Hartford Athletic
American professional soccer club based in Hartford
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hartford Athletic is an American professional soccer team based in Hartford, Connecticut. The club was founded in 2018 and started play in the USL Championship in 2019.[1] For the 2026 season, the club introduced a women's team that competes in the USL W League.
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| Full name | Hartford Athletic | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | July 11, 2018 | ||
| Stadium | Trinity Health Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 5,500 | ||
| Owner | Hartford Sports Group | ||
| Head coach | Brendan Burke | ||
| League | USL Championship | ||
| 2025 | 5th, Eastern Conference Playoffs: Conference Quarter-Finals | ||
| Website | hartfordathletic.com | ||
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History
On July 18, 2018, the USL announced that Hartford, Connecticut would have a USL Championship team, beginning play in 2019.[2] A few months later on September 5, Jimmy Nielsen was named the first head coach for the club.[3] In December 2018, Wojciech Wójcik, Jose Angulo and Alex Dixon were announced as the first signings in club history.[4]
Early struggles
2019
Hartford Athletic's first game in club history was a 2–0 loss to Atlanta United 2.[5] The club proceeded to lose its next seven games, scoring just four goals. However, Hartford picked up their first point in their inaugural home game, a 1–1 draw in front of 11,346 fans at Rentschler Field. The first competitive victory in club history came in the U.S. Open Cup, a 2–1 win over New York Cosmos B.[6] The club finished the 2019 season on a three match unbeaten run, putting them at 17th in the Eastern Conference.
2020
In the COVID-19 affected 2020 season, Hartford finished atop Group F, and hosted St. Louis FC in the first round of the playoffs. However, a late goal from St. Louis eliminated Hartford in their first playoff game.[7][8]
2021
Hartford regressed in 2021, finishing 5th in the Eastern Conference and missed the playoffs by six points.[9]
2022
Hartford finished 10th in the Eastern Conference in 2022, and hosted MLS club New York Red Bulls in the U.S. Open Cup, losing 2–1.[10]
2023
2023 was the worst season in Hartford Athletic's short history, as the club finish dead last in both the Eastern Conference and league as a whole, as they picked up just 18 points, 23 behind the playoff positions.[11]
Brendan Burke era
2024
On December 12, 2023, Brendan Burke was announced as the new head coach and general manager.[12] The offseason saw a large overhaul of the squad, with 23 new signings before the season, including former Sporting CP goalkeeper Renan Ribeiro and 2017 MLS Cup winner Jay Chapman. Hartford began the 2024 season with back-to-back wins, something they hadn't achieved since September 2022.[13] However, a run of poor form between April and July saw the club pick up just nine points in 15 matches and slip down the table. In mid-summer though, a goalless draw vs. Phoenix Rising on July 26 began a great run for Hartford, as they lost just one of their next 11 matches (a 3–0 loss away at rivals Rhode Island FC). With two matches left in the season, Hartford essentially controlled their own destiny, as two wins would've gotten them into the playoffs. However, a 2–2 draw at Tampa Bay Rowdies and a 3–2 loss at Orange County saw Hartford's season come to an end, as they ultimately finished four points out of the playoffs. At the end of the season, it was announced that Danny Barrera, who had been with the club since its inaugural season in 2019, would not return to the club after the expiration of his contract.[14]
2025
Ahead of Brendan Burke's second season in charge, Hartford maintained a strong core of players from the previous season. However, starting goalkeeper Renan Ribeiro had his contract terminated by mutual consent before the season started. Notable pre-season signings included Sebastian Anderson, who played under Burke at Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, and former Cuban international Adrián Diz. After a 4-0 win at home against New Mexico United, Mamadou Dieng became the top scorer in club history.
Hartford Athletic won their first trophy in club history on October 4, 2025, in the 2025 USL Cup final. After defeating San Antonio FC in the quarterfinals and Greenville Triumph SC in the semifinals, Hartford defeated Sacramento Republic FC 1–0 at Heart Health Park in the final thanks to a second-half goal from Samuel Careaga.[15][16]
Hartford qualified for the playoffs for the second time after a 3-2 win over Sacramento.[17] They were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against eventual USL champions Pittsburgh Riverhounds in a penalty shootout, 4-2, after the match ended in a scoreless draw.[18]
In May of 2025, the team announced that they would add a women's team competing in the USL W League for the 2026 season.[19]
Stadium
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The club plays on the grounds of Trinity Health Stadium, with a capacity of 5,500.[20] The 1935 stadium was renovated and reopened on July 13, 2019, despite the fact the stadium was not completely finished.[21] Lights were completed and first used for the stadium's first night game on September 14, 2019 (Hartford Athletic vs. Louisville City).[22]
2024 saw the addition of VIP suites in the south end of the stadium, adding approximately 200 seats.[23]
During the construction of Trinity Health Stadium, Athletic played home games at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field. They played their first home game in front of more than 11,000 supporters.[24]
Hartford's first U.S. Open Cup match in 2019, which was also the first win in club history, was played at Al-Marzook Field in West Hartford.[6]
Colors and badge
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Charity
Match for a Cause
Every year, Hartford Athletic collaborates with sponsors to raise money for local charities with their "Match for a Cause". Special edition jerseys are designed, worn for a game, autographed by players, then auctioned off. All proceeds from the auctioned off jerseys are then donated to a local charity. Most recently, in 2025, Hartford Athletic partnered with Liberty Bank to raise money for the American Cancer Society.[30]
Green and Blue Foundation
Hartford Athletic established the Green and Blue Foundation in 2020, aiming to improve the quality of life of youth and disadvantaged people in the state of Connecticut.[31] This includes:
- Creating programs to improve health, education, and support for people in need.
