FC Dallas Tryouts

FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The club competes as a member of the Western Conference in Major League Soccer (MLS).

FC Dallas Youth Development System

US Soccer Development Academy

U.S. Soccer’s Development Academy program is driven by a game-centric approach that allows for long-term development to occur. It is driven by the game, its players, coaches and referees through a deep understanding of what makes players successful around the world. As the sport of soccer continues to grow in the united States, young players in our country need the proper environment to compete against the elite teams of the world. The U.S. Soccer Development Academy program provides an optimum environment for the nation’s top youth soccer players by emphasizing development through training and limited, meaningful competitions. Currently FC Dallas has seven Boys Academy Teams and four Girls Academy Teams.

For the latest tryout/trial information, please click here.

FC Dallas International Competition

International competition is a cornerstone of the FC Dallas player development philosophy. Our U-14 squad often travels to Bolivia to take part in the Tahuichi International Tournament in Bolivia while our U-17s take part in an international tournament featuring Liga MX teams in Mexico City. Our U-17s compete in the Generation adidas Cup every year while our U-19s often travel to Guadalajara for Copa Chivas as well as perennial participation in the prestigious Dr Pepper Dallas Cup Super Group.

In the spring of 2010 the club took a team of players to Amsterdam to compete in the AEGON Future Cup. The FC Dallas squad, made up of a collection of U-18 and U-16 players, faced teams from AFC AJAX, FC Barcelona, Liverpool FC, FC Bayern Munich and AC Milan, among others.

The next year FCD took a full U-18 team and a full U-16 team to Madrid for a week of international friendlies against teams from Rayo Vallecano, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and others. The FC Dallas Academy teams have also played host to a number of international powers right here in Frisco, including Tigres from Mexico, Chelsea from England and FC Barcelona from Spain.

FC Dallas Academy teams have played on 4 continents and competed in the countries of Brazil, Bolivia, Mexico, Canada, Spain, England, Germany, Qatar, and others. 

FC Dallas Competitive Environment

The Academy program features teams from the top youth clubs from around the country. Development Academy teams play approximately 30 regular season games to ensure all games are meaningful and highly competitive. Games are played according to FIFA’s Laws of the Game and officiated by a pool of the nation’s top young referees in order to prepare players for the next level of competition. National Team scouts regularly attend Academy games, so players are evaluated over the course of the season and in their natural positions, allowing for better player assessment. In 2008, more than 100 players from Academy clubs were included in U.S. Youth National Teams and almost 800 graduates from the inaugural Academy class participated in college soccer the following fall. Virtually all college programs use the Academy program as a scouting vehicle and the program has received increased attention from professional scouts representing domestic and international clubs. Since 2008 the FC Dallas Academy has won 4 USSDA National Championships and no other club has won more than 2.

FC Dallas Player Development System

The FC Dallas Player Development system consists of six levels, with each level crossing over with the one below and / or above. The goal of the program is to ensure that each step is connected, giving players an opportunity to develop and advance with a clear pathway to professional and/or collegiate soccer.

  • FC Dallas professional team (MLS)
  • North Texas Soccer Club (USL One)
  • FCD Academy  (boys U-12-U-19) (girls U14 – U19)
  • FCD Premier and DPL (16 Elite Development teams, U11 – U19)
  • FCD Select (U11 – U19)
  • FCD Juniors (U7 – U10)

FC Dallas Player Development Model

FC Dallas continually strives to be the best soccer club in the Americas by implementing a player-centric and not team-centric or coach-centric model. We are able to focus our attention on player development and put less emphasis on team success by connecting our teams together with this common curriculum, and training methodology, and encouraging player movement and training opportunities within the club. We also continue to stress individual creativity and free play over regimented team structure and team results. By following the The FCD Way©, our model for successful player development, we strive to build our player’s self-esteem and creative abilities and accelerate the learning process.

