Cosmos To Partner With New York International FC | OneFootball

The New York Cosmos is set to announce a partnership with American Premier Soccer League club, New York International FC (NYIFC).

The link with the New York City-based amateur club will be the latest act of networking for the revived Cosmos, who have already entered into affiliations with New Jersey-based lower league and youth teams Morris Elite SC, Passaic FC, and Unisamba FC.

The new Cosmos themselves will be based in Paterson, New Jersey, and will begin play in the USL League One division in 2026. The NYIFC partnership provides a link back to New York City itself.

NYIFC is part of the league system that includes New York’s Cosmopolitan Soccer League (CSL) and includes promotion (and relegation) throughout a number of divisions.

Winning teams in the CSL's Division 1 can accept promotion to the American Premier Soccer League, but they can also decline promotion for various reasons, usually financial or home-field-related.

This was the case last season as Division 1 league and playoff champions Polonia turned down promotion due to financial reasons, meaning NYIFC, as runners up, were given the opportunity to move up a league.

It was an opportunity NYIFC took. Founded in 2019, the club continued its quick rise through the divisions, and in this short space of time, it has become one of the standout clubs in New York City on and off the field.

It is a local league system that features numerous former US Open Cup winners and some of the most historic clubs in US soccer, including New York Greek American, New York Ukrainians, and the New Jersey-based side, Hoboken 1912.

While the Cosmopolitan League keeps things local, the APSL takes things to a more regional level, including conferences from across the Eastern United States.

The Cosmos' partnership with NYIFC will likely include the loaning of players to the APSL club.

In turn, it will strengthen the Cosmos' links with New York City's large and historic network of lower league, semi-pro and amateur soccer clubs.