New soccer team will be called "Forest City Cleveland"
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Illustration: Courtesy Cleveland Soccer Group
Cleveland's new men's professional soccer team has a name: Forest City Cleveland.
Kicking the news: Set to begin play in the MLS NEXT Pro league in 2027, the club unveiled its brand identity Tuesday after a yearlong design process led by Cleveland Soccer Group.
Why it matters: The launch marks a milestone for CSG's multipronged effort to bring pro soccer to town, and signals the start of ticket sales, merchandise drops and community events ahead of the team's debut.
Context: MLS Next Pro, created as a bridge between MLS and MLS youth academies, is a third-tier league that debuted in 2022.
By the numbers: More than 3,000 people participated in surveys, focus groups and interviews that helped shape the name and crest, CSG said in a news release.
Zoom in: The club's name repurposes Cleveland's historic nickname, "The Forest City."
- The crest portrays the 350-year-old sycamore in Cuyahoga Valley National Park known as the "Die Hard Tree."
- The brand was developed by Cleveland native Alex Kocher and strategist Mo Fitzgerald, who have experience in professional soccer branding.
💠Sam's thought bubble: It's odd that they don't say so, but I assume the name is a play on "FC" — football club — as in FC Barcelona or Juventus FC.
- Unfortunately, "Forest City Cleveland" is syntactically bizarre. Nonsensical, in fact.
- "Windy City Chicago," "City of Brotherly Love Philadelphia," "The Big Easy New Orleans." These are not team names. They are city nicknames followed by the name of the city itself.
- The obvious move here would have been to call the team Forest City Football Club (i.e. Forest City FC/FCFC), and then rely on the fanbase to concoct nicknames. Alas.
What's next: The club will host watch parties and community events throughout 2026.
- The brand identity for the local women's team is set to launch May 4.