Charlotte MLS Reveals Official Team Name

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The identity for Charlotte's MLS team has finally been revealed.

Charlotte FC (Football Club) is the official name of the team that will begin play in March of 2022. It will be the 30th MLS team.

“The Charlotte FC brand truly embodies our city with a design that reflects Charlotte’s rich history,” Charlotte FC Owner David Tepper said. “When we were awarded the team in December, I spoke about this club bringing the city together. To reach the point where our fans can actually know our name and see our colors is a significant milestone.”

The crest design for Charlotte FC was inspired by Charlotte’s financial history. The Queen City was the first American city to have its own branch of the United States Mint.

The blue, black and white crest is in a circular shape, to represent a coin. The colors are similar to those of the Carolina Panthers. 

In the center of the crest is a four-point crown to represent the Queen City moniker and the historic four wards of Uptown.

“Minted 2022” on the logo is an additional touch to pay tribute to the club’s first season.

Charlotte was awarded an MLS expansion franchise on Dec. 17, 2019, with Tepper purchasing the team for a reported $325 million entry fee.

The team was originally set to begin play in March of 2021, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the MLS pushed back all expansion teams one year.

“We’re going to be more prepared with the delay,” Tepper said. “I think we’ll have a lot more time to have a better team from the get-go.”

Charlotte FC signed Spanish midfielder Sergio Ruiz, their first official player two weeks ago.

Finalists for the team name were Carolina Gliders FC, Charlotte Athletic FC, Charlotte Crown FC and Charlotte Town FC.