College placement for our players remains a priority and we annually place a large number of High School Seniors into college programs by developing technically sound players, educating them on the college recruitment process via our college preparation program, and networking with our existing college contacts. An ever increasing number of players have opportunities to interact with the FC Dallas first team, on and off the field. Our goal is and will continue to be to develop better people and put them into MLS and top tier college programs. At FC Dallas, we aim to develop a strong, supportive, and growing fan base for our brand and for all members of the FC Dallas family.

FC DALLAS – PROFESSIONAL LEVEL

The Professional team was founded in 1996 and is owned by Hunt Sports Group. As an original franchise in MLS, the Dallas Burn played its games in the Cotton Bowl until 2004. In 2005 the club rebranded and changed its name to FC Dallas, which now plays all home games at Toyota Stadium, a 20,000 seat soccer specific stadium located in Frisco, TX, and new home of the National Soccer Hall of Fame. 

North Texas SC- USL League One 

The USL League One team was founded in 2019 and is owned by Hunt Sports Group. As a minor league affiliate to the first team it allows younger players to get professional minutes in-between the Academy and the First Team. North Texas SC will play its games at Globe Life Park in Arlington, TX his year after winning the USL League One Championship in its first year. 

To learn more about North Texas Soccer Club, please click here.
Tryout/trial information for North Texas Soccer Club can be found by clicking here.

FC DALLAS DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY

The FC Dallas Development Academy program consists of seven elite youth teams that play in the U-12, U-13, U-14, U-15, U-17 and U-19 categories of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy league. The Academy Program was created to identify and develop top talents and promote them to the FC Dallas professional team. Many current and former players have been selected to represent the US National Team at the U17, U18, U20, U23, and full team level. The U.S. Soccer Development Academy program features MLS Academies and teams from the top youth clubs from around the country. Development Academy teams play approximately 30 regular season games to ensure all games are meaningful and highly competitive. Games are played according to FIFA’s Laws of the Game and officiated by a pool of the nation’s top young referees in order to prepare players for the next level of competition. National Team Scouts regularly attend Academy games, so players are evaluated over the course of the season and in their natural positions allowing for better player assessment. It has already dramatically impacted the player development process in the United States. In 2008, more than 100 players from Academy clubs were included in U.S. Youth National Teams and almost 800 graduates from the inaugural Academy class participated in college soccer the following fall. Virtually all college programs use the Academy program as a scouting vehicle and the program has received increased attention from professional scouts representing domestic and international clubs. In addition, as a result of this competition platform, FC Dallas has signed 26 players to the first team roster through the MLS Homegrown Initiative.

To learn more about the academy, please click here.

FC DALLAS YOUTH CLUB

FC Dallas Youth has 177 boys and girls Select teams ages U11 to U19 with over 3,000 players. Teams are located throughout the Dallas area and play at all levels including Divisions I, II, and III in Classic League, Lake Highlands Girls Classic League, Junior Development League, Plano Premier League, PIT, and Arlington. Our teams continue to excel both locally and nationally. FCDY players represent our program in the most prestigious programs including (but not limited to) ODP, id2, DPL, Development Academy, various National Teams, and have also been drafted to play professionally both here in Dallas, and for International Clubs worldwide. FCDY has many teams that annually participate in Dallas Cup. Many FCDY players move on to top U.S. colleges each year and represent their universities at the highest collegiate levels.

For all youth club programs and how to get involved, please click here.

FC DALLAS JUNIORS

FC Dallas Juniors Program is one of the largest in north Texas and has over 700 boys and girl’s players aged U7 to U10 located throughout the Dallas area. The Juniors program focuses primarily on individual skill development. The goal of the Juniors program is to prepare players for a club soccer environment for their later years. It is designed for the more competitive player, and the more committed families. It has licensed coaches, and has more travel /expenses involved. The Juniors program is “Pre – Select” soccer for boys and girls ages U7 to U10. Typically it’s for those players that excel at the recreational level and desire an additional environment that is more competitive with advanced coaching. It is, however open to all players. After graduating from our Juniors program, select soccer begins at U11.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED
Training groups are constantly forming throughout the year and anyone can attend Juniors practice sessions at anytime, regardless of the time of year and of soccer club/soccer association affiliation. Interested players should arrange to attend practice sessions with a team(s) and receive an assessment as to their development level within the FC Dallas program. Once an appropriate level has been found, players can then join our program full time!

