The term phoenix club is used in professional team sports to refer to a new entity that is set up to replace the same club that has failed in business terms but not necessarily in sporting terms, and generally involves the continuation of the sporting activity. In some cases, the phoenix club is created by the supporters of the club which has ended, or seems to be on the point of ending. A phoenix club will often have a very similar (although, for legal reasons, not identical) name and logo to the original club, and will also use a similar playing kit. The term is particularly prevalent in the United Kingdom and Italy in relation to association football, although it is also used in other countries.
The term has also been used to refer to a club formed by supporters of a major team when a change of ownership or policy causes them to lose faith in the management of their favoured side. This happened in 2005, when F.C. United of Manchester was formed by some fans of Manchester United F.C., specifically as a protest at the sale of the latter to Malcolm Glazer, and at what they saw as the excessive and unacceptable commercialisation of the club, although the new club's status as a phoenix is open to dispute on the basis that the original club still exists.
The term is derived from the mythical phoenix, a bird which was said to resurrect itself from its own ashes. In at least one case, the name of a phoenix club has played on the term itself: in the Australia-New Zealand A-League, now known as A-League Men, the defunct New Zealand Knights were replaced by new club Wellington Phoenix FC.
In some cases, phoenix clubs retain the name of the club which they replaced, implying a continuation from the former team. In other cases, name changes occur, perhaps due to proprietorial ownership of the old club's name.
An essential element of a phoenix club is that it is a legally separate entity from the original. A counter example is the American football Cleveland Browns, the football organization of which moved to Baltimore in 1995 to become the Baltimore Ravens. The NFL stipulated that, as a condition of allowing the move, the Ravens would have to relinquish any claim to the history and records of the Browns, one of the twelve "old guard" NFL franchises. As such, the Ravens technically entered the NFL as an expansion team. While the Browns franchise was deemed to have "suspended operations" for three years, in 1999 it was sold to new ownership and was recognized by the league to own all of the pre-1996 Browns' history, even though the extant Ravens had acquired the contracts of that team's players and personnel. The league and club thus recognize the Browns as one single team, albeit with a sporting hiatus, making the Browns not a phoenix club.
Because there is no single, universally-accepted definition, ascribing the term phoenix club can be disputed depending on the criteria used. Furthermore, there may be changes in what each country's football governing body and legal system defines as a phoenix club rather than resurrected club.
Multisports club Greece Original club Operating period Source 1st Phoenix club Operating period Source G.S. Iraklis Thessalonikis 1908–2022 N.G.S. Iraklis Thessalonikis 1908 2020–present
Association football
Two countries Original club 1st Phoenix club Year established SC Tavriya Simferopol FC TSK Simferopol*a 2014 a A club was founded in Russia following the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea.
Austria Original club 1st Phoenix club Year established FC Swarovski Tirol FC Tirol Innsbruck 1993 1. FC Vöcklabruck Vöcklabrucker SC 2009 SV Austria Salzburg SV Austria Salzburg 2005 Hakoah Vienna SC Maccabi Wien 2010 FC Wacker Innsbruck FC Wacker Innsbruck (2002) 2002
Belgium Original club 1st Phoenix club Year establishedK. Stade LeuvenOud-Heverlee Leuven1972KFC HerentalsVC Herentals2000K. LyraK. Lyra-Lierse Berlaar2002K.S.K. BeverenK.S.K. Beveren2010Beerschot ACK Beerschot VA2013 R.E. MouscronRoyal Excel Mouscron2010 K.R.C. HarelbekeK.R.C. Harelbeke2016 R.W.D. MolenbeekR.W.D. Molenbeek2015R.A.E.C. MonsR.A.E.C. Mons2015Lierse S.K.Lierse S.K.2018K.V. OostendeK.V. Diksmuide-Oostende2022
Brazil Original club 1st Phoenix club Year established 2nd Phoenix club Year establishedAA CabofrienseaAD Cabofriense1997Colorado and PinheirosParaná Clube1989Grêmio Novorizontino (1973)Grêmio Novorizontino (2010)2010Icasa E.C.A.D.R.C. Icasa2002EC LemenseCA Lemense2005Lemense FCd2022Linhares ECLinhares FC2001Operário Várzea-GrandensebEC Operário1996Operário Ltda.2003Taguatinga EC (1964)cTaguatinga EC (2018)2018AD VitóriaAAD Vitória das Tabocas2008
a AA Cabofriense was refounded as AD Cabofriense in 1997 by the same directors with the aim of separating football from the social club activities. b Due to financial problems, Operário Várzea-Grandense (also known as CEOV) withdrew from professional football in 1996. As it is one of the clubs with the most fans in the state, EC Operário was created with the same colors (red and green) as the traditional CEOV. Despite being state champion twice (1997 and 2002), the club did not receive the expected support and closed its activities in 2002. Another club with a similar name was created (Operário Futebol Ltda.), this time with red and black colors in honor of CR Flamengo, and has won the 2006 tournament. Operário Ltda. currently competes in the second division and the original CEOV returned to professional football in 2013. c The original Taguatinga EC and CA Taguatinga (former CA Bandeirante) merged in 2018. d Former SC Atibaia.
