Goals Soccer Centers is an operator of dedicated 5-a-side soccer centers based in California, with around 50 locations.[1][2]
History
Goals Soccer Centers originated from its British namesake in 1987 when Keith Rogers, founder of Goals and its previous CEO, opened the world's first 5-a-side soccer center in Glasgow, Scotland[3] under the brand name of Pitz. After subsequent expansion across the United Kingdom, Rogers stepped down from the UK business in January 2016 and relocated to the U.S. to become President of Goals USA and opened his first two U.S.-based sites in South Gate and Pomona in the mid 2010s and thereafter signed contracts for sites in Rancho-Cucamonga and Covina. Rogers subsequently left Goals in January 2017 to launch a new U.S.-based business.
On July 25, 2017, City Football Group – owners of Major League Soccer club New York City FC and Premier League side Manchester City – signed a joint venture partnership with the Scottish company to invest capital into the U.S. operations of the company in order to expand across the continent.[4] Although Goals doubled their total locations to four by December 2018,[2] further expansion plans were halted in 2019 after the company ran into financial troubles. Three months later, Goal's stake in the U.S. joint venture was sold to partners City Football Group, giving the soccer organization full control of the company.[5]
Manchester City Soccer Academy
As a result of its links to Manchester City, Goals sites operate Manchester City-branded soccer schools, where children can register to receive coaching from City coaches and learn to play with City tactics.[6]
