The effort was bolstered by several successful soccer matches held at TIAA Bank Field, including two national team games that set records for international friendlies.

The North American Soccer League invited the group to present a bid for a 2015 expansion team at their July 25, 2013, board meeting.

The bid was accepted, and the NASL announced that Jacksonville and Oklahoma City FC would receive franchises for the 2015 season.

[6] On June 11, 2014, the team announced it had hired former Argentine player José Luis Villarreal as its first head coach.

[8] After nine months on the job, Meola was fired on August 7, 2016, with Mark Lowry taking over as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2016 Fall Season.

[10] In December 2016, there were several reports stating the Armada were about to fold and had released all their players due to mounting financial losses.

II status but Armada owner Frisch confirmed that he was looking to sell the team and that the league would likely be taking over the club.

[18] However on December 10, Walter announced that the team's U-23 side would compete in the 2019 NPSL season as the organization's focus shifted to player development.

[20][21] The first team will remain off the field for 2020 while the U-23 side announced a move to the brand new "Gulf Coast Conference" in the NPSL.

The Coastal Cup was established in 2010 and was originally contested between the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and Tampa Bay Rowdies, but with Jacksonville's entry into the league, the competition became triangular.

After the 2016 season Tampa Bay left the NASL and joined the United Soccer League, while Fort Lauderdale ceased operations because of financial and legal issues.

In 2016, the Armada announced that they had formed an under 23 team to play in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) as part of their development system.