Please contact our FC Dallas Juniors Directors:

Boys, John Thomas [email protected]

Girls, Ashley Gordon [email protected]

Additionally you can find a list of age group and area coaches on the Junior Boys and Junior Girls Team pages.

To learn more about additional dates and fees, please click here.

FC Dallas Affiliates

The FC Dallas Youth Soccer Club Affiliate Program provides local, regional, and national soccer clubs the opportunity to be closely connected to development initiatives with FC Dallas. The program provides organizations with insider access to our professional team and coaching staff, player development model, training methodology, curriculum, website, camps, clinics, and college program. The Program aims to provide significant access to the FCD coaches and players while also offering unique ticket packages, on-site support, uniform packages, camp and training programs, tournament registration discounts, and travel opportunities. These programs and partnership initiatives are very attractive and of great value to potential clubs, teams, and players.

Our goal is to promote the sport of soccer and to strengthen the bonds between local communities, individual clubs, and the professional FC Dallas MLS team and brand.

FCDY AFFILIATES:

FC Dallas Alamo AreaFC Dallas Central Arkansas
FC Dallas East TexasFC Dallas El Paso
FC Dallas Emerald CoastFC Dallas Laredo
FC Dallas MonterreyFC Dallas Puerto Rico
FC Dallas Rio Grande ValleyFC Dallas Texoma
FC Dallas West Texas

FC Dallas Camps

FC Dallas has the highest rated U.S. Soccer Development Academy in the nation, and has ignited the careers of multiple MLS players including current FC Dallas players Reggie Cannon, Jesse Gonzalez, Moises Hernandez, Paxton Pomykal, Jesus Ferreira, Thomas Roberts, and Brandon Servania. As the first step in identifying potential players for the FC Dallas Academy and ECNL, the FC Dallas School of Excellence Soccer Camps are designed to maximize the potential of all aspiring young players. There is no better way to develop elite-level players than by training alongside the professionals on the world class facilities at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. Our exclusive training curriculum, known as the FCD Way has been designed by the FC Dallas Professional Coaching Staff and includes sessions used by the FC Dallas first team. FC Dallas is committed to changing the landscape of US soccer by developing, training and producing technically proficient and tactically sound players. Our soccer camps have been attended by thousands of players from all over the USA and several international countries, with players going on to play at the State, Regional and Collegiate Levels.

FC DALLAS OFFERS MULTIPLE UNIQUE LEVELS OF DEVELOPMENT:

Training sessions are open to any player, regardless of soccer club affiliation, who is interested in improving their skills and learning proper techniques utilized by the professional team. These are programs offered by the professional team and therefore do not require skills releases.

FOR QUESTIONS OR TO REQUEST MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT CHRIS CLARKE AT 469-365-0021 OR E-MAIL [email protected] OR VISIT THIS LINK FOR UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION.

FC Dallas Girls’ Academy

The FC Dallas Girls Development system consists of five levels, with each level crossing over with the one below and / or above. The goal of the program is to ensure that each step is connected, giving players an opportunity to develop and advance throughout the system:

FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in Frisco, Texas, which is a suburb of Dallas. The club competes as a member of the Western Conference in Major League Soccer (MLS). The franchise began play in 1996 as a charter club of the league. The club was founded in 1995 as the Dallas Burn before adopting its current name in 2004.

Dallas plays its home games at their 20,500-capacity soccer-specific Toyota Stadium, where they have played since 2005. In the club’s early years, Dallas played their home games in the Cotton Bowl. The team is owned by the Hunt Sports Group led by brothers Clark Hunt and Dan Hunt, who is the team’s president. The Hunt family also owns the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs and part of the Chicago Bulls.

FC Dallas in 2016 won their first Supporters’ Shield. In 2010 they were runners-up in the MLS Cup, losing to the Colorado Rapids in extra time. The team has won the U.S. Open Cup on two occasions (in 1997 and again in 2016). Their fully owned USL affiliate, North Texas SC, won the 2019 USL League One regular season and overall championship titles, the third division title in American soccer.

