<p>The 2025 season will see <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/new-mls-team-san-diego-fc-has-unique-twist-in-recruiting/">San Diego FC</a> take the field as the newest <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/where-to-watch-mls-on-us-tv-and-internet/">Major League Soccer</a> team. </p>



<p>In a league announcement made on October 20, the proprietors of the organization revealed which Californian squad would debut in the North American competition.</p>



<p>The group had previously announced that they would go under one of two names. One option was Football Club San Diego, and the other was San Diego Football Club. To highlight the city’s name initially, they settled on San Diego FC.</p>



<p>Chrome and azul, a shade of blue, will serve as a tribute to the great Pacific. Subtle shades of orange, yellow, and red will make up the crest. What’s more, this new club will join the other 14 teams in the Western Conference of MLS.</p>



<p>Their owner is Mohamed Mansour, a British-Egyptian businessman who is friends with Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres. So far, three players have been officially announced. In addition to the two Danes from Nordsjaelland, Marcus Ingvartsen, and Jeppe Tverskov, there is also American goalkeeper Duran Ferree.</p>



<h2>San Diego plan to start strong in MLS</h2>



<p>The club reportedly plan to make a splash in MLS even though they won’t be playing until next year. As an expansion franchise, reports say they are looking to add Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa to their roster. They also want technical director Hugo Sanchez to join their executive staff</p>



<p>“The new MLS club for 2025, San Diego FC, owned by Egyptian-Englishman Sir Mohamed Mansour and Padres baseball player Manny Machado, is thinking about this combination: Hugo Sanchez as coach and Guillermo Ochoa as the first captain”, <a href="https://www.marca.com/en/football/mls/2024/04/12/661949dde2704e51778b45bf.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marca</a> say.</p>



<p>Interestingly, Hugo Sanchez has not coached a club since 2012, while Ochoa will be a free agent next season. This has led to speculation about a potential agreement with San Diego FC.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="664" height="423" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240414_WST_501227_image-8_0ea8d88e.webp&amp;width=664&amp;height=423" alt="" class="wp-image-501253" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/image-8.png 664w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/image-8-300x191.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 664px) 100vw, 664px"></figure><figcaption>San Diego FC are planning their squad ahead of the 2025 season</figcaption></figure>



<p>‘La Jugada’ star Hugo enjoyed a fantastic run as a Televisa commentator from 2000-2006. He covered the World Cup, the Liga MX playoffs, and more. He never passed up an opportunity to be considered for a position with Real Madrid, Pumas, or Cruz Azul while working as a sports pundit.</p>



<p>But the MLS newcomers are keeping tabs on <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/saudi-stay-or-europe-club-president-reveals-neymars-future-20240211-WST-489025.html">Neymar</a> as well, <a href="https://www.postadeportes.com/futbol/neymar-el-astro-brasileno-borrado-por-una-lesion/vl1559469" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">POSTA Deportes</a> claims. By June 30, 2025, his contract with Al-Hilal will have expired. The Brazilian is currently recovering from cruciate ligament damage that he sustained in October of last year.</p>



<h2>Neymar has other plans though</h2>



<p>But recently, there have been more and more rumors that he is returning to Brazil. The winger is considering <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/neymar-affirms-commitment-to-play-for-santos-next-season">Santos as a potential club</a> to play for in the near future as he seeks to return to his roots.</p>



<p>After the Paulista Championship final between Santos and Palmeiras, Neymar reportedly made his way to the locker room to address the whole team. Even more importantly, he assured the players that he would be back with Santos next summer, <a href="https://www.uol.com.br/esporte/futebol/colunas/rodrigo-mattos/2024/04/02/neymar-nao-tera-liberacao-facil-do-al-hilal-se-quiser-ir-para-o-santos.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UOL</a> report.</p>



<p>In fact, further reports from Brazil claim that the 32-year-old’s plan is more forward. Not only does he want to play for his dream club again, but he also dreams of owning a stake in them.</p>



<p>Photo credit: IMAGO / Agencia-MexSport</p>

Beware MLS and Miami: San Diego to add 3 superstars in 2025

The 2025 season will see San Diego FC take the field as the newest Major League Soccer team and their ambition is starting to become clear.

Beware MLS and Miami: San Diego to add 3 superstars in 2025 - World Soccer Talk


<p>The latest battleground in the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Soccerwarz-Inside-Americas-Soccer-Between-ebook/dp/B01DUYRABE/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">“Soccer Warz”</a> appears to be set, on the coast of southern California. Newspaper reports <a href="https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/soccer/story/2023-05-06/major-league-soccer-mls-san-diego-expansion-franchise-snapdragon-stadium-sycuan-mansour-group" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">indicate</a> that a San Diego MLS franchise will be announced in the coming weeks, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/san-diego-poised-for-next-mls-expansion-franchise-20230508-WST-432068.html">adding the league’s 30th team</a> as early as 2025. The new team would play at Snapdragon Stadium, home of San Diego State University and the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nwsl-tv-schedule-and-streaming-links/">NWSL</a>‘s San Diego Wave.</p>



<p>There’s an elephant in the room, though. San Diego already has a professional men’s soccer club. In fact, it already has two. And it appears that this MLS effort has nothing to do with either of them.</p>



<p>This sets up more drama in the eternal competition between independent soccer leagues in the US. </p>



