Fort Lauderdale United FC Names Aly Hassan as General Manager

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Fort Lauderdale United FC announced today that Aly Hassan will serve as General Manager of the new men’s team while continuing to oversee Fort Lauderdale United FC’s women’s professional team.  

The men’s side will begin USL League One play in Spring 2027, bringing a new professional team to Broward County and opening the next chapter in Fort Lauderdale’s proud soccer history. The team will play at Amerant Bank Field on the Nova Southeastern University campus, sharing the venue with the club’s Gainbridge Super League women’s team.

The men’s team will give aspiring players a clear pathway to pursue professional soccer close to home. Starting at the youth level, Fort Lauderdale United FC’s development programs will prepare players to achieve their sporting dreams. While experienced players recruited from outside the system will also help establish the new team’s competitive standards. 

Hassan’s deep South Florida roots and longstanding connections within the local soccer community will help strengthen relationships with area coaches and players and shape a team that reflects the region’s talent and passion. 

“South Florida has always produced talent,” Hassan said. “Too often that talent had to leave home to find its next step. Now it doesn’t have to.” 

The expansion builds on Fort Lauderdale United FC’s established foundation of women’s professional soccer, youth academy and development programs. It creates new opportunities for local players while inviting longtime supporters and a new generation of fans to help build lasting matchday traditions. 

“Fort Lauderdale has a proud soccer history, and the supporters who built it deserve to be part of what comes next,” said Tommy Smith, Founder and Chairman of Fort Lauderdale United FC. “We want to carry that passion forward while giving a new generation its own team, traditions and memories. What excites me most is the opportunity to grow this game across all of South Florida.” 

“If we do that right, the League One team won’t just be a team in Fort Lauderdale,” Hassan said. “It’ll be a team from Fort Lauderdale.” 

For Fort Lauderdale United FC, that broader vision reinforces a commitment to building beyond the inaugural season—with local player development, community relationships and supporter participation central to its growth. 

“I want our supporters to understand that Spring 2027 is just the beginning,” Smith said. “We want people to be excited not only about what they’ll see in 2027, but about where this can go over the next 10, 20, and 30 years.”