The International Federation of Football History & Statistics, in its Club World Ranking for the year ending December 31, 2016, placed FC Dallas as the 190th best club in the world and the ninth best club in CONCACAF.

The Toros, in the past few years, has been gaining reputation for their player development. Their academy and reserves, has produced players that had gone and play abroad including renowned leagues/clubs in Europe. Soccer players include: Rogelio Funes Mori, Ramiro Funes Mori, Weston McKennie, Chris Richards, and Reggie Cannon.

FC Dallas Recruitment Trials

For the latest FC Dallas tryout/trial information, please click here to visit FC Dallas’s official tryout web page.



CREATE A FREE RECRUITMENT PROFILE

Click the ‘LEARN MORE’ button below to take your career to the next level and create a fcscout.com recruitment portfolio to help clubs, coaches, agents, and scouts easily find you.  For a limited time, we are offering this service for free!


OR, EXPLORE MORE CLUBS!

Explore more professional clubs by continent.



FC Dallas History

Dallas Burn era: 1996–2004

On June 6, 1995, the same day as Kansas City and Colorado, Dallas was granted a Major League Soccer franchise. The scorching temperatures and oilfield fires that inspired the team’s moniker can be traced back to Texas. Hugo Sánchez, a former Mexico international, was named the team’s first player on October 17. The Burn was first financed by the league, which was initially unable to find investors.


The Dallas Burn made their Cotton Bowl debut on April 14, 1996, defeating the San Jose Clash in a shootout in front of 27,779 people. A 3–0 rout of the Wiz came five days later, with Jason Kreis netting the game-winning goal at home. The Burn finished second in the Western Conference, one point behind the Los Angeles Galaxy, with a record of 17–15. They were beaten in the best-of-three playoff semi-finals by the Wiz in a shootout after losing the first two games. In the semi-finals of the U.S. Open Cup, they were beaten 2–3 at home by D.C. United. The Burn returned to the playoffs in their second season, but were defeated by the Colorado Rapids in the conference finals.

After defeating D.C. United in the 1997 U.S. Open Cup final, they went on to win the MLS Cup that year. Kreis was named the league’s MVP in 1999 after being the first player to score 15 goals and assist 15 times in a season. After losing to the Galaxy in a conference finals game, that season ended in defeat. Head coach Dave Dir was sacked in October 2000 despite leading the team to its seventh straight postseason appearance. In January 2001, Dir was replaced by Mike Jeffries, the Chicago Fire’s 1998 MLS Cup and two U.S. Open Cup champion. Dallas fell in the playoff quarterfinals to Jeffries’ previous team in his first season in charge, which was cut short due to the September 11 attacks. Burn games were moved from Cotton Bowl to Dragon Stadium, a high school football stadium in Southlake, a north Fort Worth suburb. Jeffries was sacked in September 2003 after the team’s poor performance that year.

Colin Clarke, a former Northern Ireland international, temporarily filled in for him. After making the playoffs seven times in a row, the squad was one of just two to miss out on the postseason. A year later, Clarke was hired permanent head coach for another season, which resulted in the team once again failing to make the playoffs. The club was renamed “FC Dallas” in August by owner Lamar Hunt to coincide with the opening of a new soccer stadium in Frisco, Texas, in time for the 2005 season.

FC Dallas era: 2005–present

In March 2005, FC Dallas signed Guatemalan attacker Carlos Ruiz, who had scored 50 goals in 72 games for the Galaxy and received the MVP award for leading them to the 2002 MLS Cup. FC Dallas’ first game at Pizza Hut Park ended in a 2–2 draw with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars on August 6. Dallas returned to the playoffs for the first time in two seasons, falling in the conference semifinals to Colorado in a penalty kick shootout, with Roberto Mia’s attempt saved by Joe Cannon.

