In October 1987, the American Soccer League announced that it had awarded a franchise to Joe Robbie which would be located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

[1] In their first season, the Strikers stormed the ASL, finishing with a 14–6 record, best in the league, before falling to the Washington Diplomats in the finals.

On September 9, 1989, the Strikers defeated the San Diego Nomads of the Western Soccer League, 3–1, to win the title.

[2] Following that game, the ASL merged with the WSL to form the American Professional Soccer League.

For the 1990 season seven home games were played at Pompano Beach Municipal Stadium and five at the Royal Palm Polo Club in Boca Raton,[3] after the Broward School Board denied the team access to Lockhart Stadium.