New York Cosmos reborn in US League One with sights on MLS | OneFootball

According to L'Équipe, New York Cosmos, Pelé’s last club, have been relaunched in US League One, the third tier, with the aim of joining MLS for the first time.

A small crowd gathered at Paterson’s Hinchliffe Stadium, 35 km north of New York, for the 14 March opener, which ended 1-3 against Portland Hearts of Pine.

The club previously returned in 2010, spending five seasons in the NASL’s second level from 2013 to 2017, before that league folded. Older supporters recall the 1980s at Giants Stadium in New Jersey, when the Cosmos drew tens of thousands.

For some younger fans, the restart felt historic and a potential start of a new era, while long-time followers spoke of childhood trips to watch the team.

Before any MLS dream, the Cosmos must climb two divisions from US League One. Owner Baye Adofo-Wilson, in place since 2025, has pledged €95 million to renovate the stadium, currently at 7,500 capacity.

The plan is to build a popular club, drawing not only nostalgic regulars and their children but also a football-loving Latino community. Supporters’ group Banda Del Cosmos delivered drums, songs and flares, though the atmosphere was subdued at times amid an uneven standard.

Season-ticket holder Patrick, 45, paid €220 and expects improvements, seeing the World Cup as a likely boost for the sport. On the pitch, the newcomers, featuring the lively yet erratic French forward Christian Koffi, were beaten, a result secondary to the symbolism of the revival.

Source: L'Équipe