Nashville Soccer Club is a professional soccer team based in Nashville, Tennessee, competing in Major League Soccer's (MLS) Eastern Conference. The club was founded in 2016 as a USL Championship franchise, playing two seasons there before being officially awarded an MLS expansion team on December 20, 2017, and joining the league in 2020. The team plays its home matches at Geodis Park, the largest soccer-specific stadium in the United States, and is principally owned by John Ingram of Ingram Industries alongside the Turner family of Dollar General Stores. The club's origins trace back to the fan-owned Nashville FC, which sold its name and branding to the new USL franchise in exchange for an equity stake, while the successful MLS bid was spearheaded by Ingram after Nashville was named a finalist city. Notably, Gary Smith, a former MLS Cup-winning coach, was announced as the team's first manager in April 2017, helping guide the club's rise from the lower divisions to the top tier of American soccer.