Bulgaria Original club 1st Phoenix club Year established 2nd Phoenix club Year established PFC Beroe Stara Zagora Olimpic-Beroe 1999PFC Beroe Stara Zagora AD2008F.C. EtarFC Etar 1924 Veliko Tarnovo2003OFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo2013 FC Chernomorets Burgas PSFC Chernomorets Burgas 2005 FC Chernomorets 1919 Burgas 2015
Canada Original clubYear established Phoenix ClubYear established2nd Phoenix ClubYear establishedSupra de Montréal (1988-1992)1988FC Supra du Québec2026Hamilton Steelers (1958–1967)1958Hamilton Steelers (1981–1992)1981Montreal Impact (1992–2011)1992CF Montréal2010North York Rockets1987Toronto Rockets1993Ottawa Fury (2005–2013)2005Ottawa Fury FC2014Toronto Blizzard (1971–1984)1971Toronto Blizzard (1986–1993)1986Vancouver Whitecaps (1974–84)1974Vancouver Whitecaps (1986–2010)1986Vancouver Whitecaps FC2009
China Original club Phoenix club Year establishedWuhan Optics Valley F.C.Wuhan Yangtze River F.C.2009Hebei Zhuoao F.C.Shijiazhuang Gongfu F.C.2020Hebei F.C.Langfang Glory City F.C.2022Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic F.C.Shaanxi Union F.C.2023Heilongjiang Ice City F.C.Heilongjiang Ice City F.C. (2025)2025
Czech Republic Original clubPhoenix club Year established DFC PragDFC Prag2016Dukla PragueFK Dukla Prague2001
Costa Rica Original club Phoenix club Year establishedAsociación Deportiva LimonenseLimón F.C.PrensaLibre News 2009A.D. GeneraleñaaAS Puma GeneraleñaAS. Puma Generaleña – UNAFUT 2010 a A.D. Generaleña merged with A.D. Pérez Zeledón to become Municipal Pérez Zeledón, de facto only continuing the Pérez Zeledón heritage.
Croatia Original club Phoenix club Year established 2nd Phoenix club Year establishedHŠK Građanski ZagrebGNK Dinamo Zagreb 1945US FiumanaaHNK Rijeka 1946NK Varaždin (1931–2015)bNK Varteks 2011NK Varaždin (2012) 2012NK Orijent (1919-2014)HNK Orijent 1919 2015NK ZadarHNK Zadar 2020NK Inter ZaprešićNK Inker Zaprešić 2022HNK ŠibenikGNK Šibenik 2026 a The city of Rijeka was part of the Kingdom of Italy and it was known as Fiume.
b The finances of the original NK Varaždin (called NK Varteks from 1958 to 2010) stumbled repeatedly for five years. When this led to their suspension in 2011, an unassociated NK Varteks was created. When they were suspended again in 2012, a new unassociated Varaždin emerged. The original club, including its records and history, folded in 2015.
