Dallas Trinity FC marks a new era in North Texas women’s soccer

DALLAS — When Dallas Trinity FC kicks off its Spring season, they’ll be joined by midfielder Lexi Missimo. CEO Charlie Neil told WFAA her acquisition proves his club and the USL Super League are heading in the right direction. 

“There are things the club is doing right now, to be in a position to sign a player of her caliber. And she knows how important she’s going to be,” Neil said.

Missimo stood out as a little girl in Southlake, dominated the competition at Solar Soccer Club and became the Texas Longhorns all-time leader in points and assists. She’s one of nearly a dozen players who hail from North Texas. They grew up in Midlothian, Arlington, Grapevine, Coppell, Frisco and Prosper. Many had to go to Sweden, France or Iceland to turn pro. 

“And now with a team back in Dallas, they were motivated to come home,” Neil said. “And we’ve got a chance to host a home playoff game and ultimately maybe a Final, which would be great to see.”

Neil runs the club from an office in Farmers Branch. The women practice at Hockaday, a local all-girls private school, and play matches in Fair Park. “We’re in South Dallas and we’re proud of it,” Neil said. “And we wanted to be in a place where if anyone was a fan of Dallas Trinity, they could get to a game via public transportation.” 

As for the team’s home field at the iconic Cotton Bowl stadium: “It’s 90,000 seats, and in some respects may be the biggest venue of any women’s team in the world. You think about the purity of the game. The World Cup is coming into these NFL stadiums and they’re installing grass fields. The top-level players want to play on that,” Neil said. 

That said, Neil admits having a dedicated training center would be ideal. “That’s the long-term goal. We would love to have all that in one place. This is the top level of pro soccer these women can play in our country, so we certainly want facilities that are reflective of that. I think it would lead to a more successful business, and a more successful team on the field.”

Dallas Trinity FC enters the spring season in second place in the USL Super League. It’s the newer of two women’s professional soccer leagues. When Neil looked into bringing a team to Dallas, he initially considered the National Women’s Soccer League, which has been around since 2012, but the franchise fee was too high. 

“Two years ago I believe Boston paid an expansion fee of $53 million,” Neil said. “And now this year I think Denver is getting in for around $110 million. So just in two years, doubling like that, women’s sports is in a much better environment than five, 10 years ago.”

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The NWSL is thriving, but Neil said there are enough quality players to maintain the quality of play in both leagues. He told WFAA that the USL Super League designed its rules around player freedom and keeping summers open for international play. 

“First and foremost, there’s no draft. Players have full autonomy going from club to club, seeing what may be the best fit for them,” Neil said. “And we aligned ourselves with the European and South American schedule, which allows our players to play for an international club and not feel like they’re missing out on league play. We aligned ourselves with the transfer windows, so a player can easily be loaned to another club.”

Neil feels Dallas Trinity must grow organically, especially in a crowded sports market like North Texas. “There’s no magical marketing campaign that will turn this into 90,000 people at the Cotton Bowl! It’ll grow by being out at clinics, creating opportunities for fans to hear our players’ stories.” 

He said fans who come to the Cotton Bowl get a more intimate experience with Trinity players, compared to say, the Cowboys. “One of my favorite things is watching our players stay 30 to 45 minutes after each match to sign autographs and take selfies,” Neil stated. 

The club has worked with Dallas Parks & Rec, North Texas Food Bank and the Boys & Girls Club of Dallas, but Neil said his marketing team is constantly asking players what they’re interested in from a community perspective. “We want to put them in a position where they can be authentic and genuine. You know, which player might be right for this event, or that organization.”

Neil believes next summer’s World Cup will have a transformational impact on soccer in North Texas and said most people wouldn’t believe all the work that went into landing it. “Monica Paul [Executive Director of the Dallas Sports Commission] and Dan Hunt [Chairman and CEO, FC Dallas] and their group have done an amazing job. To get 9 matches here, they should be very, very proud.” 

Neil also envisions the Trinity being unofficial ambassadors for all the fans and international journalists coming to North Texas. “Dallas will be the backdrop of the most popular sporting event in the world. I would love to see our players taking these international broadcast partners around our community and saying, ‘Hey that’s where I get coffee. That’s my favorite shop over there, that’s where we train.’ We’ll be home to countless base camps where various international clubs will be based, and their fans will want to be near them. It’s an opportunity to drive interest and visitors to other parts of the metroplex.” 

The next Women’s World Cup will be held in Brazil, in 2027. But Neil said he is already thinking ahead – to 2031. “There’s still a bid process for that event. The proof of concept could be there to say, ‘Hey 2031. We’ve done it right [in 2026], maybe even learned a few things we can improve on. Can we replicate this again for the women’s side?’ And we’re certainly advocating with folks like Monica Paul, the Executive Director of the Dallas Sports Commission, to have Dallas throw its hat in the conversation.”

Dallas Trinity FC struck a deal with UT Southwestern to sponsor the club’s training kit. UTSW already works with FC Dallas, and Neil said it was a natural fit. “It’s finding partners that fit your core values. They really stepped in early and believed in what we’re doing.” 

Trinity works with UTSW to hold camps and clinics for children, and the players have access to their medical team. “They have a ton of subject matter expertise, you know, in terms of being preventative instead of reactive to injuries. And our athletes have the comfort of knowing they’re in great hands with UT Southwestern.” 

But Trinity still hasn’t settled on a “front of jersey” sponsor, the most coveted position for any soccer club. “You don’t put ‘Trinity’ on the front of your jersey. You have your crest, but ultimately it’s that brand that you’re aligning yourself with, and it’s got to be the right fit,” Neil said. “Dallas is growing not just on the sports side, but the business side too. And we’d love for that partner to come from our local business community. Ultimately, we want to have a lasting legacy that means more than just the wins on the field.”