January 25 – After almost four years in the making, David Beckham’s dream of heading a new MLS team has moved a crucial step closer to reality.
The former England captain and global superstar is set to launch his long-planned Major League Soccer team in Miami early next week, according to reports, after a long-drawn-out period of wrangling over the site for a stadium in southern Florida because of complaints by residents.
No official announcement has been made but the MLS has told the BBC it “continues to make progress toward finalising an expansion club for Miami – we hope to have more details soon.”
MLS lured Beckham to the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007 with a deal that included an option to purchase an expansion franchise. Beckham began his bid to launch a team in Miami in early 2014 and in November, the MLS said it would approve the Beckham-backed franchise “in the coming months”.
The Miami Herald now reports that the “tentative plan is for a Monday announcement” but that it could be Tuesday. The ownership group, known as Miami Beckham United, has purchased land in the Overtown region to build a soccer-specific stadium after failed efforts at the Port of Miami.
Beckham’s team would be the league’s 24th as MLS expands to 28 franchises. Last December the MLS announced Nashville as the latest franchise. Nashville will debut in 2020.
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