Irvine Zeta FC
| Full name | Irvine Zeta Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | Zeta, IZFC | ||
| Founded | 2022 | ||
| Stadium | Championship Soccer Stadium Irvine, California | ||
| Capacity | 5,000 | ||
| Owner | Alex Filipovic | ||
| League | United Premier Soccer League National Independent Soccer Association | ||
| Website | https://www.zetafc.com/ | ||
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Irvine Zeta FC (known as Irvine Zeta FC, IZFC, and Irvine Zeta) is a professional soccer team based in Irvine, California. The club is established and financially backed by Chinese investors, the first Chinese-founded professional soccer team in the United States. It is the inaugural professional football club bearing the name of the city of Irvine. The club fields a senior team in the National Independent Soccer Association, as well as teams in NISA Nation, the UPSL, and youth leagues..
History
Zeta FC was established in September 2022 in Irvine, California by Cary Lyu. The club began play in the United Premier Soccer League in 2023, reaching the 2023 UPSL Spring League Division 1 Tier playoffs.
On March 16, 2023, Zeta FC submitted the application to join the National Independent Soccer Association for the 2024 season.[1] On May 22, Zeta FC received NISA's approval.[2]
NISA
Irvine Zeta FC made their U.S. Open Cup debut on March 20, 2024, defeating SC MesoAmerica, winners of the 2023 National Amateur Cup, 1-0. The team would go on to defeat Ventura County FC in the second round,[3] 3-0, before falling to Monterey Bay FC in the third round.[4]
Irvine Zeta FC kicked off its first professional season in April 2024. Irvine finished the 2024 season with a record of 11 wins, 4 draws, and 3 losses, second-best in the West Conference. Zeta FC defeated the Michigan Stars FC in the semifinal, 3-0 to advance to their first NISA Championship Game.[5] The game ended 1-1, with Irvine losing to Los Angeles Force 3-2 in penalty kicks.[6]
Colors and badge
Irvine Zeta's crest prominently features a lower-case orange zeta, with "IRVINE" across the top, and a stylized soccer ball and "FC" on the right side. The team's colors are two different shades of blue, with orange and white as accent colors.
Stadium
Zeta FC shares the Championship Soccer Stadium with other teams in Irvine. The stadium is part of the Great Park Sports Complex in Orange County, California. Built in 2017, the stadium has an overall capacity of 5,000, combines with sports infrastructures such as training fields, a box office, concession areas, etc.[7]
Roster
| NO. | Name | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mitch North | GK |
| 12 | Matthew Escareno | GK |
| 30 | Jake Hansen | GK |
| 45 | Braeden Hatt | GK |
| 4 | Aaron Keita | CB |
| 2 | Greg Stratton | CB |
| 10 | Edson Alvarado | CM |
| 27 | Miguel Pena | LB |
| 13 | Israel Espinoza | CB |
| 33 | Alex Culwell | CB |
| 6 | Andrew Kleszewski | CM |
| 27 | Edgardo Artero | MF |
| 14 | Danny Moreno | CM |
| 3 | Joey Ciochetto | CM |
| 8 | Jonathan Estrada | CM |
| 11 | Shinya Kadono | FW |
| 9 | Christian Fernandes Fecula | FW |
| 18 | Marcel Salceda | FW |
| 19 | George Almeida | FW |
Club staff
| Role | Staff |
|---|---|
| President | Cary Lyu |
| General Manager | Leo Furquim |
| Marketing Manager | Oscar Yu |
| PR Manager | Monica Lin |
| Academy Director | Platini Soaf |
| Administration | Dekel Keinan |
Club trophies
| Year | League | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2023 UPSL Spring League Division 1 Tier | Champions |
| 2023 | 2023 Del Real Foods SoCal Regional Cup | Champions |
References
- ^ "West Coast Club Irvine Zeta FC Submits Application to NISA For 2024 Season". www.nisaofficial.com. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ "NISA Board Approves West Coast Club Irvine Zeta FC for 2024 Season". www.nisasoccer.com. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ "Irvine Zeta FC eliminates Ventura County Futbol Club in U.S. Open Cup 2nd-round match". Los Angeles Daily News. April 3, 2024. Retrieved October 27, 2025.
- ^ "Pro Soccer: Ayon's two goals lift Monterey Bay F.C. past Irvine Zeta in U.S. Open Cup". Monterey Herald. April 17, 2024. Retrieved October 27, 2025.
- ^ "Los Angeles Force Hosts Irvine Zeta FC for 2024 NISA Championship". October 14, 2024. Retrieved October 27, 2025.
- ^ "Los Angeles Force Tops Irvine Zeta FC For First NISA Championship". October 19, 2024. Retrieved October 27, 2025.
- ^ "Great Park Sports Facilities". July 5, 2017.
- ^ "Team-Zeta FC". Zeta FC. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
| Baseball |    | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice hockey | ||
| Soccer | ||
| Tennis | ||
| Roller derby | ||
| College athletics | ||
| Defunct/Relocated | ||
| Venues |
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1Only played occasional games in Orange County | ||