Sporting JAX (W)

A USL Championship franchise in Jacksonville was announced on August 30, 2022, led by venture capitalist Ricky Caplin and former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow. The group partnered with Florida Elite Soccer Academy, rebranding it as the Sporting JAX Soccer Academy, to form a full development pathway.

In May 2023, the JAXUSL group was awarded a conditional franchise in the USL Super League, pending completion of a soccer-specific stadium project.

The club expanded its leadership team with the addition of former Florida Gators women's soccer head coach Becky Burleigh as a women’s team advisor in June 2023. Later that year, on November 30—coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the National Football League awarding Jacksonville its franchise—former Jacksonville Jaguars star Fred Taylor joined the ownership group.

Sporting Club Jacksonville, branded as Sporting JAX, was officially unveiled on December 12, 2023, along with its logo and team colors.

Mark Warburton, best known for leading Rangers FC back to the Scottish Premiership in 2016, was named Sporting Director and Head of Soccer on March 20, 2025. He oversees both the men’s and women’s teams.

The coaching staff for the women’s team began taking shape in spring 2025.

Stacey Balaam, former associate head coach for the Vanderbilt Commodores women's program, was appointed the inaugural head coach in early April, bringing prior head coaching experience at the collegiate level with the West Georgia Wolves.

In April, the club also named veteran U.S. Soccer performance coach Steve Fell as Head of Sports Performance, overseeing all athletic performance across the organization, from the USL Super League and USL Championship squads to the 10,000-player youth academy. A St. Augustine resident, Fell brought experience from over 200 professional matches and his tenure with the United States men's national soccer team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, CONCACAF Nations League, Gold Cup, and 2026 World Cup cycle.

In May, Alan Kirkup was named associate head coach. His résumé includes head coaching roles with the Arkansas Razorbacks, Maryland Terrapins, and SMU Mustangs women's soccer programs. He previously served on advisor Becky Burleigh’s staff at the University of Florida.

On June 17, 2025, the club announced the appointment of Mat Cosgriff as goalkeeper coach. Cosgriff previously served as associate head coach of the SMU Mustangs women's soccer team.

Player signings began on May 21, 2025, with defender Georgia Brown and midfielder/forward Ashlyn Puerta becoming the first additions to the inaugural roster. The move marked the club’s initial step in shaping a competitive and community-focused team for its debut USL Super League season.

Sporting JAX is set to begin play in the 2025–26 USL Super League season. The team opened its first preseason training camp in July 2025 and will host a series of preseason matches, including international friendlies, in preparation for its competitive debut. The club will play home games at Hodges Stadium during its inaugural campaign, with the season set to kick off on August 23, 2025, against DC Power FC.

On July 24, 2025, one month before the season began, Sporting JAX announced that 6,000 season tickets had been sold, representing ~64% of Hodges Stadium's capacity. As a result, the team moved up the release date for single-game ticket sales to the same day.