The National Soccer Hall of Fame welcomed five new members on May 3 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco. The 2025 class, Mark Abbott, Chris Armas, Mary Harvey, Carli Lloyd and Nick Rimando, represents a powerful cross-section of American soccer history, from league architects to Olympic champions.
A Legacy in Frisco
Located at the south end of Toyota Stadium, the National Soccer Hall of Fame has honored contributions to the game in the United States since 1979. With the addition of the 2025 class, the hall now includes 64 members. Frisco continues to serve as the modern home for celebrating the sport’s past, present and future.
“We’re proud to recognize this year’s inductees as true champions of the game whose passion and dedication have helped soccer flourish in the U.S.,” Djorn Buchholz, executive director of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, said in an official statement. “They’ve made their mark at every level, from the world and national stages to the building blocks of our professional leagues, and their contributions perfectly capture the spirit of the Hall of Fame.”
The Honorees: Champions On and Off the Field
Carli Lloyd, one of the most decorated players in U.S. soccer history, was honored for a career that includes two Olympic gold medals, two World Cup titles and back-to-back FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year awards.
“There was no greater honor than wearing the red, white and blue,” Lloyd said. “Yes, it was extremely hard. There were countless sacrifices along the way, but every bit of it was worth it, because I loved the game, the lessons I learned, the relationships that I forged and the experiences I gained were more than I ever could imagine.”
Nick Rimando captured MLS championships with two different clubs during his career. Over 20 seasons from 2000 to 2019, he played in 553 MLS matches and earned 22 caps for the U.S. national team between 2002 and 2015.
“I stand here today, not because of the games or the records, but because I never stopped believing through the setbacks, the noise and the rejection,” Rimando said. “If my story says anything, that would be this: You’re always more than what they say you are.”
Chris Armas spent the first 12 seasons of MLS and earned selection to the league’s Best XI five times. He appeared in four MLS Cups, winning one, and totaled 66 caps for the U.S. Men’s National Team between 1998 and 2005.
Mark Abbott, one of Major League Soccer’s original employees, spent three decades building the league’s business and operational foundation. He served as president and deputy commissioner from 2013 to 2022.
Mary Harvey carried her leadership from the goal line to the global stage. As the starting goalkeeper for the U.S. team that won the inaugural FIFA Women’s World Cup in 1991, she later played a key role in shaping the sport’s international development. She also earned a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics, the first to feature women’s soccer. “I learned that the National Team is about excellence,” Harvey said. “It’s about being the best you can be, the best teammate you can be, and about doing incredible things together.
Full voting results and eligibility information can be found at NationalSoccerHOF.com.
Upgrades Poised To Elevate Frisco’s Soccer Scene
The ceremony comes just after a major transformation for Toyota Stadium. In March 2025, FC Dallas and Cawley Partners broke ground on a $182 million renovation, the largest in the stadium’s history. The multi-phase project will modernize nearly every fan touchpoint, from upgraded seating and concessions to two new premium suite levels. The renovation will also increase overall capacity by more than 10% and nearly triple club seating.
These improvements are timed with the lead-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in which Frisco and North Texas are expected to see a surge in tourism and soccer engagement.
“The economic impact will stagger your minds,” Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney previously said. “People will drive 300 miles — hotels 300 miles away will be booked out during the World Cup. So, what is this going to mean for Frisco to have fans to come, be based here, [us] host things at the National Soccer Hall of Fame, to be able to host teams and other kinds of things? It’s going to be a major, major win for the city of Frisco.”
With the National Soccer Hall of Fame located inside the stadium, the renovation is expected to boost attendance there as well, offering soccer fans more reasons to visit and stay.
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