CHICAGO (Oct. 14, 2015) – The U.S. Soccer Federation has partnered with FC Dallas, the City of Frisco and Frisco ISD to establish the new National Soccer Hall of Fame Museum at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. Construction on the 24,000 square foot museum and event center will begin in 2016.
The museum will be home to U.S. Soccer hardware, including the Women’s World Cup, Gold Cup and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup trophies, as well as Olympic medals and memorabilia from the historic U.S. win over England in the 1950 World Cup, among other memorabilia and trophies. Toyota Stadium will also become the permanent site for the annual National Soccer Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
No other major national sports hall of fame museum is built into a stadium. The unprecedented endeavor is fitting for a stadium built by the late Lamar Hunt, who has been widely celebrated for his pioneering ways across American sports and is a member of 13 halls of fame. A 1982 inductee into the National Soccer Hall of Fame, Hunt received their Medal of Honor in 1999, making him one of only three individual recipients of the prestigious award in history. The honor was also granted to the 1991 Women’s National Team, which won the inaugural Women’s World Cup.
“We are thrilled that the National Soccer Hall of Fame Museum once again has a permanent home,” said U.S. Soccer CEO and Secretary General Dan Flynn. “It is truly fitting that we have found a partner in the Hunt Family, whose lasting legacy in the development and growth of soccer in this country will be further enshrined by housing this facility in their stadium. We are grateful to the City of Frisco and the Frisco ISD for helping ensure that soccer fans will be able to celebrate our history for generations to come.”
Established in 1950, The Hall of Fame first had a dedicated museum in 1979 in Oneonta, N.Y. It was officially recognized as the National Soccer Hall of Fame by the U.S. Soccer Federation in 1983. The building closed in 2010, and will now be resurrected at Toyota Stadium.
“My father Lamar loved this game and he chased his vision of growing soccer in the United States with the same determination he brought to professional football,” said FC Dallas President Dan Hunt. “He had a vision of what the beautiful game could be in America and he spent years watching games and persuading friends to join him. This is an incredible opportunity to not only honor his legacy, but all of those who came before him, those who stood beside him, and those in the future who will endeavor to grow the sport of Soccer in America. Our family is thrilled to bring the National Soccer Hall of Fame back to prominence here in Frisco, Texas, in the last stadium my father built.”
Detailed plans, as well as concept drawings, of the entire renovation can be viewed here.
“Our partnerships with Frisco ISD, FC Dallas/Toyota Stadium, and now U.S. Soccer, are important to the City of Frisco for many reasons,” said Mayor Maher Maso. “Our community takes great pride in being home to these quality developments, which promote tourism, business development, fitness and even our city’s brand. Toyota Stadium and the National Soccer Hall of Fame Museum help us meet all these goals. The Soccer Hall of Fame complements our growing collection of museums, expanding Frisco’s cultural offerings. Collectively, these partnerships enhance Frisco’s sustainability and quality of life.”