Minnesota United Announce Move to MLS in 2017

The Minnesota United held a large-scale press conference and celebration of Minnesota soccer this evening at CHS Field in St. Paul to announce that the team will be joining Major League Soccer -- the premiere professional league in the U.S. -- beginning next season. But wait, there's more...

The  speakers included MLS commissioner Don Garber, Minnesota United majority owner Dr. William McGuire, Minnesota governor Mark Dayton, and Saint Paul mayor Chris Coleman.

In addition to joining the MLS in 2017, the Minnesota United FC announced that they will retain their team name. There had been speculation that Minnesota would change their name to avoid confusion with existing MLS team D.C. United based in the nation's capital.

The Minnesota United (formerly Minnesota North) have played at the National Sports Center in Blaine since 2010.

While a new 20,000 seat Major League Soccer stadium has been approved for the Snelling-Midway area of St. Paul by the City Council -- the question remained as to where the team would play next year during the inaugural season. The answer: TCF Bank Stadium on the campus of the University of Minnesota.

In addition to Minnesota, Atlanta was awarded the second of the MLS expansion teams set to start play in the league next season.

From the NASL's Minnesota Kicks during the 70s to the indoor Strikers in the 80s, to the now defunct Thunder of the 90s, to the recent success of the United -- and now the new MLS Minnesota United; it appears that professional soccer is bigger and better than ever in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

We Are United!