Soccer is growing in America. From larger fanbases to professional league expansion, the 32-panelled ball is blowing up.
Major League Soccer grew larger on May 18 when they announced that the 30th team will join the league. San Diego, California will get a team in 2025, giving the western conference its 15th team. Since the departure of the San Diego Chargers in 2018, the city of San Diego has been looking to bolster their stock in professional sports teams. After the addition of a National Women’s Soccer League team: the San Diego Wave, the city has now jumped into the men’s league. San Diego was able to beat out the likes of Las Vegas and Pheonix for the spot in the MLS.
San Diego will be owned by British-Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Mansour and Cody Martinez, chairman of the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, will be a partial owner. Political leaders like Mayor Todd Gloria and local icons like Padres superstar Manny Machado were also announced as part owners of the new San Diego team.
The team will play at Snapdragon stadium, home of the Wave and the San Diego State football team. The crest colors and name of the club will be announced at a later date.
“We are thrilled to welcome San Diego to Major League Soccer as our 30th team,” MLS commissioner Don Garber said in a Thursday news release. “For many years we have believed San Diego would be a terrific MLS market due to its youthful energy, great diversity and the fact that soccer is an essential part of everyday life for so many people. Mohamed Mansour and the Sycuan Tribe have an incredible vision for building a club that will inspire and unite soccer fans throughout the city and region.”
The MLS has thrived on expansion teams as two of the last five MLS cup champions have joined by way of expansion. Atlanta won in 2018 while LAFC took the cup last season.
Jayden Barfuss can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @JaydenBarfuss10