Clarke was fired in 2006 after the club finished first in the Western Conference during the regular season, only to lose in the conference semifinals once more. Steve Morrow took his position. An aggregate 4–2 defeat to Houston Dynamo, a fellow Texas club, in the 2007 MLS Cup final halted Houston’s third straight postseason appearance. In 2005 and 2007, Dallas reached its first two U.S. Open Cup finals since their 1997 championship, losing both by one-goal margins to the Galaxy and the New England Revolution respectively. For the next two seasons, Dallas missed the MLS playoffs. Schellas Hyndman succeeded Morrow in the 2008 season. Bryan Leyva was the club’s first Homegrown Player when he was signed in 2009.


It was in 2010 when Dallas made its MLS Cup debut but lost 2–1 in extra time to Colorado after an own goal from George John. Last remaining original MLS clubs appeared in the MLS Cup finals with them: New York Yankees. David Ferreira, a loaned Colombian midfielder, was named the league’s MVP despite playing just one minute this season, and Hyndman was named the MLS Coach of the Year. Dallas made their first appearance in the CONCACAF Champions League in 2011–12 after finishing as runners-up in the MLS Cup. After a win over Alianza F.C. of El Salvador in the preliminary round, they advanced to the group stage.

At the Estadio Olmpico Universitario, Marvin Chávez’s goal gave Dallas the first MLS team to win an away match in the Champions League against a Mexican team in the group stage. As a result, despite a 2-0 win over Toronto FC the following week, the team went winless in its final four games and was ousted from the competition after finishing third in its group. Hyndman stepped down as head coach in October of that year after the team missed the playoffs for the second time in a row. It was confirmed that Colombian and former Dallas player and assistant coach scar Pareja would replace Hyndman three months after his resignation from his post as head coach of the Colorado Rapids. In 2014, Pareja guided the team back to the postseason. In 2015, the Mavericks were the Western Conference’s top team. Only to lose to Portland in the Western Conference final, they beat Seattle Sounders FC in the conference semis.

First double

They secured a return to the Champions League for the 2016–17 season after a strong performance in the regular season. A second U.S. Championship and a maiden Supporters’ Shield were both won in 2016. The tournament is open to the public. This was their third straight meeting with the Sounders, and they lost 4–2 on aggregate.

Dallas made it through the group stage of the Champions League and into the knockout stages. Due to a late overtime goal by Hirving Lozano, Pachuca eliminated the team in their home and away semifinal series.

Colors and Badge

The Dallas Burn’s original logo featured a fire-breathing black mustang behind a stylised red “Burn” wordmark, and the team’s colors were red and black. On October 17, 1995, the logo and the original red and black colors were unveiled during a ceremony in New York City.

History of FC Dallas. Credit.

When the team moved to Pizza Hut Park in the midst of the 2005 season, they changed their name to FC Dallas and adopted a red, white, silver, and blue color scheme as well as a horizontally hooped stripe jersey style. As far as we can tell, these are the official colors: Republic Red, Lonestar White, Bovine Blue and Shawnee Silver. The major color of their home clothes remained red, whereas the primary color of their away uniforms ultimately changed to blue. A bull has taken the place of the club’s previous logo’s mustang. AdvoCare, a sports nutrition company based in Texas, sponsored the team’s debut jerseys in July 2012. Since then, the hoops have alternated between various shades of red, with white serving as the primary contrast in 2014 and 2015. Dallas ‘Til I Die” was stitched inside the collar of the jersey, and Lamar Hunt’s initials “LH” were sewn on the back.

FC Dallas Stadium

FC Dallas has called three separate stadiums in the Dallas–Fort Worth area home over the course of the club’s history. The team has played in the 92,100-capacity Cotton Bowl in Dallas since its inception. Due to the club’s disadvantageous lease agreement with the Cotton Bowl, the team played its 2003 home games at Dragon Stadium, a high school stadium in Southlake, a Fort Worth suburb. Having listened to its loyal supporters, the team returned to its original home in 2004.

Pizza Hut Park, a soccer-specific stadium with a 20,500-seat capacity in the northern suburb of Frisco, welcomed the team in August 2005. The stadium was renamed Toyota Stadium in September 2013 after Pizza Hut dropped out as a major sponsor. More than 350 days a year, 1.8 million people visit the complex’s 17 soccer grounds, which include the stadium. The National Soccer Hall of Fame was relocated to the stadium’s south end in 2018 as part of a major renovation.

