Cosmos supporters hope the third time’s the charm.

The soccer club formerly known as the New York Cosmos is returning to the pitch in 2026 as a member of the USL League One, a third-tier American soccer league, playing in Paterson’s Hinchliffe Stadium. This will be the third iteration of the Cosmos club, the trailblazing team that previously played in the now-defunct North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League in the 1970s and 1980s.

“Our city scored a goal, our state has scored a goal,” said Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh at a news conference Thursday to announce the team name. “Our country has scored a goal, because the Cosmos, arguably, are the most famous soccer club in U.S. history.”

“We all remember the glory days of Pele, of Giorgio [Chinaglia], and in my case, a former U.S. Ambassador in Berlin, Franz Beckenbauer,” added Gov. Phil Murphy.

Previous Cosmos teams relied on global stars to attract fans. This version of the Cosmos is more community-oriented, as leaders hope to cultivate soccer talent in and around Paterson.

“We’re going to have more superstars that are going to come out of Paterson, Passaic County, North Jersey, who will lead future generations,” said Baye Adofo-Wilson, chairperson and co-founder of North Jersey Pro Soccer. “What we’re building here is a club that is local, but it’s about the community.”

Cosmos co-founder and CEO Erik Stover added: “There’s so many barriers to kids, particularly in communities like this, and their talent just dies on the vine. What we’re going to be about is working very hard to find those kids, 15-17 years old, get them into our system, into our club, and play them.”

The Cosmos will also field a women’s team starting in the fall of 2027.