Author: Abram Chamberlain

AFC Mobile 2021 Mardi Gras Camp

AFC Mobile is excited to announce its first annual Mardi Gras Camp. The camp will be held on February 15th, 16th and 17th from 8:30 AM to noon at the Mobile County Soccer Complex (3701 Halls Mill Road).

This event will be coached by AFC Mobile and AFC Mobile Academy coaches and is open to all players in kindergarten to eighth grade of any skill level. Players may sign up for one, two, or all three days at a cost of just $25.00 per day.

Visit the link below for registration information and more details!

https://afcmobile.sportngin.com/register/form/339290619

AFC Mobile COVID-19 Update

AFC Mobile Family, 

AFC Mobile has been closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic, its impact on our partner businesses, our players and our community. The National Premier Soccer League board met yesterday, and we expect a final decision regarding the start of our season early next week. As a reminder, our home opener is scheduled for May 23. We are in communication with our staff and players about their health and well-being, and have made the decision to postpone the start of our training. 

Today, we have three asks of you, as supporters of AFC Mobile and members of our community:

1: Support your local community

This pandemic and the resulting necessary measures taken in response will have a dramatic impact on our community – especially the most vulnerable members of our community. We’re asking you to consider making a donation or safely volunteering to support one of the groups helping to care for these members of our community. Some examples:

There are many more organizations and people in our community working to assist their fellow Mobilians. We’ll do our best to keep you updated, and you can find more resources here: https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/1JbZaxv8TWtdqf0iawIn3aJs8rJE4I7XtW0Ged7-l5yw/mobilebasic. 

2: Support your local businesses

We’ve been proud over the last 3-4 years to work directly with some of the most exciting and passionate local businesses in Mobile. They’ve supported us when we desperately needed it, and now they need as much support as possible. If you can, consider picking up a gift card from a local business shut down during the break, or taking advantage of any of the curbside pickup and delivery options available: https://www.mobile.org/about/covid-19-update/local-business-updates/

We’ll also be updating our website at afcmobile.net/covid19 to track any local businesses who are still open and safely operating during this time. If you have a business you’d like shouted-out, just drop us a line at information@afcmobile.net.

Finally, Mobile’s got a fantastic, creative and caring service industry that is the face of our city and culture to so many. Without tips, they’ll be devastated. Thanks to our friend Galen Riley of the Chattahooligans, and members of our own Causeway Rebellion Supporters Group, we’re going to be utilizing the platform at https://serviceindustry.tips/en/al/mobile/ to show our appreciation. We hope you’ll do the same. If you know anyone in the service industry, that website will walk through how to get them listed. If you have any questions, we’ll try to help. 

3. Support your local club. 

Like any other business, AFC Mobile is dealing with the fallout from the pandemic. Our prospective and existing partners are going through a period of great uncertainty, and many are, understandably, reconsidering their ability to sponsor our team over the next few months. The month of March is where we usually see a big increase in merchandise and season ticket sales, which we have not seen this year. We are also dealing with uncertainty in our ability to host players, a severe delay in finding potential host families, delays in getting out-of-area players to Mobile, as well as drastically pushing back our training schedule. Every t-shirt, season ticket or scarf you buy helps us continue our mission of advocating for our city, culture and community while bringing a high level of passionate soccer to Mobile. Additionally, 20% of all shop proceeds will be donated to Feeding the Gulf Coast for the next 30 days. You can find our shop at afcmobile.net/shop. If you prefer we wait to ship your products to you, just leave a note in the order or email us at information@afcmobile.net. 

During this uncertain time, we value your safety and well-being above all. Each of us at AFC Mobile asks you to practice appropriate social distancing measures, good hygiene, and support local businesses such as restaurants by purchasing meals for take-out. Check out afcmobile.net/covid19 for a running list of local restaurants currently offering take-out and other resources. 

Yours in community,

The Board of Directors of AFC Mobile

Chisom Ogbonna Named AFC Mobile Captain for 2020 NPSL Season

AFC Mobile’s all-time leading goalscorer, Chisom Ogbonna will take the armband as Club Captain in the team’s first season in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL).

“I am very proud to name Chisom as our next club captain,” said AFC Mobile head coach Steve Wieczorek. “He has all the qualities that I am looking for in a leader both on and off the field. He is well-liked and respected in the dressing room, a role model for young players and performs at a high level on the field. Most importantly, I can trust him to support me and always act in the best interest of the club.”

Ogbonna previously played in the NPSL in 2015 with FC Wichita. In his time with AFC Mobile, Chisom has scored 20 goals in 18 appearances.

Don’t miss a match with Chisom and his teammates – get season tickets now at afcmobile.net/shop! Starting at $35 for 5 guaranteed regular season games and free admission to any playoff matches hosted by AFC Mobile, Mobile’s locally owned soccer team.

