Hartford City FC

Hartford City FC is a semi-pro soccer team based in West Hartford, CT. The team plays in the North Atlantic Conference of the National Premier Soccer League.

Failed MASL/NASL Expansion
Hartford City FC was founded in 2015. They were originally set to play in the Major Indoor Soccer League (MASL) with the intent to join the North American Soccer League (NASL).

The team would never play a game in either league. Ownership was unable to sign a lease for the XL Center due to the group's handling of the development of Dillon Stadium. The group intended to convert Dillon Stadium to a soccer-only stadium by 2017, but the city ended the project in October 2015 due to financial and legal concerns. On October 28, 2015, the MASL announced that Hartford City FC would not be permitted to join the league.

Aaron Sarwar and the NPSL
The copyright, trademark, and logo for Hartford City FC were purchased by local restauranteur and Air National Guardsman Aaron Sarwar in 2016 with the intent to build the team from the ground up. The NPSL announced the team as an expansion team in the Atlantic conference in November. The team originally intended to play their home games at Dillon Stadium but were unable to secure a deal. The team would play outside the city at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU).

In Hartford's inaugural game on May 6, 2017, they defeated Kingston Stockade FC 3-1 away. They would play their first home game at CCSU on May 13, 2017, a 2-0 victory over Seacoast Mariners. Hartford would finish the regular season 3rd out of 6 teams in the Atlantic-White conference with a record of 5 wins, 4 draws and 3 losses. This qualified them for the conference playoffs. In the semi-finals, they would defeat New England rival Boston City FC 2-1, with an 85th-minute goal from Paulinton Johnson sealing the win. In the conference final, they were defeated by Kingston Stockade FC 2-1 in extra time.

Supporters
Hartford City FC is supported by the Agents of Hale. Agents of Hale is named for American spy Nathaniel Hale, a hero of the Revolutionary War.

Rivalries
Hartford City FC's main rivalries are with Boston City FC and Kingston Stockade FC.

In 2019, the Agents of Hale and the Dutch Guard (the supporters of Kingston Stockade FC) founded the Wooden Shoe. The winner of the season series between Hartford City and Stockade FC is awarded the Wooden Shoe. In 2019, Kingston Stockade took home the first wooden shoe winning 2-1 on aggregate.

The Big Dumb Whale
Hartford also had an in-state rivalry with the New Haven-based Elm City Express. The winner of that series was awarded The Big Dumb Whale, a 4-foot long sperm whale carved from white oak. The sperm whale is the state animal of Connecticut and the white oak is the state tree. In 2019, Elm City Express announced their club was going on hiatus.