Toronto FC theme by Raymond Regina
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| Full name | Toronto Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | The Reds | |||
| Short name | TFC | |||
| Founded | October 27, 2005 | |||
| Stadium | BMO Field Toronto, Ontario | |||
| Capacity | 30,000[1] | |||
| Investor-operator[a] | Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment | |||
| President | Bill Manning | |||
| General Manager | Jason Hernandez | |||
| Coach | John Herdman | |||
| League | Major League Soccer | |||
| 2023 | Eastern Conference: 15th Overall: 29th Playoffs: Did not qualify | |||
| Website | Club website | |||
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Toronto Football Club (commonly known as Toronto FC or TFC) is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home matches at BMO Field, located at Exhibition Place on Toronto's shoreline west of Downtown Toronto. Toronto FC joined MLS in 2007 as an expansion team and was the first Canadian-based franchise in the league.
The first team is operated by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), which also operates the MLS Next Pro affiliate team Toronto FC II and most other professional sports franchises in the city, like the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL), Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
In 2017, Toronto FC won a domestic treble with the MLS Cup, Supporters' Shield and Canadian Championship, making them the first and only MLS club to ever do so. They are eight-time winners of the Canadian Championship and were runners-up of the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League and the MLS Cup in 2016 and 2019.
As of 2023,[update] the club has an estimated value of US$690 million, making them the sixth most valuable club behind Los Angeles FC, LA Galaxy, Atlanta United FC, New York City FC, and D.C. United, and have the highest player payroll in Major League Soccer.[3][4][5]
History[edit]
Expansion[edit]
MLS awarded Toronto a team in 2005. Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) paid US$10 million for the franchise.[6] The name of the team was announced on May 11, 2006.[7]
The announcement followed an online consultation in which the public was invited to vote on the name for a limited period. The voting options were "Toronto Northmen", "Inter Toronto FC", "Toronto Reds", and "Toronto FC". MLSE's strategy in choosing "Toronto FC" following this process was based on two reasons. Firstly, over 40 percent of the online vote supported the simple Toronto FC name during the consultation; secondly, MLSE hoped that the fairly generic name would help the new club earn a more organic nickname from the Toronto fans rather than having one imposed upon the team.[8] The team has been called "TFC" and "the Reds" by the media, the team, and the fans. The "FC" ("Football Club") in the club's name is the conventional initialism for association football teams across Europe and is commonly used among MLS teams to present a more authentic soccer brand.[9]
Formative years (2007–2010)[edit]
Despite a long scoreless streak to start the club's history, Toronto FC quickly began to establish itself as a club with significant fan support. The club's first win came on May 12, 2007, at BMO Field as Danny Dichio scored the team's first goal in the 24th minute of a 3–1 home win over the Chicago Fire.[10] Though TFC slipped to the bottom of the MLS standings with a record of 6–17–7, the team built a foundation as the first Canadian team in MLS. In the club's second season in 2008, Toronto hosted the 2008 MLS All-Star Game. The club finished last in the Eastern Conference with a record of 9–13–8, but the enthusiastic fan base continued to fill BMO Field to capacity.[11] To determine the Canadian Soccer Association's representative in the CONCACAF Champions League, Toronto FC played in the inaugural Canadian Championship in 2008 competing for the Voyageurs Cup. TFC were the favourites to win the championship in its first year, but the Montreal Impact prevailed.
The last-place New York Red Bulls defeated Toronto FC 5–0 in the final 2009 regular season game, leaving TFC one point out of the playoffs.[12] Despite bringing in some high-profile talent, the Reds could not seem to field a consistent side. Dwayne De Rosario became an immediate scoring influence and Amado Guevara was a strong playmaker and established MLS veteran, but the Honduran's future at the Canadian team seemed murky with looming 2010 FIFA World Cup duties. Rookie goalkeeper Stefan Frei quickly replaced Greg Sutton as a regular starter and immediately became a fan favourite. TFC only scored two goals in the final 15 minutes of games all season (last in MLS). During the same 15-minute period, they gave up 16 goals (most in MLS), thus creating a −14 goal differential during the final 15 minutes.[13]
In the 2009 Canadian Championship, Toronto FC required a four-goal victory over the Montreal Impact in the final game of the competition to nullify the Vancouver Whitecaps' +4 goal differential. Anything less would result in Vancouver winning the championship. Toronto FC went down 1–0 early but overwhelmed an under-strength Impact side 6–1 on the back of a hat-trick by De Rosario. Guevara added two, scoring in the 69th and 92nd minute. Chad Barrett scored the decisive goal in the 82nd minute, which gave TFC the lead over Vancouver. The unlikely victory was dubbed by fans and media as the "Miracle in Montreal".[14] Toronto FC subsequently participated in the 2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League, but lost 1–0 on aggregate to the Puerto Rico Islanders in the preliminary round of the tournament.[15]
After failing to qualify on the final day of the 2009 campaign, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment said anything short of a playoff spot in 2010 would be unacceptable. With that directive, former director of soccer Mo Johnston hired Preki[16] and made wholesale changes to the roster to reflect the U.S. Hall of Fame's plan to play a tough, defensive style. Despite scoring troubles, TFC played well at the start, going undefeated in seven games at one time. The team struggled following the World Cup break. Sensing problems in the locker room and to try to salvage the season, MLSE dismissed both Johnston and Preki on September 14, naming Earl Cochrane interim director of soccer and Nick Dasovic interim coach.[17] The players responded to Dasovic's more open flexible style, but it was not enough as the club was eliminated from playoff contention with three games left in the season. Off-field issues with season-seat holders over the 2011 season ticket package added to the fans' frustrations, forcing MLSE to hold a series of town hall meetings.[18]
Toronto FC played Honduran side C.D. Motagua in the preliminary round of the 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League. TFC won 1–0 in the first leg on a goal by Chad Barrett, and tied 2–2 in the second leg on goals by De Rosario and Barrett, qualifying for the group stage. Toronto FC won their first group stage match 2–1 against Mexican side Cruz Azul on August 17, 2010.[19] However, the team failed to qualify for the championship round after finishing in third place behind group winners Real Salt Lake and second place Cruz Azul.