AFC Mobile Releases 2020 Schedule

Mobile, Alabama – February 11, 2020 –AFC Mobile announced its 2020 NPSL schedule on Wednesday, including a highly-anticipated Mobile-New Orleans home-and-home tilt, back-to-back matches against longtime rivals Port City FC, and the second annual Moon Pie Match against Chattanooga FC. 

The season will be the team’s first in the National Premier Soccer League, the top summer soccer league in the country, sanctioned by the US Adult Soccer Association. The 91-team NPSL offers direct qualification to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, which pits clubs from every division in American soccer against one another in single-knockout competition. 

“We are certainly excited about the upcoming campaign. We will see some familiar faces and create new rivalries which will be fantastic for our supporters and special for the players,” said AFC Mobile head coach Steve Wieczorek. “The schedule will be tough but I know that we are up for it and ready to give everything for the club and our loyal supporters.”

The Azaleas will open their 2020 campaign on May 7th on the road against the Jacksonville Armada U23s. AFC Mobile will then travel to New Orleans, Louisiana to face the New Orleans Jesters on May 16th. This will be the first meeting between the two sides since 2018 when the Jesters beat the Azaleas 2-1 in a preseason friendly in Mobile. 

AFC Mobile will play its home opener on May 23rd when the Jacksonville Armada U23s travel to the Archbishop Lipscomb Athletic Complex (“The Lip”). Mobile will spend the next two weeks on the road facing familiar opposition in Tallahassee SC and Pensacola FC. Both clubs are joining AFC Mobile in moving from the Gulf Coast Premier League to the Gulf Coast Conference of the NPSL. Mobile will return home on June 6th to host the Jesters, who spent 2019 on hiatus after an NPSL Southeastern Conference Finals appearance in 2018.

The Forgotten Coast Cup will be renewed when Port City FC travels to Mobile on June 13th and AFC Mobile heads to Gulfport the following weekend on June 20th. The Azaleas will play host to Tallahassee SC the following weekend on June 27th. 

On July 1st, AFC Mobile will travel to Chattanooga, Tennessee to take on Chattanooga FC of the National Independent Soccer Association, the third division of American professional soccer, in the second annual Moon Pie Match friendly. 

“Renewing our match against CFC is another important part of the journey forward as an organization. We get to measure ourselves against an established successful club and play in an outstanding environment,” Wieczorek said. 

The Match for the Moon Pie will pit AFC Mobile against a fully professional Chattanooga FC led by former University of Mobile coaching great Peter Fuller. The winner will take home a professional wrestling-style belt adorned with a Moon Pie Championship logo.

“It’s exciting for us to see some familiar faces come back to Finley (Stadium) this summer,” said Jeremey Alumbaugh, Managing Director of Chattanooga FC. “Having AFC Mobile return for the Moon Pie Match will give our fans and supporters a great treat and we are anxious for the 2020 season to begin.” 

AFC Mobile will conclude the regular season the following Saturday on the Fourth of July by hosting Pensacola FC at the Lip. All home matches will kick-off at 7 p.m. at the Archbishop Oscar H. Lipscomb Athletic Complex. Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at http://afcmobile.net/shop!

AFC Mobile Announces Open Tryout for the 2020 Season

Mobile, Alabama – With the 2020 NPSL season approaching, registration for new players wishing to try out for AFC Mobile, the premier soccer team in Mobile, is now open.

“The open tryout is a valuable tool for me and my staff to evaluate the local talent and perhaps unearth the next rising star in the area for our team. I am really looking forward to seeing how we can potentially add to our dynamic and talented returning group,” said AFC Mobile Head Coach Steve Wieczorek.

AFC Mobile’s open tryouts are a major part of player identification for the team. Any player who is no longer high school eligible and is at least 17-years-old may try out for AFC Mobile’s 2019 roster.

This year, there will be two open tryout sessions. The first will be February 1st. The tryouts will take place from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at Herndon/Sage Park in Mobile. Interested players are not required to attend both tryout sessions, but may do so if desired.

Players will have the opportunity to be evaluated by Coach Steve Wieczorek and his staff during tryouts.

There will be a high school identification period at a later date so that players participating in AHSAA high school soccer may stay eligible and have an opportunity to tryout for the coaching staff.

Additional information:

WHEN…

  • Saturday, February 1st, 2020
  • Tryouts will be from 2:00-4:00 p.m. (arrive at least half an hour early to check in and warm up)

WHERE…

  • Herndon (Sage) Park, 2800 Dauphin Street, Mobile, Alabama

 HOW…

  • Pay registration fee.
  • Interested players MUST complete the following forms in order to tryout:
  • If you register online prior to the day of the tryout you attend, the registration fee is $20. Walk-up registration on the day of the tryout is $30.  Online registration will not be available on the day of each tryout.  Players may, but are not required to, attend both tryouts. Players attending both tryout dates only need to complete one set of forms.

