The Cosmos Are Back. But This Time, It’s Different.

For decades, the New York Cosmos lived in two states: legendary and limbo.
Pelé. Beckenbauer. Packed stadiums. Then, silence. Relaunch. Collapse. Relaunch again. Another collapse.

But now—in 2025—it feels real.
Because this isn’t just a nostalgia act.

This is the Cosmos joining USL League One, backed by a purpose-driven plan, playing in Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, New Jersey. They’re coming back with both a men’s and women’s team, a regional training center, and a commitment to grassroots relevance. They’re not aiming for headlines. They’re aiming for home.

The New Home: Hinchliffe Stadium

Forget MetLife or Red Bull Arena. The Cosmos are moving into one of the most historic and underappreciated sports venues in America. Hinchliffe Stadium is a 1930s-era ballpark that once hosted Negro League baseball. It’s been reborn—just like the club that will soon call it home.

Why this matters:

• It’s not suburban.
• It’s not sterile.
• It’s rooted in something deeper than ticket sales.

The Cosmos choosing Paterson says everything. It’s a community-first move. It’s USL embracing culture, not just commerce.

A Club With Purpose

What makes this relaunch feel different from past attempts?

Infrastructure: Stadium, youth outreach, museum, and clear brand identity.

League Fit: USL League One isn’t the big-money spotlight, but it’s where real stories get built.

Women's Team: Not as a side note—a full launch alongside the men, showing the club’s intent to shape the future, not just honor the past.

What the League is Saying

Garret Hokr, USL’s Chief Commercial Officer, said it best:

“The Cosmos aren’t just a return—they’re a redefinition. Men’s and women’s teams. A historic stadium. A regional strategy. That’s what American soccer needs.”

It’s a statement of intent—from the Cosmos and from USL.

USL vs. MLS: A Growing Divide

As MLS becomes increasingly polished, expansion-fee-driven, and top-down, USL is leaning into its messy, authentic, community-centered vibe. Clubs like Forward Madison, Detroit City, and now the reborn Cosmos represent something MLS can’t bottle: belonging.

This relaunch is more exciting than any MLS expansion announcement in years. Because it’s not a business acquisition—it’s a story.

Why MLS Needs to Remember Its Own History

For a league so desperate to be taken seriously, Major League Soccer has a bad habit of forgetting where it came from.

The 1996 jerseys. The shootouts. The indoor-style fields. DC United’s dynasty. The MetroStars. Clint Mathis with a mohawk. Carlos Valderrama walking through midfield like it was a catwalk.

It was weird. It was cringey.
But it was ours.

Now MLS wants sleek logos and $500M expansion fees. But in the process, it has erased the foundation that kept the league alive in its early chaos.

• You won’t find original club logos on merch.
• League content rarely references pre-Beckham players.
• Teams like Chicago and San Jose have rebranded their past away.

Meanwhile, USL and the Cosmos are doing the opposite. They’re owning the weird, the historic, the local. And fans are responding.

Because if you want to build a culture, you have to respect your roots.

No Promotion/Relegation... Yet

There’s no official promotion or relegation between USL League One (third division) and USL Championship (second division)—yet. For now, clubs must apply to move up based on market, stadium, and finances.

But that might not be the case for long.

In 2021, then-USL President Jake Edwards confirmed the league was actively exploring a promotion/relegation system within its own ecosystem:

“We believe it's time to have that conversation and consider how we might implement a true merit-based system.”
— Jake Edwards, USL President (The Athletic, ESPN)

If it happens, the Cosmos are exactly the kind of club you build that future around.

How to Watch USL

If you're ready to follow the Cosmos—or anyone else in USL—here’s how:

Most fans use ESPN+ to watch the full season.

Upcoming USL League One Games

Here are the confirmed matches airing live on ESPN+, ESPN2, or CBS Golazo in the next seven days:

Wednesday, July 16

• Chattanooga Red Wolves vs Texoma FC – 4:00 PM ET (LIVE on ESPN+)
• One Knoxville SC vs AV Alta FC – 4:00 PM ET (LIVE on ESPN+)
• Westchester SC vs Spokane Velocity FC – 4:00 PM ET (LIVE on ESPN+)
• Forward Madison FC vs Charlotte Independence – 4:00 PM ET (LIVE on ESPN+) RedditWikipedia+10ESPN.com+10Wikipedia+10

Friday, July 18

• Union Omaha vs South Georgia Tormenta FC – 7:00 PM ET (LIVE on ESPN+) USL League One+11ESPN.com+11Wikipedia+11

Saturday, July 19

• Charlotte Independence vs Portland Hearts of Pine – 7:00 PM ET (LIVE on ESPN+)
• Chattanooga Red Wolves vs Spokane Velocity FC – 7:00 PM ET (LIVE on ESPN+)
• One Knoxville SC vs Westchester SC – 7:00 PM ET (LIVE on ESPN+)
• AV Alta FC vs FC Naples – 11:00 PM ET (LIVE on ESPN+) SeatGeek+7ESPN.com+7Wikipedia+7

Sunday, July 20

• Greenville Triumph SC vs Richmond Kickers – 7:00 PM ET (LIVE on ESPN+)

Get Engaged

The Cosmos aren’t coming back to chase what they were.
They’re here to become what American soccer needs.

And maybe that’s what MLS needs too.
To stop chasing polish and start remembering its own soul.

This isn’t just a return.
It’s a rebirth—and a reminder of everything that built the game in this country in the first place.

Support the Culture

Like what you're reading? Help us keep telling the stories that matter in soccer, past, present, and future.

🛒 Check out our store for gear that reps the game beyond the mainstream.
📲 Follow us on socials @ReservesFC for more.

This is football for the fans who never stopped watching.