Rename NYC FC to AC NYC
The Issue
We, the undersigned, call on NYC FC to change its club name from NYC FC to AC NYC.
New York City FC belongs to New York. So why does its name borrow a naming convention straight out of England? We're calling on the club and its ownership to rename New York City FC to AC NYC — and here's why it just makes sense.
1) NYC’s communities deserve to be reflected in the name. New York's Italian heritage runs deep. Italian ancestry is one of the largest in the city, far outnumbering the British-descended population that "FC" nods to. From Little Italy to Arthur Avenue, this is an Italian-American town in a way it has never been a British one. "AC," short for Associazione Calcio, is how Italy names its clubs. If we're going to borrow a naming tradition, why not borrow the one that reflects the people filling the stands?
2) Italian football plays a key part of the club’s story. Arguably the greatest player to ever take the field for The Pigeons was Andrea Pirlo, a 2006 World Cup winner and one of the finest midfielders of his generation. Pirlo spent a decade at AC Milan before bringing his artistry to Yankee Stadium from 2015 to 2017. Il Maestro gave this club its most elegant football. AC NYC would carry that legacy in its name.
3) There's no real argument against it. The club already decided the name doesn't need to be "SC" or "Soccer Club," it went with "FC" instead. But "FC" isn't American either. It's just as borrowed as "AC." So at that point the only question is which borrowed tradition we prefer. "AC" would make NYC instantly distinct in a league crowded with FCs, and it would mean something to the community it represents.
4) There's never been a better moment. In July 2027, the club opens Etihad Park in Willets Point, its first permanent home and the first soccer-specific stadium in New York City's history. After a decade of borrowing other teams' ballparks, this is a genuine new beginning. A new home is the perfect time for a new name. Walking into to the first-ever match at our first-ever stadium as AC NYC will start the next chapter right.
Our request:
We, the fans and Ultras of NYC FC ask leadership to officially rename the club to AC NYC to reflect the city’s communities, honor the club’s Italian connections, and create a more distinctive identity in MLS.
Sign this petition to help usher in a new era of AC NYC.
19
The Issue
We, the undersigned, call on NYC FC to change its club name from NYC FC to AC NYC.
New York City FC belongs to New York. So why does its name borrow a naming convention straight out of England? We're calling on the club and its ownership to rename New York City FC to AC NYC — and here's why it just makes sense.
1) NYC’s communities deserve to be reflected in the name. New York's Italian heritage runs deep. Italian ancestry is one of the largest in the city, far outnumbering the British-descended population that "FC" nods to. From Little Italy to Arthur Avenue, this is an Italian-American town in a way it has never been a British one. "AC," short for Associazione Calcio, is how Italy names its clubs. If we're going to borrow a naming tradition, why not borrow the one that reflects the people filling the stands?
2) Italian football plays a key part of the club’s story. Arguably the greatest player to ever take the field for The Pigeons was Andrea Pirlo, a 2006 World Cup winner and one of the finest midfielders of his generation. Pirlo spent a decade at AC Milan before bringing his artistry to Yankee Stadium from 2015 to 2017. Il Maestro gave this club its most elegant football. AC NYC would carry that legacy in its name.
3) There's no real argument against it. The club already decided the name doesn't need to be "SC" or "Soccer Club," it went with "FC" instead. But "FC" isn't American either. It's just as borrowed as "AC." So at that point the only question is which borrowed tradition we prefer. "AC" would make NYC instantly distinct in a league crowded with FCs, and it would mean something to the community it represents.
4) There's never been a better moment. In July 2027, the club opens Etihad Park in Willets Point, its first permanent home and the first soccer-specific stadium in New York City's history. After a decade of borrowing other teams' ballparks, this is a genuine new beginning. A new home is the perfect time for a new name. Walking into to the first-ever match at our first-ever stadium as AC NYC will start the next chapter right.
Our request:
We, the fans and Ultras of NYC FC ask leadership to officially rename the club to AC NYC to reflect the city’s communities, honor the club’s Italian connections, and create a more distinctive identity in MLS.
Sign this petition to help usher in a new era of AC NYC.
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Petition created on August 1, 2026