won the NASL in 2013 and were well on the way to winning it again in 2015. I was fortunate enough to catch a Cosmos game at the James Shuart Stadium in Hofstra, which was their initial venue in the early 70’s. Getting there might have seemed a problem, but watching the handy guide on the Cosmos website, I managed to get from Penn. Station within central New York to Shuart Stadium via the LIRR (Long Island Rail Road). It stopped at Mineola, where I got on to the typical USA school bus, arranged by the Cosmos, to get to the stadium.
It wasn’t packed, but the Stadium was impressive. A heavy shower hit, but late in the second half, Raúl struck to give the New York Cosmos a 1-0 win over Jacksonville Armada FC. In the meanwhile, I got my free Giorgio Chinaglia bobble head and a glass and a cup with the Cosmos logo on (why not?).
After the game, it was a reverse trip to Mineola and then back to Penn. Station, before completely drying out in the heat and back to the hotel.
This was written 10 years back, since then, the NY Cosmos haven’t been in any action. After a period of hiatus since 2021, the club was officially relaunched in June 2025 under a fan-owned model, spearheaded by the organization “Football Is For The Fans.”
This ambitious relaunch aims to place the club’s future directly in the hands of its supporters. A Wefunder campaign has been established to allow fans to invest and become part-owners of the legendary soccer club. The new entity, operating under the name “NY Cosmos 1970™,” is distinct from the previous ownership that placed the team on hiatus.
The vision for the reborn Cosmos is to build a sustainable and community-focused club. The immediate plans include a “Soccer Bowl Series” scheduled for the spring of 2026, a nod to the championship game of the original North American Soccer League (NASL) where the Cosmos famously thrived.
This relaunch marks a significant turning point for the historic club, which has seen several iterations since its original founding in 1970. The original Cosmos, famed for featuring international superstars like Pelé and Franz Beckenbauer, folded in 1985. A modern version of the team was established in 2010 and competed in the new NASL and later the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) before its recent hiatus.
The success of this new fan-owned venture will be closely watched by the American soccer community as a potential new model for professional club governance in the country. The focus on community ownership and a direct connection with the fanbase harkens back to the spirit that originally made the Cosmos a cultural phenomenon.
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