<p>The San Diego Loyal of the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/usl-championship-tv-schedule/">USL Championship</a> (division 2) are currently in their fourth season. The Loyal’s co-owner and Executive Vice President is USMNT icon Landon Donovan. Donovan was also the club’s head coach for its first three seasons. This is the very same Landon Donovan who MLS has named their annual MVP award after.<br><br>Meanwhile Albion San Diego (formerly San Diego 1904 FC) of <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nisa-tv-schedule/">NISA</a> (D3) are playing in their fifth season. Albion started as an amateur NPSL side, at the top of a robust youth setup, in 2016. They merged with 1904 and took over the professional team in late 2021.<br><br>But now the fate of both of these clubs is now up in the air as MLS looks poised to move into town.</p>



<h4>“We aren’t going anywhere.”</h4>



<p>In the wake of the news that San Diego MLS is imminent, the Loyal <a href="https://twitter.com/SanDiegoLoyal/status/1656358558911586304" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">released a statement</a> from their owner Andrew Vassiliadis, stating their intent to continue on.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full"><div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="497" height="497" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20230511_WST_432432_SDLoyalStatement.webp&amp;width=497&amp;height=497" alt="" class="wp-image-432435" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/05/SDLoyalStatement.jpg 497w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/05/SDLoyalStatement-300x300.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/05/SDLoyalStatement-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 497px) 100vw, 497px"></figure></div></figure></div>



<p>The “Loyal” name was at least partly inspired by the NFL’s San Diego Chargers abandoning the city in 2017, shortly before the soccer club was founded. Now the <em>loyalty</em> of Loyal supporters and ownership is certainly put to the test as the new San Diego MLS franchise comes to life. Particularly for MLS legend Landon Donovan, this will be a difficult situation.</p>



<p>A small handful of lower division clubs have survived MLS coming to town. Even fewer have been able to thrive. The Loyal have a tough road ahead of them if they truly intend to stick it out.  </p>



<h4>Par for the course</h4>



<p>This is just the latest instance of MLS picking off markets/clubs from the lower divisions. Since 2009, all but one of the 17 MLS expansion teams in that time has been either a lower division club moving up, or the league placing a new team in a lower division market. Only the Philadelphia Union did not displace an existing professional club in another league in some way when they were announced:</p>



<ul><li>Seattle Sounders (moved from USL-1)</li><li><em>Philadelphia Union (no pro lower league club active in market when founded)</em></li><li>Vancouver Whitecaps (moved from USL-1/NASL)</li><li>Portland Timbers (moved from USL-1)</li><li>Montréal Impact (moved from NASL)</li><li>Orlando City (moved from USLPro)</li><li>NYCFC (NASL New York Cosmos active in market)</li><li>Minnesota United (moved from NASL)</li><li>Atlanta United (team awarded in 2014, NASL Atlanta Silverbacks active in market)</li><li>LAFC (Orange County SC active in market)</li><li>FC Cincinnati (moved from USL Championship)</li><li>Inter Miami (NASL Fort Lauderdale Strikers &amp; Miami FC active when announced)</li><li>Nashville SC (moved from USL Championship)</li><li>Austin FC (USL Austin Bold FC active in market)</li><li>Charlotte FC (USL Charlotte Independence active in market)</li><li>St. Louis City (effectively replaced USL St. Louis FC)</li><li>San Diego (USL Loyal &amp; NISA Albion active in market)</li></ul>



<p>This situation can have a destabilizing effect on the lower divisions. If a club itself moves up, the lower league loses one of its strongest organizations. When a lower division club isn’t involved in a local MLS bid, it can easily fold entirely. If it tries to co-exist with the MLS club, it finds itself in a very tough competition for fan, sponsor, and media support.</p>



<p>But before USL or Loyal cries foul, they’ve been guilty of the exact same behavior in the past. </p>



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<h4>A system-wide issue </h4>



<p>San Diego 1904 FC, now Albion San Diego, was announced as an NASL expansion team in 2016, planning to kick off in 2018. It even had Demba Ba and Eden Hazard as founding members of the ownership group. But when the NASL fell apart after 2017, the club had no place to play. They were unsuccessful in joining USL, so eventually began play in 2019 in NISA. Later that same year, USL announced the Loyal would be joining their league in 2020. It wasn’t the first time the league did something like this, either.</p>



<p>In 2018, USL announced that the Chattanooga Red Wolves would be Division 3 League One team, encroaching on the territory of successful NPSL/NISA side Chattanooga FC. The new team attempted to push CFC out of their stadium, and even poached some CFC staff and its women’s side. Around the same time, USL League One’s Lansing Ignite scuttled the Lansing United NPSL side, before folding after just one season in 2019.</p>



<p>And this type of league activity is also rampant in the amateur levels, with leagues nicking clubs from competing leagues every year.</p>



<p>The San Diego story is basically American professional soccer in a nutshell. Nobody working together, cash running the show, and the USSF nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, two clubs – and all the player, coaching, and staff opportunities they provide to the game – are now at risk.</p>



<p>Hopefully the Loyal, and Albion, can survive and continue to grow and prosper. And hopefully the new MLS team does well too. In an ideal world, all three could coexist in southern California, carving out their niches, and the results on the field would be all that mattered. But US Soccer is far too often <em>not</em> an ideal world. Sadly, the reality is it’s probably time to start making up a couple more tombstones and digging some new grave plots in the US pro soccer cemetery. </p>



<p><em>photos: Imago</em></p>


A San Diego MLS franchise appears to be on the way. What does it mean for Landon Donovan's USL side and soccer in the market?

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