In August 2023, it was announced that they would join League2 Ontario, the third tier of League1 Ontario, as an expansion club for the 2024 season.[1][2] The team is owned by Sudbury Wolves Sports and Entertainment, who also own Ontario Hockey League club Sudbury Wolves, National Basketball League team Sudbury Five, and Northern Football Conference team Sudbury Spartans.[3] The club's name comes from the first iteration of the Sudbury Cyclones, who competed in the National Soccer League from 1976 to 1980.[4][5] The team will initially field a men's team and develop an academy with U14, U16, U18 boys and girls teams, as well as a U19 men's team to play in the reserve division.[6] The academy officially launched in December 2023.[7] The club hopes to add a semi-professional women's team in the future.[8] James Jerome Field will serve as the team's home field.[9] Dayna Corelli, a former Team Ontario player, was appointed as the first general manager of the team, along with Connor Vande Waghe being appointed as the sporting director.[10]
The club unveiled their logo and team colours in January 2024.[11][12] The team colours of blue, green, and grey were chosen to represent the water and lakes around Sudbury (blue), the forestry around Sudbury (green), and the Big Nickel (grey).[13] Their first match occurred on April 20, in a league cup match against League1 Ontario Championship side FC London,[14][15] where they were defeated 1-0 at home, in front of an estimated crowd of 500-600 fans.[16] On May 4, 2024, they played their first league match, recording their first ever victory with a 4-0 victory over Alliance United B.[17] In their first season, they finished with a 10-2-2 record, finishing third in the Northeast division, just missing out on the promotion playoffs.[18]
