FRISCO - The National Soccer Hall of Fame opens its doors soon, and while the building will keep visitors entertained with numerous interactive experiences and displays, there's going to be a ton of history on display as well - history that's being installed in the space starting today.
Some 72 cases of artifacts will begin their two-week installation process, full of irreplaceable items that have played a part in shaping soccer in the U.S. These artifacts commemorate the successes and strides made to establish the United States National Teams in international tournaments, as well as the numerous professional leagues throughout the nation's soccer history.
In total, 67 trophies and awards, 73 jerseys and 41 historical game balls will be on display. Some of the most prominent items include the three Women’s World Cup trophies, Men’s and Women’s Concacaf trophies and Olympic medals.
Pelé's move to the NASL and the New York Cosmos drew in crowds from around the world and vaulted the popularity of the sport in the United States. In commemoration, the Hall of Fame will display an autographed Pelé Cosmos jersey, an autographed soccer ball and his credentials from his debut game in 1975 against the Dallas Tornado.
Just some of the other incredible treasures finding their new home in Frisco over the next two weeks include:
- Alex Morgan captain's arm band
- Landon Donovan captain's arm band
- 1996 Women’s Olympic debut game ball
- Michelle Akers' 1996 Olympic credentials
- Bruce Arena's 1997 Coach of the Year trophy
- Jeff Cunningham's 2009 MLS Golden Boot trophy
- A telegram from Calvin Coolidge personally congratulating the U.S. Men's National Team after their first Olympic performance and international debut in 1924
- Autographed ball from Men's National Team's 1990 World Cup qualification, ending a 40-year World Cup drought
- Shovels from inaugural groundbreaking ceremonies at Mapre Stadium (Columbus, Ohio) and Toyota Stadium (Frisco, Texas)
- New York Cosmos NASL Championship rings (1972, 1977, 1978 and 1980)
- 1898-1899 NAFBL Champions Medal — the oldest artifact on display
- United 2026 World Cup Bid books
- United 2026 Scarf from June 13, 2018 announcement
- 2018 MLS All-Star Game jersey
- 2018 MLS All-Star Game game ball
You can see all of these and much more when the National Soccer Hall of Fame opens to the public in early November.