Proposed USL team balancing community focus, global ambitions

The concept of maintaining balance in the sport of soccer is crucial to the on-field success of any team. Commit too many players to the attack and the opposition can take advantage of a weakened backline. Don’t push enough into the attacking half and the opposition can control possession of the ball and dictate the way the match unfolds. However, when a team finds that perfect balance, it can create something worthy of the beautiful game moniker.

Federal Sports Alliance, the investment firm behind a proposed $350 million mixed-use soccer stadium development and professional soccer franchise in Winter Garden, is looking to strike that magical formula off the field by balancing its local, community focus and the global opportunities that come from its recently announced multi-club model. 

In a June 25 press release, the organization announced plans for a multi-continental club acquisition strategy that would see the creation of a multi-club model of professional soccer teams across six international leagues. 

“Balancing local community focus with global opportunity is something I’ve always believed isn’t just possible, it’s essential,” said Siddharth Shankar, Central Florida Pro Soccer partner and board member. “A successful multi-club model doesn’t work unless each club is deeply rooted in the community it represents. Places like Winter Garden aren’t just ‘locations’ on a map, they’re ecosystems of people, pride and potential. The role of a club there isn’t just to win games, it’s to inspire the next generation, to bring people together and to create a sense of shared ownership that extends beyond the pitch. But when you combine that community-first philosophy with global strategy and capital, the result can be extraordinary. My experience in scaling brands and operations across more than 50 countries has shown me that local authenticity is the most valuable currency in the global game. What we build in Winter Garden can’t be a replica, it must be something meaningful to Central Florida, something the community feels belongs to them. And when that happens, it becomes a launchpad.”

Community-centric philosophy 

To achieve the goals Shankar laid out, Federal Sports Alliance plans to implement an investment philosophy that focuses on the individual communities and helps maintain the independence of each club, which is in contrast with the more homogenized models multi-club ownership groups traditionally employ. 

This strategy, which prioritizes the unique features of each community, will be put into action first with the firm’s flagship project in Winter Garden, with its proposed multi-use stadium development project leading the charge.

“Winter Garden is one of the most family-friendly cities in the country with a passionate soccer fanbase, making it a perfect place to build one of our community-centric clubs,” said Justin Papadakis, deputy CEO and chief real estate officer of the United Soccer League. “Central Florida Pro Soccer’s project is an ambitious mixed-use development that will serve as a true community asset and local gathering place. As the centerpiece of the project, the soccer stadium will unite residents, drive economic growth and inspire youth athletes for generations to come.”

Anchored by a 5,000-seat soccer stadium, the proposed development also will feature more than 150,000 square feet of commercial space, multi-family residential units, a 160-room hotel, nearly 100,000 square feet of retail space and 14 acres of recreational fields, all to create a live-work-play ecosystem focused on adding value to the community. Beyond the physical development, to truly be a community asset, the organization needs to be rooted in and accessible to the community, which is why the club is focused on affordability and providing opportunities for underserved communities to engage with the organization.

Despite the recent announcements and the organization’s thoroughly planned approach, the approval process with the city of Winter Garden for the 72-acre development still is in its early stages, having recently received approval for a non-binding letter of intent that allows conversations between the city and developers to continue. Currently, there is no set timeline for the club to begin playing games, but reports indicate the club is aiming to get on the field in 2027.

Another key element of the organization’s community-centric philosophy is tapping into the rich youth soccer culture in Central Florida to not only develop fans from a young age but also to support and nurture young talent in the hope they become the team’s future stars. The organization plans on developing a youth academy and education facilities to support the growth of youth soccer players.

“Central Florida has a strong youth soccer culture,” said Tan Bahia, Central Florida Pro Soccer founder and CEO. “We’re excited to join the USL ecosystem and provide a pathway for homegrown players to move up to the professional ranks.”

This community-centric approach, along with the organization’s Wall Street financial expertise, cutting-edge data analytics platforms, — aimed at enhancing on-field performance and boosting community engagement — sustainable development principles and strategic international partnerships, are just a few of the key elements the future USL League One franchise will use to accomplish its goal and change the global soccer landscape.

“We’re bringing American innovation and financial engineering to change the way soccer clubs function as community assets,” said Austin Root, Central Florida Pro Soccer co-founder and COO. “Our strategy is all about creating lasting value for fans, boosting local economies and nurturing player development pathways.”

To accomplish that strategy, however, it can’t be a copy-and-paste approach. To build something iconic, their approach needs to reflect the unique values of the community it’s in, starting right here in West Orange. 

“The U.S. is ready for a new football narrative and I believe Florida, especially communities like Winter Garden, is perfectly positioned to lead it,” Shankar said. “With the right mix of grassroots investment, youth development, international best practices and smart commercial structure, we can create something world-class, right here. Not by importing a model but by co-creating one that reflects local values and global ambition. I don’t just see potential in this market, I see the chance to help build something iconic, and I believe Winter Garden is the perfect place to start.” 

Fans first focus

However important this mixed-use facility is to the organization’s goals of being a community asset, a large part of its success will be based on developing fans. Although winning cures most sports teams’ wounds, it is often out of the control of organizations, which is why Central Florida Pro Soccer is focused on understanding how to engage with its fan base beyond game days.

“American fans are building their own relationship with the sport from the ground up, rather than inheriting loyalties from family or local tradition,” Shankar said. “That creates a more open, dynamic fan culture — one that’s driven by storytelling, digital engagement and cultural alignment as much as on-field success. American soccer fans, especially Gen Z and younger millennials, are digitally native, globally aware and community-oriented. They engage with clubs not just through match days but through memes, social causes, creator collaborations and lifestyle content. That gives investors like me a much broader canvas to work with. We’re not just investing in performance, we’re investing in content ecosystems, influencer integration and brand affinity.”

A perfect example of this fan-first approach is the name of the future Winter Garden-based club. Currently, the Central Florida Pro Soccer franchise does not have a name but because of its community-centric focus, the organization intends to involve local community members to help shape the identity of the team to truly represent them. This type of two-way relationship, between team and fans, will be at the core of how the organization plans to operate. 

“Fans want to participate, not just observe,” Shankar said. “Whether it’s fan tokens, behind-the-scenes access or democratized ownership models, this generation expects to be part of the journey. That’s where I see huge upside for clubs and leagues that are willing to break from tradition and build two-way relationships with their communities. This behavior directly informs my investment strategy: I look for properties and platforms that treat fans as stakeholders and build brand equity beyond the stadium.”