Oakland Roots

Oakland Roots Sports Club is an American professional soccer team based in Oakland, California. The club was formed in 2018 by a group of Oakland natives, and began play in the National Independent Soccer Association in the fall of 2019. In 2021, the club joined the second division USL Championship.

History

The club was formed in July 2018, and would be known as Oakland Roots Sports Club. The club originally was slated to play in the NPSL Founders Cup, but the club ultimately withdrew and instead joined the National Independent Soccer Association, a Division III sanctioned United States Soccer Federation professional league.

Oakland Roots began by signing three Oakland-raised players in the spring of 2019: Devante Dubose, Julio Cervantes and Yohannes Harish. This was followed by the signing of several higher profile players as the club built out its inaugural rosters. Those players included former San Jose native and MLS player Benji Joya, former Honduran World Cup veteran and San Jose Earthquake Victor Bernardez and former first-round MLS draft pick Jack McInerney.

The club announced Bay Area native and former MLS player and Colorado Rapids technical director Paul Bravo as its first head coach on May 9, 2019.

National Independent Soccer Association

The club opened the inaugural 2019–20 NISA season as the league's first game, at home in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 4,500. McInerney would score a first half perfect hat trick in a match that would eventually end up in a 3–3 draw.

Oakland Roots played eight games in their inaugural season: six in NISA and two friendlies against Mexican clubs FC Juarez and Atletico Zacatepec. The club picked up their first win at home against Atletico Zacatepec by a score of 2–0.