“As a brand-new club, there is no last season to look back on, only the anticipation of what lies ahead. The 2026 campaign will be Cleveland United’s first, and the goals are ambitious: earn promotion from Division 1 to the Premier UPSL division, push toward U.S. Open Cup qualification, and potentially launch the women’s team as early as 2026, depending on roster depth and staffing. Everything about this next year will be foundational, setting the tone, building the culture, and introducing Cleveland to the team that now represents it.”

Cleveland has a new member of their community and one happy to start from scratch with the goal of building something big that the city can be proud to call their own. We spoke with co-founder and primary owner, Albert Murza about new side Cleveland United FC and how they’re set to join UPSL and earn their way to the top.

Tell us the origin story of your club - when was the club founded? By whom and what was its mission?
Cleveland United FC officially launched on September 4, 2025, as a brand-new club in Cleveland, Tennessee. It was founded by Albert Murza, Kristen Murza, and Carimet Sidney with one goal in mind: to build a true hometown club that represents, reflects, and serves the Greater Cleveland community.

Our mission is “to empower athletes, unite communities, and build leaders through football by cultivating excellence on the field, fostering connection off the field, and inspiring service that transforms Greater Cleveland for generations to come.”

The idea for the club began unexpectedly. While inviting people to attend a U.S. Open Cup match in Chattanooga, someone asked, “Why doesn’t Cleveland have a club?” That question sparked everything. From March 2025 onward, we began quietly building the foundation for what would become Cleveland United FC, a fully independent club, unaffiliated with any academies, designed from day one to belong to the people of Cleveland.

Tell us about your badge and colors – how does it connect to the community?
Our badge was created to feel unmistakably rooted in Cleveland while reflecting the values we want the club to embody. Every part of the design carries meaning:

Shield Shape: Represents strength, unity, and protection—our commitment to stand for and with our community, on and off the pitch.
Green Outer Border: Symbolizes growth, energy, and our region’s natural beauty. It also serves a practical purpose: it makes the crest pop on kits and merchandise.
Top Banner – “Cleveland United FC”: “CLEVELAND” in bold white reflects local pride. “UNITED FC” in lighter green highlights our mission of bringing people together through the game.
Interlocking “C” and “U”: The silver and green letters are woven together to represent unity, distinct identities joining as one. Silver stands for resilience and heritage; green represents ambition and forward momentum.
Seven-Pointed Star: Inspired by Cherokee symbolism, honoring the region’s Indigenous history. It also represents seven days a week, reminding us to uphold our standards daily.
Vertical Black & Gray Stripes: A nod to classic football badge traditions—structured, disciplined, and timeless.

The badge has remained consistent from the moment it was created, intentionally designed to feel modern but deeply connected to Cleveland.

What league or leagues does your club participate in and why did you choose those to join?
Our goal is to create a place where fans can enjoy themselves. After speaking with other club owners who wanted to build sustainable, community-driven semi-pro clubs, one theme kept coming up: the offseason in semi-pro leagues is long, and momentum can easily fade.

UPSL solves that by offering two seasons each year, guaranteeing consistent competitive play. This structure gives us at least 10 home matches annually, and when we add friendlies and potential U.S. Open Cup games, our goal is to offer 15–20 home events every year, crucial for fan engagement and club development. And that only on the men's side.

Geography also played a major role; UPSL’s footprint in our region allows for competitive matches without excessive travel. That is why we are entering UPSL Division 1 for our inaugural season.

How does your club cover league costs and stay financially sustainable?
Right now, we’re very much in the start-up phase and have self-funded much of the early work. Since September, merchandise sales have been our primary revenue stream, and the community support has already been encouraging. Beginning in February, we will introduce ticket sales, which will become a key part of our long-term sustainability plan.

How can people support you?
Supporting Cleveland United FC starts with simply becoming part of the story we’re building. The more people who follow along, share our updates, and stay connected, the more momentum the club gains. We’re active across all major social platforms, Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, and LinkedIn, so anyone in the community can jump in, follow the journey, and help spread the excitement as we move toward our inaugural season.

Another meaningful way people have been getting involved is through our merchandise. Since launching the club, our shop has become a source of both support and community pride. Every scarf, jersey, or tumbler someone picks up isn’t just a purchase. It’s a visible sign that people believe in what we’re building. Those small actions help lay the foundation for something much bigger than any one game or season.

In short, if people want to support us, all they have to do is join us, follow the club, share the story, wear the colors, and help bring this vision to life for Cleveland.

How do you participate in, or give back to your community?
Although we are brand new, community impact has been a priority from day one. Our pink goalkeeper jersey is dedicated to cancer awareness, and part of the proceeds from every sale will be donated to local Relay for Life initiatives. At this year’s Relay for Life event, we also donated 25% of all profits from that day sales.

If you could play a friendly against one or two teams within 100 miles, who would you choose and why?
As a longtime supporter, I’d naturally love to arrange a friendly with Chattanooga FC. Beyond that, any local professional club would be an exciting opportunity. Even though Cleveland doesn’t currently have a path to a professional team under the existing U.S. soccer structure, we want to operate and compete with the professionalism and ambition of a pro club. Regular friendlies with higher-level opponents would be a key part of that vision.

Follow Cleveland United FC and give them a follow on Instagram HERE