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Gotham FC
Gotham Football Club is an American professional soccer team based in the New York metropolitan area that competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Founded in 2006 as Jersey Sky Blue, the team was known as Sky Blue FC from 2008 until 2020, and as NJ/NY Gotham FC from 2021 to 2024. A founding member of the NWSL in 2013, Sky Blue FC also played in Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) from 2009 to 2011. They won the NWSL Championship in 2023 and 2025.
Following the growth of women's soccer in the United States in the 1990s, the first attempt at a fully professional women's league, the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA), was founded in 2000. However, after playing just three seasons the WUSA folded in 2003. Almost immediately following the folding of the WUSA, attempts were made to relaunch the league, although each of these initially came to naught. Finally, in December 2006, an agreement was reached to establish a new professional women's league, consisting of teams from Chicago, St. Louis, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., as well as an undetermined sixth city located somewhere in the Western United States. Originally planned to begin play in 2008, the launch of this new league, dubbed Women's Professional Soccer (WPS), was subsequently pushed back to 2009. Boston and the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area were also selected to host clubs to participate in the inaugural WPS season.
Sky Blue FC was originally founded in 2006 as Jersey Sky Blue, playing in the USL W-League in 2007, a semi-professional league that served as part of the second division of women's soccer in the United States. Future governor of New Jersey Phil Murphy and his wife Tammy Murphy were co-founders of the team, alongside businessman Steven H. Temares, Francesco Prandoni and Thomas Hofstetter. The Murphys would later claim that their motivation in founding the club was as an example to their daughter, in order to prove that there was a viable pathway for women in the United States to play professional soccer. By September 2007, the club had been selected to fulfill the New York/New Jersey slot in Women's Professional Soccer and rebranded as Sky Blue FC. Following this move, the Jersey Sky Blue name initially remained in use for a feeder team in the W-League, although it later rebranded as the Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues. Co-founder Thomas Hofstetter, who served as president of Sky Blue FC until 2013, also served as chairman of the feeder team until their folding in 2010. As of 2018, Phil Murphy was a majority shareholder of the team.
Sky Blue FC named Ian Sawyers as its first head coach and general manager on March 5, 2008. However, it was not until September 9, 2008, that the New York/New Jersey outfit was officially unveiled under the name Sky Blue FC. One week later, the U.S. women's national team allocation took place with Heather O'Reilly, Natasha Kai, and Christie Pearce allocated to Sky Blue FC.
On September 24, the 2008 WPS International Draft was held. Sky Blue FC drafted Australia national team forward Sarah Walsh in the first round, Brazil national team members Rosana and Ester in the second and third rounds respectively, finished with Canada national team midfielder Kelly Parker in the fourth round. In addition to these picks, Sky Blue FC also named Australia national team midfielder Collette McCallum and England national team defender Anita Asante as post-draft discovery players on September 26, 2008, and October 2, 2008, respectively, and were awarded their WPS playing rights.
To further assign player rights, on October 6 the 2008 WPS General Draft took place. Sky Blue FC drafted Cori Alexander, Keeley Dowling, Kacey White, and Jenny Hammond. Ian Sawyers closed out 2008 by choosing Kelly Lindsey to be his assistant coach on December 3.
The new year brought new players. On January 16, the 2009 WPS Draft was held. Sky Blue FC drafted Yael Averbuch, Meghan Schnur, Karen Bardsley, Christie Shaner, Julianne Sitch, Jen Buczkowski, Zhang Ouying, Mary Therese McDonnell, Mele French, and Fanta Cooper.
Sky Blue FC kicked off its inaugural season on April 5, 2009, dropping a 2–0 decision to Los Angeles Sol at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey. It played its next game at the venue before moving permanently to Yurcak Field on the campus of Rutgers University.
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Gotham FC
Gotham Football Club is an American professional soccer team based in the New York metropolitan area that competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Founded in 2006 as Jersey Sky Blue, the team was known as Sky Blue FC from 2008 until 2020, and as NJ/NY Gotham FC from 2021 to 2024. A founding member of the NWSL in 2013, Sky Blue FC also played in Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) from 2009 to 2011. They won the NWSL Championship in 2023 and 2025.
Following the growth of women's soccer in the United States in the 1990s, the first attempt at a fully professional women's league, the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA), was founded in 2000. However, after playing just three seasons the WUSA folded in 2003. Almost immediately following the folding of the WUSA, attempts were made to relaunch the league, although each of these initially came to naught. Finally, in December 2006, an agreement was reached to establish a new professional women's league, consisting of teams from Chicago, St. Louis, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., as well as an undetermined sixth city located somewhere in the Western United States. Originally planned to begin play in 2008, the launch of this new league, dubbed Women's Professional Soccer (WPS), was subsequently pushed back to 2009. Boston and the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area were also selected to host clubs to participate in the inaugural WPS season.
Sky Blue FC was originally founded in 2006 as Jersey Sky Blue, playing in the USL W-League in 2007, a semi-professional league that served as part of the second division of women's soccer in the United States. Future governor of New Jersey Phil Murphy and his wife Tammy Murphy were co-founders of the team, alongside businessman Steven H. Temares, Francesco Prandoni and Thomas Hofstetter. The Murphys would later claim that their motivation in founding the club was as an example to their daughter, in order to prove that there was a viable pathway for women in the United States to play professional soccer. By September 2007, the club had been selected to fulfill the New York/New Jersey slot in Women's Professional Soccer and rebranded as Sky Blue FC. Following this move, the Jersey Sky Blue name initially remained in use for a feeder team in the W-League, although it later rebranded as the Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues. Co-founder Thomas Hofstetter, who served as president of Sky Blue FC until 2013, also served as chairman of the feeder team until their folding in 2010. As of 2018, Phil Murphy was a majority shareholder of the team.
Sky Blue FC named Ian Sawyers as its first head coach and general manager on March 5, 2008. However, it was not until September 9, 2008, that the New York/New Jersey outfit was officially unveiled under the name Sky Blue FC. One week later, the U.S. women's national team allocation took place with Heather O'Reilly, Natasha Kai, and Christie Pearce allocated to Sky Blue FC.
On September 24, the 2008 WPS International Draft was held. Sky Blue FC drafted Australia national team forward Sarah Walsh in the first round, Brazil national team members Rosana and Ester in the second and third rounds respectively, finished with Canada national team midfielder Kelly Parker in the fourth round. In addition to these picks, Sky Blue FC also named Australia national team midfielder Collette McCallum and England national team defender Anita Asante as post-draft discovery players on September 26, 2008, and October 2, 2008, respectively, and were awarded their WPS playing rights.
To further assign player rights, on October 6 the 2008 WPS General Draft took place. Sky Blue FC drafted Cori Alexander, Keeley Dowling, Kacey White, and Jenny Hammond. Ian Sawyers closed out 2008 by choosing Kelly Lindsey to be his assistant coach on December 3.
The new year brought new players. On January 16, the 2009 WPS Draft was held. Sky Blue FC drafted Yael Averbuch, Meghan Schnur, Karen Bardsley, Christie Shaner, Julianne Sitch, Jen Buczkowski, Zhang Ouying, Mary Therese McDonnell, Mele French, and Fanta Cooper.
Sky Blue FC kicked off its inaugural season on April 5, 2009, dropping a 2–0 decision to Los Angeles Sol at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey. It played its next game at the venue before moving permanently to Yurcak Field on the campus of Rutgers University.