Detroit, MI – Detroit City FC’s women’s team will join the USL–W League for the 2022 season. The move will bring more competitive matchups, attract more talent to Detroit, and lay the groundwork for creating a women’s professional team in Detroit.
“Since 2012, our vision for Detroit City FC has been to become Detroit’s soccer club for all time, and accomplishing that would be impossible without a women’s team. A successful and equitable women’s side is what our supporters demand, and it’s what our players in rouge and gold deserve. We see joining the USL–W League as a natural next step in becoming the most inclusive, community-focused, and supporter-driven club in the USA that we strive to be,” said Detroit City FC CEO Sean Mann.
The Detroit City FC men’s side kicked off in 2012. In 2019, Detroit City FC announced its plans to field a women’s team in Summer 2020. The COVID pandemic shortened the season to three matches. In Summer 2021, the team played their first full season in UWS, finishing in 3rd place in the Midwest North division. The women’s reserve team, introduced in 2021, finished 1st in UWS2’s Great Lakes division.
Salvatore (Sam) Piraine coaches the team. Piraine brings nearly 20 years of experience to the job, coaching both high school and semi-pro soccer since 2002. He currently serves as Technical Director for Detroit City FC Youth West.
In its two years of existence, Detroit City’s women’s side already boasts notable alumnae. Inaugural season midfielder Sydney Blomquist played for Associação Ferroviária de Esportes in Araraquara, Brazil during their 2021 season. Women’s second-team assistant coach and midfielder, Mami Yamaguchi, played for the Japanese National Team and the UEFA Champions Cup final in 2008.
About Detroit City FC
Detroit City FC has established itself as one of the most talked-about soccer teams in North America. Our club motto, Passion for Our City, Passion for the Game, evokes the three club values: to satisfy the demand for soccer in downtown Detroit, represent the city in a positive light, and build community through “the beautiful game.”
About USL–W
The USL W League is a pre-professional women’s soccer league set to kick off in May 2022. The USL W League strives to use women’s soccer as a force for societal good by creating a national platform to increase opportunity, gender equity, and career development. The League and its member clubs are committed to investing in women’s soccer – through not only financial resources but also with time, energy, and attention – and are united in our mission to grow the women’s game.
