At a press conference Thursday in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, the North American Soccer League (NASL) announced Puerto Rico FC as the league’s newest expansion club.

Carmelo Anthony, the New York Knicks and NBA star, is a principal investor in Puerto Rico FC and was present at today’s press conference along with NASL Commissioner Bill Peterson.

Anthony’s late father was Puerto Rican and his wife, La La Anthony, is of Puerto Rican descent.

The NASL also announced that Puerto Rico FC will begin league play in the 2016 NASL fall season at the 12,500-seat Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium in Bayamón.

Puerto Rico FC would be the second NASL expansion club to open league play mid-regular season since the league’s rebirth in 2011. The New York Cosmos made their entry into the neo-NASL at the start of the 2013 fall season and went on to win the 2013 Soccer Bowl championship.

Puerto Rico FC will be distinct from the former Puerto Rico Islanders, which competed as part of the United Soccer Leagues (USL) and later the NASL from 2004 until the team suspended play following the 2012 NASL season due to funding shortfalls from the Puerto Rican government, that team’s principal source of financing.

The Cary-based Carolina RailHawks are a member of the NASL. Moreover, RailHawks manager Colin Clarke managed the Islanders for five seasons from 2007-2011, winning two CFU Club Championships as well as a USSF Division Two league championship in 2010, defeating the RailHawks in the playoff final.

The Islanders also advanced to the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League thrice under Clarke’s leadership.

The addition of Puerto Rico FC brings the total number of current and pending NASL clubs to 13, including Miami FC, the expansion side announced last month and slated to open play at the start of the 2016 regular season.

However, the status of the league-owned Atlanta Silverbacks beyond the 2015 season remains uncertain. Moreover, the future ownership of the RailHawks is in question following the news that Traffic Sports USA Inc., the majority stakeholder in the club, pled guilty to wire fraud conspiracy on May 14 as a part of an ongoing Department of Justice investigation.