Every spring and summer since 2010, the
Detroit City Futbol League (DCFL) has been a mainstay of amateur soccer in the city. And it's done so with a lot of Detroit flare.
Each team in the league represents a historic Detroit neighborhood from such disparate corners of the city as The Villages, Osborn, and Clark Park. They compete against each other every week for seeding in the final tournament, Copa Detroit, a day-long festival of soccer and merriment.
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The league is decidedly and proudly an amateur one. Sure, games can sometimes be intense, but each team has a healthy mix of quality and, well, unskilled players, and there's plenty of rotation throughout matches. The first game rule listed on the league's website states, "DON’T BE A REAL ASS. This is a recreational experience meant for enjoyment. Overly physical play will not be tolerated." That includes the slide tackle, which is illegal in the DCFL.
In true Detroit style, after each game, teams head to a local bar for more commiserating.
In its inaugural year, 11 teams competed at Copa Detroit. Last year, there were 34. The new season of DCFC begins May 24 with Copa Detroit being held at Fort Wayne on August 6.
Check out this video from Terry Parris Jr., recorded during DCFC's inaugural year.
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