Oklahoma City businessman Robert "Bob" Funk, Jr., was awarded a United Soccer League franchise on July 2, 2013, and in November, the club announced its name would be Oklahoma City Energy FC. The ownership group, Prodigal LLC, formerly Express sports, which operated the Oklahoma City Barons of the American Hockey League and formerly oversaw the Oklahoma City Dodgers baseball team of the Pacific Coast League and the owned Oklahoma City Blazers of the Central Hockey League. Recently retired Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen was named Energy FC head coach for the inaugural season. Tim McLaughlin, founder of Fields & Futures, joined the club as an ownership partner prior to the start of the 2014 season. Energy FC won their first match away to Orange County Blues FC on April 5 and played their first home match against Orlando City SC on April 26 at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School's Pribil Stadium. The season ended with a 10th place finish – four points short of a playoff spot and averaging 3,702 in attendance for home matches. The club moved to the newly-renovated Taft Stadium for the 2015 season and finished second in the Western Conference, making the playoffs for the first time. Energy FC advanced to the Western Conference Final, where they lost to LA Galaxy II. For the inaugural season only, some games were both broadcast on KXXY-FM radio with former Oklahoma sports personalty Jack Damrill, and on local Television on YurView Oklahoma on Cox Cable Oklahoma channel 703 and simulcasted on Cox digital HD channels 1333 or 1334. Currently the Oklahoma City Energy FC has no Radio or Television deal in place. In 2016, the team finished 7th in the Western Conference and advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals. Energy FC also advanced to the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup after defeating cross-town rival Rayo OKC 2–1 in extra time. That year also saw Energy FC host Club Deportivo Guadalajara in a friendly match played in front of 6,687 fans at Taft Stadium. Energy FC made the playoffs for a third consecutive season in 2017 after finishing 6th in the Western Conference. Back-to-back road wins earned the team a berth in the Conference Final for the second time in three years. Energy FC lost the match to Swope Park Rangers in a penalty shootout that saw both sides attempting 10 shots each, with the deciding goals coming down to each teams' goalkeepers. That year also saw the club host another international friendly, against 2017 Champions League winners CF Pachuca. Prior to the 2018 season, Steve Cooke was named head coach of the club, a year after serving as interim head coach at MLS side Colorado Rapids. Energy FC narrowly missed the USL Playoffs competing for a spot until the final month of the season.
Stadium
For the 2014 season, home games began being played at Pribil Stadium on the campus of Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School and introduced their team kits and logo. In 2015, the club moved to Historic Taft Stadium following extensive renovations made to that facility.
Club culture
Supporters
The Energy has five recognized supporters groups: The Grid, La Furia Verde, OKC Breakers, Northend United, and Main St. Greens.
Rivalries
Energy FC's main rival are the Tulsa Roughnecks FC in the Black Gold Derby, with both teams being located in Oklahoma. The supporters group of both teams established a trophy, a 4-foot wrench painted with the colors of each team on either side, which is awarded to the regular season winner of the derby. Energy FC leads the series against Tulsa in all competitions with a record of 9–6–3. Energy FC has secured the wrench four years out of the five that the rivalry has been in existence. These years are 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019.
Affiliated teams
The club was formally associated with FC Dallas of Major League Soccer from 2015 through 2018. They were affiliated with Sporting Kansas City from 2014 through 2015.
Sponsorship
Local, family-owned First Fidelity Bank became the inaugural jersey sponsor in 2014.
Admiral
Under Armour
Adidas