68 Trophies in 52 Years: ASC New Stars and U.S. Open Cup Ambitions
How a pair of Iranian brothers quietly constructed a dynasty in Houston’s amateur soccer scene
From the Houston Stars, Houston Hurricane and original Houston Dynamos of professional soccer’s early days along the Gulf Coast, to the two-time U.S. Open Cup and MLS Cup champion Houston Dynamo FC of today, soccer has firmly cemented its place within the city’s rich sporting history.
Quietly operating in Houston’s amateur ranks, though, is a club that has enjoyed sustained success for half a century. Founded by Iranian brothers Reza and Taher “Tom” Khalili in 1974, Aria Soccer Club (ASC) has dominated the amateur soccer scene in Houston, compiling a spectacular 68 trophies across its 52 years of existence.
This year, the historic Houston-based side is set for its fourth U.S. Open Cup participation, and the New Stars of ASC will aim to honor the Old Stars and claim the club’s first Open Cup victory.
After growing up in Iran and spending time in England, the Khalili brothers immigrated to the United States in the early 1970s, moving to Texas to study at the University of Houston. Their passion for soccer drove the duo to create a team of their own in Houston.
“We had lived with soccer all the time—what we call football—and decided to make a team and bring some guys together,” Tom Khalili said. “In September 1974, we joined the Houston Amateur Soccer League, the only league in Houston at the time. We simply loved soccer and wanted to join the Houston community. That’s the reason we started it.
“There was a lot of interest because there were many foreigners in Houston. As I remember, about 52 years ago, there were teams made up mostly of English players, mostly German players, and Hispanic teams from Mexico. It was very international. Later on, more players joined.”
A glimpse of things to come, ASC and the Khalili brothers enjoyed instant success. Before even joining the Houston Amateur Soccer League in September, the club won its first trophy in January, topping a group of local colleges to claim the first of its 68 trophies.
“We began the team in January 1974, gathered some players, and formed a squad,” Khalili said. “Then we encouraged other teams to join. We found three other teams. One was the University of Houston, and I believe anotherwas Rice University. We organized a friendly tournament and won it. That was the beginning and the first trophy we ever won.”
Since then, the club has evolved and expanded in several ways. While still training and playing at the same local park it has been for the last several decades, ASC has grown.
“We have four teams now,” Khalili explained. “We have the ASC New Stars, who play in the Premier Division of the Houston Football Association. We also have a recreational team called the Original Stars, made up mostly of players who started the club almost 52 years ago, along with older players who still want to have fun. We started in the Over-30 Division a few years ago and added an Over-40 team in the last two years. We have four different teams for anyone who wants to join. We are a multicultural club. Over the years, we have had players from more than 50 different countries represent the club. As long as you can play football, you’re welcome at ASC.”
The 2026 U.S. Open Cup marks ASC New Stars’ fourth participation in the tournament proper. The New Stars’ first Open Cup contest came in the form of a 3-0 loss against eventual runners-up, the Charleston Battery, in 2008, while later dropping First Round contests against then-USL Championship side Orlando City SC and the Laredo Heat in 2011 and 2012, respectively.
“We qualified after reaching the regional finals in Region Three," Khalili said of the 2008 Open Cup. "We traveled to Charleston, which was difficult for an amateur team. There were some subsidies from U.S. Soccer, but they weren’t enough, so we had to raise funds and travel by bus and vans. When we arrived, the organization in Charleston really took care of us and made us feel comfortable. It was a classy organization, and I’m glad they went to the Final.”
ASC New Stars’ current head coach, Lukas Simon, remembers the New Stars’ trips to the Open Cup in 2011 and 2012 fondly, as the German-born coach was a player for the club during both tournaments.
“I had just graduated in 2011, and I remember going to Orlando and playing there,” Simon said. “The coach at the time was Adrian Heath, and the team used to be the Austin Aztex before they moved to Orlando. In that game, there was a thunderstorm—lightning and everything—so we had about a two-hour delay. We ended up losing, but it was still a really great experience for the whole team.
“The game against Laredo in 2012 was even closer. We went into extra time after tying it in the last minute. We had gone down a man pretty early, so we really had to fight. We eventually lost in overtime, but it was a good match against a strong opponent.”
This year, the New Stars qualified for the Open Cup via the Qualifying Round, enjoying an incredibly proficient run to the tournament proper. In three Qualifying Round contests, ASC New Stars outscored their opponents 8-0 and secured their fourth Open Cup qualification via victories against SVD Beaumont and 210 FC before notching a penalty kick shootout victory against the former NPSL and current USL League Two heavyweight Denton Diablos in the final round of qualifiers.
“First of all, the results can be misleading,” Simon admitted. “In the first game against Beaumont, I wasn’t there, so Tom coached. After rewatching the film, I think they were a very good team. They controlled much of the game, but we scored at the right moments. We were fortunate with the timing of our goals. They had chances too, but we capitalized on our opportunities.
“In San Antonio, the final score was high, but [210 FC] was also talented. They may have been inexperienced and made mistakes, and we punished nearly every one. We might have had seven shots and scored five goals. At some point, they gave in. The game in Denton was very close, too. It took us time to realize we could compete. At first, we were intimidated by their level, but as the game went on, we grew into it. We had big chances to win, including one that hit the post with about two minutes left before extra time ended. The results make it look dominant, but the games were much tighter and more balanced than the scores suggest.”
As the club seeks its first Open Cup victory, Tom Khalili is both grateful for the journey and hopeful for the future.
“I’ve been very lucky,” Khalili explained. “Soccer is one of my biggest passions, and I’ve been fortunate to have people like Miko [Lukas Simon], Tata [Tayeb Ahmadi], and many others who care about the club. Without that commitment, you can’t keep going. The three games we played to qualify for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup were against organizations that were financially stronger than we were, but we showed heart.
“We want to keep this going as long as we can. I wake up every morning, and as long as I still have the passion for the game, I’ll continue. I’m sure Miko, Tata, and the others feel the same. In the last 52 years, we’ve won 68 trophies in amateur competitions, and hopefully in the next 50 years, we can win another 68.”
ASC New Stars will travel to Toyota Field to take on 2022 USL Championship title-winners San Antonio FC on Wednesday, March 18 at 8:30 p.m. ET. The match will be broadcast on U.S. Soccer’s YouTube channel.