England / Wales Original club Phoenix club Year establishedWilland Wanderers F.C.Willand Rovers F.C.1946 Accrington Stanley F.C. (1891) Accrington Stanley F.C. 1968 Gateshead A.F.C. Gateshead F.C.Our History Gateshead F.C. 1977 Newport County Newport County A.F.C. 1989 Aldershot F.C. Aldershot Town F.C. 1992 Wimbledon F.C.a AFC Wimbledon 2002 Telford United F.C. AFC Telford United 2004 Emley Emley A.F.C. 2005 Hornchurch F.C. A.F.C. Hornchurch 2005 Scarborough F.C. Scarborough Athletic F.C. 2007 Farnborough Town F.C. Farnborough F.C.2007 Halifax Town A.F.C."Halifax on the brink of collapse" . BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 May 2010. F.C. Halifax Town"Leagues agreed for 2008–09 season" BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 May 2010. 2008 Fisher Athletic F.C. Fisher F.C. 2009 Chester City F.C. Chester F.C. 2010 Ilkeston Town Ilkeston F.C. 2010 Merthyr Tydfil F.C. Merthyr Town F.C. 2010 King's Lynn F.C. King's Lynn Town F.C. 2010 Rushden & Diamonds F.C. AFC Rushden & Diamonds 2011 Windsor & Eton F.C. Windsor F.C. 2011 Croydon Athletic F.C. AFC Croydon Athletic 2012 Llanelli A.F.C. Llanelli Town A.F.C. 2013 Hereford United F.C. Hereford F.C.2015 Salisbury City F.C. Salisbury F.C. 2015 Ilkeston F.C. Ilkeston Town F.C. 2017 North Ferriby United A.F.C. North Ferriby F.C.2019Bury F.C.Bury A.F.C.b2021Rhyl F.C.C.P.D. Y Rhyl 18792020Macclesfield Town F.C.Macclesfield F.C.2020Whyteleafe F.C.AFC Whyteleafe2021Farsley Celtic F.C.FC Farsley2025Widnes FCWidnes Town F.C.Widnes FC Official Website2026 a Wimbledon F.C. relocated to Milton Keynes in 2004 and was renamed Milton Keynes Dons F.C., two years after the Football Association's binding decision to permit the move, and two years after the founding of AFC Wimbledon; see Relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes.
b In February 2022, Bury fans' group Est.1885 acquired the trading name, history and memorabilia of Bury F.C.. In May 2023, the Bury Football Club Supporters' Society (who owned Gigg Lane and the "Bury FC" trading name) and the Shakers Community Society (who owned phoenix club Bury AFC) merged. Bury AFC adopted the Bury FC playing name and returned to Gigg Lane, following FA approval in June 2023. The two team's histories were combined — retroactively counting Bury AFC's seasons as seasons for Bury FC.
Finland Original club Phoenix club Year establishedTampere UnitedTamU-K2009
France Original club Phoenix club Year establishedFC NancyAS Nancy Lorraine1967Gap FCGap Foot 052012Toulouse FCToulouse FC1970FC SèteSC Sètois2023
Germany Original club 1st Phoenix club Year established 2nd Phoenix club Year established SC Tasmania 1900 Berlin SV Tasmania Berlin 1973 BSG Chemie Leipzig (1950) FC Sachsen Leipzig 1990 BSG Chemie Leipzig (1997) 1997 SpVgg Blau-Weiß 1890 Berlin SV Blau Weiss Berlin 1992 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig (1966) 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig (2003) 2003 SG Dynamo Schwerin SG Dynamo Schwerin 20031. FC Kattowitz1. FC Katowice2007 DVV Coburg FC CoburgDer FC Coburg spielt im Stocke-Stadion Neue Presse Coburg, published: 28 June 2012, accessed: 4 November 2014 2011 FC Sachsen Leipzig SG Sachsen Leipzig 2011 LVF Sachsen Leipzig 2014 Kultur Sport Verein Hessen Kassel FC Hessen Kassel 1993 KSV Hessen Kassel1998
Greece Original club Operating period Source 1st Phoenix club Operating period Source 2nd Phoenix club Operating period Source 3rd Phoenix club Operating period Source G.S. Iraklis Thessalonikis 1908–2012 A.E.P. Iraklis 1908 2012–2019 A.S. Iraklis 2015 2019–2020 P.O.T. Iraklis 2021–present
India Original club Phoenix club Year establishedSalgaocar FCClube de Salgaocar2024Mohun BaganMohun Bagan Super Giants2020
Indonesia