Sporting JAX W

Founding

A USL Championship club in Jacksonville was announced on August 30, 2022, led by venture capitalist Ricky Caplin and former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow. The group partnered with Florida Elite Soccer Academy, rebranding it as the Sporting JAX Soccer Academy, to form a full development pathway.

The club expanded its leadership team on November 30—coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the NFL awarding Jacksonville its franchise—by adding former Jacksonville Jaguars star Fred Taylor to the ownership group.

Sporting Club Jacksonville, branded as Sporting JAX, and sometimes nicknamed the Whales, was officially unveiled on December 12, 2023, along with its logo and team colors.

USL Championship era

Mark Warburton, best known for leading Rangers FC to the Scottish Premiership in 2016, was named Sporting Director and Head of Soccer on March 20, 2025. He oversees both the men’s and women’s teams.

On November 4, 2025, Sporting JAX appointed former Dundee United manager Liam Fox as the first head coach in men's team history. The role marked his first coaching position outside Scotland. Fox signed a two-year contract, with an option for a third year. Upon his appointment, he described the opportunity as “a brilliant challenge to build a club from the bottom up,” noting that Sporting JAX had no signed players and no permanent stadium at the time of his arrival.

The USL Championship announced on December 11, 2025, that Sporting JAX would play its inaugural home match on March 7, 2026 against Hartford Athletic at Hodges Stadium on the campus of the University of North Florida (UNF).

On December 15, 2025, Sporting JAX announced the first two signings to its inaugural roster: defender Dida Armstrong and forward Luc Granitur.

On March 24, 2026, Sporting JAX announced that they had parted ways with CEO Steve Livingstone, while simultaneously promoting Mark Warburton to president of soccer.