Historic debut: FC Naples soccer team kicks off in Collier County

Author: Sylvie Sparks, Zach Oliveri
Published: Updated:

In a historic night for Collier County, FC Naples fans gathered to witness their team’s first-ever match.

The stadium was packed, with supporters cheering on their hometown club both during the game and long before.

“FC Naples! Today is history for this day. Let’s go Naples, go!” said Fabian, an enthusiastic FC Naples fan.

Southwest Floridians have long loved soccer, from Inter Miami to Manchester United. Now, they have their own team to support.

“I couldn’t wait. My husband told me he got the tickets because I’m a huge soccer fan,” said Matthew and Sharon Walthour, FC Naples fans.

The team has something for everyone, from soccer experts to amateur fans.

“We grow with soccer, so this is like a passion that we totally relate and understand. So we were super excited about it,” said Lucas Pinzon, an FC Naples fan.

“I don’t understand a thing about soccer, but I’m willing to learn,” added Matthew and Sharon Walthour.

Even the state champions were excited about the new team.

“I’m just excited to see what the team has to bring. We’ve never had a pro team, so we’ll see what they got to cook,” said a member of the Barron Collier Soccer Team, the FHSAA 4A State Soccer Champions.

Everyone wanted to be a part of FC Naples’ first match.

“We want to live this as a family. We want to support the local team and we want to enforce on him the love for the sport. It teaches the passion for the sport and everything that is around the sport. It’s not just what happens on the field, it’s what happens before and after,” Pinzon said.

As the final whistle blew on FC Naples’ historic debut, the community celebrated, knowing this is just the beginning.

Copyright ©2025 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.