Players, fans, and sports officials are gearing up for the debut of the newest Major League Soccer expansion team in San Diego after waiting for nearly two years.
San Diego FC will kick off the 30th MLS season with their first game on Sunday in Carson, California, against LA Galaxy, followed by their first home game March 1 against St. Louis City SC at Snapdragon Stadium.
SDFC is the first MLS team established in the city, following decades of previous professional clubs that tried and failed to join the MLS.
In order for a club to join the MLS, they have to demonstrate financial viability by paying an expansion fee (SDFC paid $500 million), have an established ownership group, play in a professional-level soccer stadium, and have strong fan support, among other factors.
The widely supported former United Soccer League team San Diego Loyal was denied MLS expansion and was dissolved in October 2023 largely because they lacked a viable stadium, according to USL officials.
Gracie Pugliese, the marketing director for Snapdragon Stadium, said Snapdragon’s opening in 2022 and the subsequent debut of the professional women’s team San Diego Wave in 2023 had a “transformative impact” on soccer culture in the city that helped pave the way for SDFC.
Pugliese said fans are “more engaged than ever,” leading up to SDFC’s first game.
“I’m beyond excited for the debut of San Diego FC,” she said. “Having another professional soccer team in the market will only amplify the incredible energy the Wave has already sparked.”
See ya soon, @LAGalaxy pic.twitter.com/Z8u42H0yVj
— San Diego FC (@sandiegofc) February 15, 2025The 35,000-seat venue is the largest soccer-specific venue in the nation and serves as the home field for Wave, SDFC and San Diego State University football.
Amy Holmes, a spokesperson for the Wave supporter group the Sirens, said she is excited to see “families, die-hard soccer fans, and people who have never been to a soccer game before” support SDFC.
“Our hope is that as the city embraces another professional soccer team, it will bring more fans to Wave, and soccer, city-wide,” she said.
Holmes said the new MLS team will be a monumental help in engaging fans and building the community in future collaborations between the Sirens and SDFC supporters groups.
SDFC player Luca de la Torre said he is ready for the start of the season and is excited to represent his hometown.
“I think there’s going to be an incredible atmosphere,” he said in a press conference Tuesday.
Head Coach Mikey Varas said the team has “maximized every second” of their preseason and is ready for their first match.
“On a personal note, it’s just a blessing to be able to wake up every day and be a part of this community, be a part of this club,” Varas said in a press conference.
Varas comes to San Diego from an interim coaching position with the U.S. men’s national soccer team, and heads the team alongside the 33-year-old club director Tyler Heaps, the youngest director in MLS history.
Since the club was announced in May 2023, officials have signed key players like Hirving “Chucky” Lozano, Anders Dreyer, Torre, and Andres Reyes.
The team is owned by British-Egyptian entrepreneur Mohamed Mansour along with the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, the first ever Native American ownership group in professional soccer.
The club has a handful of partners including San Diego Padres all-star Manny Machado, Emmy-nominated actress Issa Rae, Grammy award-winning Nigeria-based singer Tems, and others.
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