San Diego Welcomes an MLS Expansion Franchise in 2025
San Diego is moving toward hosting a new Major League Soccer expansion team by 2025, solidifying its position as the league’s 30th club. The exact club name and crest are still to be revealed, yet the ownership group has a clear mission: to energize a citywide football culture across Southern California and establish the region as a premier hub for MLS competition.
The ownership consortium blends global capital with deep local roots. Led by Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Mansour, the project includes the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation and features partners such as Brad Termini of Zephyr Partners, Tom Vernon, and Dan Dickinson. The group also involves Right to Dream, signaling a broad, cross‑border approach. The plan points to a cross‑sport collaboration with Manny Machado, a standout Padres star, illustrating a strategy designed to accelerate growth, foster community involvement, and create lasting impact across San Diego.
Commissioner Don Garber described the announcement as a milestone for MLS, highlighting San Diego’s vibrant city atmosphere, diverse communities, and a long‑standing soccer passion as a natural fit for the league’s next growth phase. He emphasized a collaborative spirit behind the project and the chance to bring fans together across the city and the wider region under a shared football identity. The vision centers on a club that serves as a beacon for local talent, community programs, and sustainable development in the area.
Plans call for home matches to be staged at Snapdragon Stadium, underscoring San Diego’s readiness to host premier league‑caliber football events. The venue’s infrastructure supports large‑scale fixtures, including potential international engagements that could attract top clubs to Southern California. The 2025 debut will mark another milestone in MLS expansion, broadening the league’s footprint across the United States and Canada.
This expansion adds to MLS’s growing roster of clubs, joining recent additions such as Atlanta United, Minnesota United, Los Angeles FC, FC Cincinnati, Inter Miami, Nashville SC, Austin FC, Charlotte FC, and St. Louis City SC. The San Diego project stands out with a diverse ownership model and a strong local alliance with the Kumeyaay Nation, underscoring MLS’s commitment to community partnerships and inclusive growth across borders.
San Diego Loyal, historically guided by Landon Donovan, remains independent from the MLS expansion effort. The San Diego MLS project will feature Tom Penn as a senior executive, with input from seasoned football leaders who will shape early strategy, operations, and long‑term development. The broader plan envisions a club that engages fans through community initiatives, youth development, and a clear pathway from academy to the first team.
At its core, the plan aims to weave local identity into every facet of the club, from youth academies that nurture homegrown talent to partnerships with educational and nonprofit organizations that boost soccer access. The ownership group sees the team as a catalyst for job creation, tourism, and the broader regional economy, while also prioritizing fan experience, responsible stadium operations, and sustainable club governance. As San Diego prepares to welcome MLS once again, supporters can expect ongoing community involvement and strategic investments that align with the broader growth of soccer across North America. This approach envisions lasting, practical benefits for players, fans, and neighborhoods alike, anchored in a shared love for the game and a commitment to long‑term regional vitality.