Cup success and league failure (2011–2014)[edit]
On November 3, 2010, MLSE announced the hiring of former German international and coach Jürgen Klinsmann, and his California-based company, SoccerSolutions, to fix the team's game.[20] Over the next six months, Klinsmann assessed the team, identifying a playing style, and recommended a candidate for the director of soccer position.[21] On January 6, 2011, the new management team for Toronto FC was announced. Aron Winter was hired as head coach with his compatriot Bob de Klerk named first assistant coach.[22] Paul Mariner was named as director of soccer. Winter was selected to bring the Ajax culture, possession and 4–3–3 system to Toronto FC. Management made wholesale changes to the roster before and during the 2011 season, trading numerous players and eventually their captain and Toronto native De Rosario.[23]
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Toronto FC used its remaining two designated player slots on two notable European players, signing Torsten Frings and Danny Koevermans to 2.5-year contracts. The team went on to set a record for most players used in a MLS season with 39. Despite a strong finish to the season with only two losses in their last 12 games, TFC missed the MLS playoffs for a fifth straight year. Nonetheless, they earned a win in their final group stage match of 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League visiting the FC Dallas, securing a berth in the knockout stage versus LA Galaxy. After a 2–2 draw in Toronto before 47,658 fans at the Rogers Centre,[24] Toronto FC defeated the Galaxy 2–1 in Los Angeles to reach the CONCACAF Champions League semi-finals, the first Canadian team to do so.[25] They were defeated by Mexican side Santos Laguna in the semi-finals 7–3 on aggregate.[26][27]
On June 7, 2012, Aron Winter resigned from the team upon refusing to be reassigned from his head coaching role after the team started the season with a nine-game losing streak, setting an MLS record for the worst start to a season.[28] Under Winter in 2012, the team's league record was 1–9–0 and in all other competitions was 3–1–4, including a fourth-straight Canadian Championship. He was replaced by Paul Mariner, but TFC continued to struggle finishing with a 4–12–8 record in league play under him.[29] Toronto FC also failed to advance in the CONCACAF Champions League, finishing second in its group with a 2–2–0 record. Overall, they finished the MLS season on a 14-game winless streak and ended up in last place, with five wins and 23 points.
It was announced Kevin Payne would be leaving D.C. United for the general manager position at Toronto FC on November 27, 2012.[30] First-time coach Ryan Nelsen replaced Mariner as of January 7, 2013.[31] On April 25, 2013, Payne signed the first young designated player in MLS, Matías Laba.[32] On July 9, Payne controversially traded Luis Silva to D.C. United for an undisclosed amount of allocation money.[33] The team fired Payne on September 4.[34][35] Following the removal of Payne, recently appointed MLSE president Tim Leiweke[36] reasoned that there were philosophical differences between them as to how Toronto FC should move forward.[37] Leiweke, who brought David Beckham to the LA Galaxy in early 2007, quickly revealed that he intended to make TFC more competitive with similarly ambitious, blockbuster signings.[38] On September 20, Toronto FC announced that the vacant general manager position had been filled by Tim Bezbatchenko.[39]
Under Bezbatchenko, Toronto FC made several high-profile moves during the 2013–14 off season. Among the transfers were MLS veterans Justin Morrow and Jackson; Brasileiro star Gilberto, United States international Michael Bradley of A.S. Roma, and the return of Toronto FC leading goal scorer De Rosario.[40][41] On January 10, 2014, Tottenham Hotspur announced they had agreed a deal with the team over the transfer of England international Jermain Defoe for a reported fee of £6 million, and an Advertising Rights Agreement with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd.[42] Defoe would earn a reported £90,000 a week, making him the highest earner in MLS.[43] These moves required the trade of Matias Laba to Vancouver to comply with MLS's maximum of three designated players per team. On February 7, 2014, Brazil national team keeper Júlio César joined on loan from Queens Park Rangers.[44] The team started the year with promise, but much like 2010, they floundered after the World Cup break. On August 31, Nelsen was fired by Bezbatchenko a day after a 0–3 defeat to the New England Revolution at BMO field, where Nelsen criticized Bezbatchenko in his post-match press conference for putting the players under needless pressure in the media. The head coaching position was filled by former American international and