Club Culture

Mascot

FC Dallas’ mascot is Tex Hooper, a bull. The team claims that he was born in Frisco, Texas, on September 6, 1996.

Supporters

Both the Dallas Beer Guardians and the El Matador are well-known FC Dallas fan clubs.

Rivalries

In the Texas Derby, FC Dallas’ major competition is the Houston Dynamo. El Capitan, a Civil War-era cannon, is awarded to the team that wins the regular season championship.

Fans of FC Dallas and the Colorado Rapids became more enraged with one another after the Rapids’ players made disparaging remarks about FC Dallas supporters and after the Rapids defeated FC Dallas in the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2005 and 2006. The squad also competes in two more MLS rivalry cups in addition to the Texas Derby.

Fans of FC Dallas and the Chicago Fire created the Brimstone Cup in 2001, named from the allusions to fire in both team names when FC Dallas was known as the Dallas Burn. Every year since 2007, Columbus Crew SC has faced off against Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup finalists. It bears the surname Hunt in honor of Lamar Hunt, an investor in both organizations. FC Dallas only plays Chicago and Columbus once a year in the regular season, which has reduced the significance of these two rivalries, especially when compared to the Texas Derby, due to league expansion and realignment.

City of Dallas, Texas

City of Dallas (Texas) is a metropolitan area located in and around Dallas County, Texas, which is the largest and most populous metropolitan area in the United States. After Houston and San Antonio, it is the third-largest city in Texas, with an anticipated 2019 population of 1,343,573. DFW, the largest metropolitan region in Texas, and the largest inland metropolitan area in America, are both located in Dallas, which is located in North Texas. City of Dallas–Fort Worth, which is the fourth largest metropolitan region in the United States, with a population of 7.5 million people.

Geography

South Texas’s Dallas is located in the state’s northwestern corner. Parts of Dallas expand into the nearby counties of Collin, Denton, Kaufman, and Rockwall and serve as the county seat of Dallas County. In addition to the many outlying communities that make up Dallas, the city itself has three distinct neighborhoods: Cockrell Hill, Highland Park, and University Park. There are 385.8 square miles of land in the city according to the US Census Bureau (999.3 km2). Dallas covers 340.5 square miles (881.9 km2) of land and 45.3 square miles (117.4 km2) of water. One-fifth of the vast Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, which is home to a quarter of all Texans, is in Dallas.

Climate

Texas’ Southern Plains are known for their humid subtropical climate, and Dallas is no exception. It’s also continental, with a large temperature range for its latitude, making it a good fit for the region. It is vulnerable to severe weather, including tornadoes and hailstorms, due to its location near the lower end of Tornado Alley. At any time of the year, the low humidity features of desert areas can be seen in Dallas. A high of 96.0 degrees Fahrenheit (36 degrees Celsius) and a low of 76.7 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius) is usual for July and August. During the height of summer, heat indices routinely exceed 105 degrees Fahrenheit (41 degrees Celsius). Temperatures reached 113 °F (45 °C) at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport during the Heat Wave of 1980.

Dallas, Texas, USA downtown cityscape at twilight.

Dallas experiences temperate to warm winters with sporadic cold snaps. For the most part, the average date of the first frost is November 12 and that of the last frost is March 12. The coldest month is often January, with an average daytime high of 56.8 degrees Fahrenheit (14 degrees Celsius) and an average nighttime low of 37.3 degrees Fahrenheit (3 degrees Celsius). When cold fronts known as “Blue Northers” come through the Dallas area, temperatures can drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) for many days at a time and often occur between days with high temperatures above 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius). Seventy-percent of winters in the city see snow accumulation, and snowfall usually occurs 1–2 days a year for an annual average of 1.5 inches of snowfall (4 cm). According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the region averages less than an inch of snowfall each year. A record low temperature was recorded in the city on January 18, 1930, when the temperature was -3 °F (-19 °C).

Dallas Lifestyle