Maryland United FC
Overview
Maryland United FC (MUFC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth soccer organization originally founded in 1978 as Freestate Soccer Alliance, renamed Maryland United FC in 2013. EIN 83-0574699, based in Upper Marlboro / Annapolis, MD.
MUFC has expanded aggressively across southern and central Maryland, with academy programs in Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Prince George’s, and Talbot counties. In March 2025, the club launched “Maryland United South” to serve Charles County.
The club serves ages U4-U18 for both boys and girls, with competitive pathways in ECNL, ECNL-RL, EDP, and USYS National League.
Financials
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Net Assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,591,749 | $3,609,607 | $1,566,754 |
| 2023 | $3,360,434 | $3,178,073 | $1,483,619 |
| 2022 | $2,869,862 | $2,790,145 | $1,345,144 |
| 2021 | $2,387,930 | $2,127,091 | $1,248,787 |
| 2020 | $2,019,096 | $1,750,041 | $1,199,723 |
| 2019 | $2,304,953 | $1,953,203 | $707,282 |
| 2018 | $1,174,956 | $843,068 | $331,888 |
Source: ProPublica 990 filings. (HIGH confidence)
Notable: Revenue tripled from 3.6M (2024) — one of the strongest growth trajectories in the market. Net assets of 0 compensation**, indicating fully volunteer leadership — unusual for a club of this size.
Teams & Players
Player count and team count not publicly reported. Ages U4-U18, boys and girls. Club forms First (ECNL), Second (ECNL-RL), Third (Premier), and Fourth (Elite) teams in U11-U18 age groups.
League Affiliations
- ECNL (Girls)
- ECNL Regional League (Boys & Girls)
- EDP
- USYS National League
- Chesapeake Premier Soccer League (CPSL) — Founding member
Facilities
- Liberty Sports Park — Primary venue
- Indian Creek Upper School — Secondary venue
Leadership
All board members serve without compensation:
- Robert Deegan — President
- Darryl Barnes — At Large
- Bill Heiser — At Large
- Eric Henderson — At Large
- Mark Howard — At Large
- Maiya Morales — At Large
Competitive Position
Strengths:
- Strongest growth trajectory in Maryland (3x revenue in 6 years)
- Geographic expansion strategy — 5+ counties, Charles County entry 2025
- Healthy balance sheet ($1.57M net assets)
- Volunteer leadership = low overhead, operational upside for acquirer
- ECNL Girls pathway
- Multi-county coverage fills underserved Southern Maryland / Eastern Shore
Weaknesses:
- No MLS Next or Boys ECNL pathway (ECNL-RL is secondary)
- Upper Marlboro / Annapolis base is less affluent than Montgomery County
- Volunteer leadership may mean limited professional management infrastructure
- Brand less nationally recognized than Bethesda SC or Pipeline SC
SYNRGY Relevance
Maryland United is an attractive acquisition target due to strong growth, healthy financials, volunteer leadership (operational upside), and a large geographic footprint across underserved Maryland sub-markets. The $0 executive compensation creates immediate margin improvement opportunity through professional management.
The ECNL Girls pathway is valuable but the lack of a Boys elite pathway (no ECNL Boys or MLS Next) is a gap that would need to be addressed post-acquisition.
MUFC’s geographic spread (Annapolis to Eastern Shore to Charles County) could serve as a “platform” acquisition, with subsequent additions of Baltimore or Montgomery County clubs creating a statewide operation.
Open Questions
- How many players and teams does MUFC actually have? Not publicly reported. (HIGH priority)
- What is the club’s paid staff structure given volunteer board? Must have some professional coaches. (MEDIUM priority)
- What facilities are owned vs. leased? (MEDIUM priority)
- Is the ECNL-RL boys program a stepping stone to ECNL Boys application? (LOW priority)