- Educating local youth and disadvantaged people on important subjects such as employment, health, fitness, safety, nutrition, and the environment as well as providing internships and work opportunities.
- Funding participation in youth soccer through scholarships and grants, allowing young players to take part in both instructional and competitive programs despite financial barriers they may face.
- Conducting events to teach youth soccer or providing funding for events which do so.
- Helping amateur soccer teams and players by covering costs like equipment, injury help, transportation, and coaching.
- Inspiring a love of the game by providing tickets to matches to youth and amateur soccer players.
Players and staff
Men's roster
- As of February 21, 2026[32]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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- ^ USL Academy Contract
Team management
| Front office | |
|---|---|
| Owners | Joseph Calafiore Bruce Mandell Scott Schooley |
| Coaching staff | |
| Head coach | Brendan Burke |
| Assistant coach | Aaron Wheeler |
| Goalkeeper coach | Dan Gaspar |
| Strength & conditioning coach | Joe Lucas Santos |
| First team data analyst | Michael Pace |
| Athletic trainer | Mike Dias |
| Equipment manager | Marcello Delvalle |
| Women's head coach | Danny Barrera |
Club captains
_(cropped).jpg)
| Years | Name | Nation |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Philip Rasmussen |  Denmark |
| 2020–2022 | Danny Barrera |  United States |
| 2023 | Niall Logue |  Northern Ireland |
| 2024–present | Jordan Scarlett |  Jamaica |
Club culture
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Supporters
There are two primary Hartford Athletic supporters groups:
- The Bonanza is a unified independent supporters group formed in 2022 from the merger of The 19th Regiment, Mad Hat Massive, and Elm City Casuals.[33]
- Raza Brava is Latino-centric supporters group representing the greater Hartford area.
Each group is separately managed but they stand and chant together on the east end of Trinity Health Stadium for home matches.
Among the notable chants used is the "Brass Bonanza," a melody sung by the supporters groups after scoring a goal, which was also used for the former NHL team in the city, the Hartford Whalers, for the same circumstances. The groups also use Bob Marley's classic "Three Little Birds" for the beginning of matches and when the opposing team scores. [34]
Rivalries
Rhode Island FC
In the early years, the club didn't have much of a direct rival, with New York Red Bulls II being the only nearby club. However with the addition of Rhode Island FC in 2024, the two sides developed a natural regional rivalry, being the only two USL Championship clubs in New England. In 2024, the two sides played to a 1–1 draw in Hartford, before Rhode Island won 3–0 in the reverse fixture.[35][36]
On July 19, 2025, the two clubs played at Centreville Bank Stadium for the first time. The match ended 0–0, but saw 27 combined fouls.[37] Additionally, the celebrations and antics of Hartford goalkeeper Anthony Siaha directed towards Rhode Island fans and postmatch violence from Rhode Island fans gained notable media attention.[38][39] The two clubs played the very next week in the final group stage matchday of the 2025 USL Cup. In another physical match (31 total fouls), that included a red card from Hartford's Beverly Makangila and Rhode Island fans booing Siaha when he got the ball, both sides came back from a goal down as the match finished 2–2.[37] In the ensuing penalty shootout, Hartford won 4–3 to keep their hopes of advancing alive.[40][41] On Saturday, August 23, 2025, Hartford Athletic beat RIFC 3-0 including a red card on Rhode Island player Aldair Giovanni Sanchez in the 84th minute. This was the first regulation win against Rhode Island by Hartford.
Others
In the 2023 U.S. Open Cup third round, Hartford Athletic played away at New England Revolution in the first competitive match against another team from New England. Hartford lost 2–1.[42][43]
The 2025 season saw Hartford Athletic play another New England team, Portland Hearts of Pine, in the USL Cup group stage (a 2–0 win) and U.S. Open Cup second round (a 1–1 draw followed by a 4–2 loss on penalties).[44][45]
There are five other notable soccer clubs in the state of Connecticut: CT United FC in MLS Next Pro, AC Connecticut and Connecticut Rush in USL League Two, New Haven United FC in the NPSL, and independent club Hartford City FC. Hartford Athletic have shared Trinity Health Stadium with AC Connecticut and Hartford City at various points in their history, but have never played another Connecticut club in a competitive match.