PLEASE BRING…

  • Water will be provided, but bring a reusable water bottle and any snacks or gear that you’ll need
  • Completed forms
  • A size 5 soccer ball, properly inflated
  • Shin guards, cleats, socks, black shorts, and white shirt

REGISTER HERE: [link to registration portal]

Become an AFC Mobile Host Family!

Having a host family is potentially one of the biggest and most influential aspects of a player’s AFC Mobile experience. The majority of our players are from the Mobile Bay area, but some are not.

Mobile will be a new place for them – away from their family, home, and school.

A host family will help give players who are moving into a new environment a safe and stable atmosphere in which to live over the summer.

The host family program also helps foster a relationship between the Mobile Bay community and players who will be living in the Mobile area for the first time. AFC Mobile believes that relationships formed between host families and players will last a lifetime. This is one of the most ideal ways to help the club and its players.

If you are interested in more information on becoming an AFC Mobile Host Family, click on the link here for more information.

AFC Mobile 2020 NPSL Season Passes On Sale

Season tickets for AFC Mobile’s 2020 National Premier Soccer League season are now on sale. Fans can purchase a season ticket wristband for $35. The wristband will admit entrance into all National Premier Soccer League home games as well as any home post-season games.

Fans can also purchase a wristband and t-shirt or scarf package for $55. This package comes with a season ticket wristband and your choice of either an official 2020 AFC Mobile scarf or the new 2020 AFC Mobile t-shirt.

There is also the opportunity for fans to purchase a wristband, a t-shirt, and a scarf for $80! This package comes with the 2020 scarf and the 2020 t-shirt as well!

Single-game tickets are $10 and as always tickets for fans 12 and under will remain free.

Resurgent Pensacola FC looks to continue busting brackets in Mobile

The old idiom about it being “crunch time” is a reality for AFC Mobile this weekend. After dropping a tough 2-1 decision to Port City FC last week, the Azaleas (4-2-2, 14 points) are looking to rebound against a resurgent Pensacola FC (2-2-4, 8 points) squad that while already eliminated from the playoffs has been scoring goals at alarming rate and making a mess for GCPL Eastern Conference playoff hopefuls as they do.

All-time series: AFC Mobile and Pensacola FC have been tied at the hip for years, and AFC Mobile would likely not exist without Pensacola. Pensacola FC likewise would not be in the GCPL without AFC Mobile. Over the past three years, the series is tied as well. The Azaleas and the 59ers each have two wins, two draws, and one loss against each other. However, it is not the results as much as it is the scorelines in the matches that people remember. Pensacola and Mobile have combined for 28 goals over five games. The last three matches played by these two sides have all ended in 4-3 results, with Mobile winning two of those and Pensacola taking the other.

And with the way Pensacola has been putting up goals since they were awoken in the second half against Mobile a few weeks back, there is no reason to not expect another fire storm this week.

Pensacola FC Players to Watch: Pensacola features a plethora of former University of West Florida stars and hall of famers, but it is Mikey Lightbourne who leads the charge with 6 goals so far on the season. Lightbourne is the focal point of the Pensacola attack, playing as either a central attacking midfielder or support striker. The former Orlando City U23 player has proven difficult to stop for most defenses in the GCPL East.

Matchup to Watch: Arad Lev-Ari and Erik Aispuro are going to have to be big players for the Azaleas. While the backline will have its hands full with the huge attacking resurgence of Pensacola FC, it will be up to Lev-Ari and Aispuro to lead the charge on the attack for Mobile. Pensacola’s Christoph Zeller has consistently been a top defender in the league and since the 59ers have switched from their 4-3-3 formation that started the season to a more conservative 4-4-2, a shift they made in the second half against AFC Mobile back on June 1st, they tightened up their defense. But beyond Lev-Ari and Aispuro trying to break down Pensacola, Domenic Nascimben will undoubtedly need to have another big performance to stop an attack that has produced 17 goals in the last 4.5 matches.

Why is this a big deal? Mobile holds its own playoff fate in their hands. Yes, there are ways that the Azaleas could qualify for the playoffs that require help from other teams, but AFC Mobile’s easiest path is to win its final games. Pensacola, meanwhile, find themselves outside of the playoffs with no way in. With this in mind, Pensacola has never lost in Mobile and this rejuvenated squad could really do some damage in this match to keep things incredibly tight in the GCPL East heading into the last week if they can earn another victory in Mobile.

