San Diego Might Finally Be Landing a Major League Soccer Club

In the span of three weeks San Diego Wave FC set not one, but two National Women’s Soccer League attendance records. San Diego Loyal SC has been to the playoffs in two of their first three years. Both have been heavily supported by a San Diego fan base that’s known internationally as one of the best soccer towns you’ll find.

And yet, the top-level soccer league in the United States has yet to find a way to put a franchise in America’s Finest City. Major League Soccer has been trying for years to have a presence in San Diego. They were backers of the 2016 Soccer City plan that was voted down in favor of San Diego State’s stadium and campus expansion.

Now, somewhat ironically, it’s the facility that was built by the ballot measure that beat it that could host MLS in San Diego.

A group led by the Sycuan tribe and the Mansour Group is closing in on an expansion franchise that would start play in Mission Valley, possibly as early as 2024.

“An MLS franchise anchored in San Diego would be a win-win for the entire San Diego region. It would create countless synergistic opportunities for all sectors of the business community, cultural entities, youth soccer and everything in between,” says Adam Day, Chief Administrative Officer for the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation in a statement to NBC 7. “We believe the time is right, and will do all we can to create an environment for success so that MLS can expand to San Diego.”

In an interview with ESPN in December, MLS commissioner Don Garber reiterated his desire to plant a flag in San Diego:

We’ve looked at that market for many years now. We unfortunately lost the public vote on the site, but we’ve remained in touch with [San Diego State University] and still believe that San Diego would be a great MLS market.”

Major League Soccer has a publicly stated goal of expanding to 30 teams. Next year St. Louis City SC will start play as the league’s 29th club. So, it’s really down to San Diego, Las Vegas, and Phoenix as the place to get the 30th spot (the league has not committed to expanding beyond 30 but also not ruled it out). The advantage San Diego has over those other markets, in a new and different twist, is a stadium that’s ready to go.

Snapdragon Stadium was built with soccer specifications in mind and in May, San Diego State athletics director JD Wicker said the venue has already been approved by MLS. Wicker tells NBC 7 that SDSU continues to have dialogue with MLS as they have since 2017. Sycuan already has a presence inside that stadium, as well as a longstanding partnership with the Padres and Petco Park. Now they’re trying to put their own franchise inside Snapdragon.

“We believe in SDSU as a great institution of higher learning and research, and a proven winner at the Division One sports level. We have demonstrated our commitment through significant philanthropic contributions and value-add strategic business partnerships with the campus over many years, most recently with our multi-million dollar investment in Snapdragon Stadium and the iconic Sycuan Piers,” says Day.

The Mansour Group is serious about their soccer. Run by Egyptian billionaires, they made a legitimate push to buy the iconic Chelsea F.C. of the Premier League, the top division in England. They also poured $120 million into the Right To Dream Soccer Academy, a youth soccer entity with outlets in four different countries.

It’s unknown when MLS will make a decision on these latest expansion efforts. Similarly up in the air is what an MLS club would do to the future of Loyal SC. In three seasons the USL Championship club (one step below MLS) managed by Landon Donovan has been to the playoffs twice, become a voice for social justice, and raised thousands of dollars for charity and Rady Children’s Hospital.

“Landon Donovan and I are so proud of what SD Loyal has built in this city and the relationships developed with our fans and our local partners,” says Andrew Vassiliadis, owner of Loyal SC in a statement to NBC 7. “To see all in a sold-out playoff crowd waving their towels in unison on Sunday, you felt that the feeling is mutual from this community. We have created something special in San Diego and are excited for our future.”

Some of the possibilities include being absorbed by the MLS franchise, becoming an official player development affiliate, or staying where they are and continuing to compete in USL Championship.

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texasstandard.news contributed to this report.

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