In a 2025 USL Championship match against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Marlon Hairston accused Danny Griffin of using a racial slur. Additionally, there were multiple instances of fan violence, both physical and verbal.[46]
In 2026, the women's team will face AC Connecticut 3 times.[47]
Honors
Women's team
First iteration (2021)
On June 8, 2021, Hartford Athletic announced they will be fielding a women's side to compete in the new USL W League beginning in 2022.[48] The team, which plays under the AC Connecticut name, has never made the playoffs.
List of seasons
| Year | League | Reg. season | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | USL W League | 5th Metropolitan | DNQ |
| 2023 | USL W League | 8th Metropolitan | DNQ |
| 2024 | USL W League | 7th Metropolitan | DNQ |
Second iteration (2025)
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| Full name | Hartford Athletic women |
|---|---|
| Founded | May 1, 2025 |
| Stadium | Trinity Health Stadium |
| Capacity | 5,500 |
| Owner | Hartford Sports Group |
| Head coach | Danny Barrera |
| League | USL W League |
| 2026 | TBD |
| Website | hartfordathletic.com |
On May 1, 2025, Hartford Athletic announced for the second time that they would be having a women's team join the USL W League beginning in 2026.[49][50]
Women's roster
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Reserve team
Hartford Athletic II plays in the United Premier Soccer League New England South Conference premier division.[61][62] The club plays their home matches at Trinity Health Stadium.
Team records
Year-by-year
This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the club. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Hartford Athletic seasons.
| Season | USL Championship | Play-offs | U.S. Open Cup | USL Cup | Top Scorer | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | L | D | GF | GA | Pts | Position | Player | Goals | ||||||
| 2021 | 32 | 12 | 15 | 5 | 50 | 50 | 41 | 5th, Atlantic | Did not qualify | Not played | N/A |  Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. |
10 | ||
| 2022 | 34 | 10 | 18 | 6 | 47 | 57 | 36 | 10th, Eastern | Did not qualify | Third round |  Ariel Martínez |
9 | |||
| 2023 | 34 | 4 | 24 | 6 | 40 | 79 | 18 | 12th, Eastern | Did not qualify | Third round |  Prince Saydee |
10 | |||
| 2024 | 34 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 37 | 51 | 44 | 10th, Eastern | Did not qualify | Third round |  Mamadou Dieng |
11 | |||
| 2025 | 30 | 13 | 12 | 5 | 48 | 36 | 44 | 5th, Eastern | Conference Quarterfinals | Second round | Champion |  Kyle Edwards |
12 | ||
Head coaches
- Includes USL regular season, USL playoffs, U.S. Open Cup. Excludes friendlies.
| Coach | Nationality | Start | End | Games | Win | Loss | Draw | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jimmy Nielsen | Denmark |
September 5, 2018 | October 27, 2019 | 36 | 9 | 22 | 5 | 25.00 |
| Radhi Jaïdi |  Tunisia |
November 8, 2019 | October 19, 2020 | 17 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 64.71 |
| Harry Watling |  England |
January 13, 2021 | June 25, 2022 | 49 | 16 | 25 | 8 | 32.65 |
| Ray Reid (interim) |  United States |
June 25, 2022 | August 22, 2022 | 13 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 30.77 |
| Tab Ramos | United States |
August 22, 2022 | June 26, 2023 | 24 | 6 | 14 | 4 | 25.00 |
| Omid Namazi | United States |
June 26, 2023 | November 1, 2023 | 18 | 2 | 14 | 2 | 11.11 |
| Brendan Burke | United States |
December 12, 2023 | present | 75 | 31 | 29 | 15 | 41.33 |
Average attendance
| Year | Reg. Season | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5,025 | — |
| 2020 | 1,351 | 2,194 |
| 2021 | 3,780 | — |
| 2022 | 4,956 | — |
| 2023 | 4,881 | — |
| 2024 | 4,993 | — |
| 2025 | 4,914 | — |
Records
- Mamadou Dieng currently holds the record for most goals scored for Hartford Athletic, with 23 goals.[63]
- Danny Barrera is the top assister in club history, dishing out 36 assists while playing for Hartford Athletic.[64]
- Barrera also holds the record for most appearances for Hartford Athletic, playing 156 times for the club.[64]
- Hartford Athletic's biggest win came against New York Red Bulls II, when they beat them 7-0 on June 6, 2021. [65]
- On April 28, 2024, Hartford fell to Louisville City FC 0-6 in what was their biggest loss in club history.[66]
- Mamadou Dieng was also Hartford Athletic's biggest sale in club history, when he signed for Minnesota United FC for a reported fee of around $300k.[67]
Notable Former Players
| Player | Time with Team | Accomplishments |
|---|---|---|
| Danny Barrera | 2019-2024 |
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| Justin Haak | 2020-2021 | |
| Mamadou Dieng | 2024-2025 |