AFC Mobile hosts Pensacola FC at the Archbishop Lipscomb Athletic Complex, 3610 Michael Boulevard, Mobile, Alabama. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and kids 12 and under are admitted free.

Forgotten Coast Cup Primer

What is the Forgotten Coast Cup?

The Forgotten Coast Cup is a competition between AFC Mobile and Port City FC*. The trophy goes to the supporters group of the winning team. If AFC Mobile wins the trophy, the Cup goes to the Causeway Rebellion who hold onto the trophy for one year and display it as they wish. If Port City FC wins the trophy, the Cup goes to the Port City Armada who hold onto the trophy and bragging rights until the next winner is decided.

*formerly Biloxi City FC

How is the winner determined?

The easiest way to determine the winner is the aggregate score of the two legs of the regular season series between Port City FC and AFC Mobile. Whoever scores the most goals over the two games receives the Forgotten Coast Cup.

What if the the series is tied on aggregate?

The first tiebreaker is away goals. Whichever of the two teams has scored the most away goals in the series will be the winner.

What if the away goals are the same?

If the away goals are the same, it goes down to FIFA’s fair play points. measures. Whichever team has the least yellow and red cards in the series will be marked as the winner.

Fair play points

  • first yellow card: minus 1 point
  • indirect red card (second yellow card): minus 3 points
  • direct red card: minus 4 points
  • yellow card and direct red card: minus 5 points

What if it is still tied?

If somehow it is still tied, the result will be determined by an arm-wrestling match between a representative of the Causeway Rebellion and a representative of the Port City Armada.

Forgotten Coast All-Time

YEARWinnerin Gulfportin MobileAggregate
2017AFC MobilePCFC 2-4 AFCMAFCM 1-2 PCFCAFCM 5-4 PCFC
2018Port City FCPCFC 2-1 AFCMAFCM 1-3 PCFCPCFC 5-2 AFCM
2019AFC MobilePCFC 2-1 AFCMAFCM 3-1 PCFCAFCM 4-2 AFCM
2020*N/AN/AN/AN/A
2021Port City FCPCFC 2-0 AFCMAFCM 2-1 PCFCPCFC 3-2 AFCM
*There was no season in 2020 due to the Coronavirus Pandemic

Playoff hopes, Forgotten Coast Cup on the line as AFC Mobile travels to Gulfport

With just three games to go, AFC Mobile still has all to play for. The Azaleas (4-2-1, 14 points) picked up a huge 2-1 victory over Hattiesburg FC last week and briefly topped the Eastern Conference before Tallahassee SC (4-2-1, 14 points) beat Gulf Coast Rangers to reclaim the top spot on goal difference. Meanwhile, a loss this weekend would eliminate Port City FC from playoff contention after a last minute concession handed the defending champions a 5-4 loss against Pensacola.

All-time series: Labeled the “realest rivalry in American soccer” by Non-League America, AFC Mobile and Port City have as checkered a history as any two clubs in the GCPL. Port City holds the overall series edge with a 3-0-2 (9 points) record against Mobile, but Mobile holds the lead for the 2019 Forgotten Coast Cup after a closely contested 3-1 win at home earlier this season. Since that time, the Sounders have remained competitive, but have been unable to claim a playoff spot. In Gulfport, with their playoff lives at stake and a resurgent attacking corps, Port City FC promise to be a tough out for AFC Mobile.

Port City FC Players to Watch: The headliner for Port City FC is 2018 Big 10 lead scorer and future UConn signee Jordan Hall, but midfielder Joao Victor Facanha is the conductor of the Sounders’ recently-prolific attack. Playing on either the wing or as a central attacking midfielder, Facanha could break a stout Mobile defense down if given the time and space to do it.

Matchup to Watch: Hall had his chances earlier in the season against Mobile, driven by Facanha. Potentially one of the most dangerous attacking duos to ever play in the GCPL, Hall will hope to take advantage of the backline of Vlad Margolin and Zubair Taylor, butTaylor and Margolin have anchored a disciplined and stingy backline. This match will come down to whether Margolin, Taylor, and the rest of the Mobile defense can withstand the full storm of a motivated Gulfport attack.

Why this is a big deal? On the field, the match has massive playoff implications. A win by Mobile would see the Gulfport club eliminated at the hands of the Azaleas for the second time in three seasons, and could boost AFC Mobile’s playoff chances dramatically, pending the results from Tallahassee at Pensacola and Rangers at Hattiesburg (both kicking off at 7 p.m. CT).

AFC Mobile plays Port City FC at Herbert William Stadium, 3225 Hancock Ave, Gulfport, Mississippi. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. CDT. Tickets are $10 and kids 12 and under are admitted for free.