Since the inaugural MLS season in 1996, the league has grown from its original 10 teams to 30 in the 2025 season with the addition of San Diego FC.
The expansion of the MLS began in 1998 when the league added two new teams to the beginning 10, according to 90min.com. The Chicago Fire and Miami Fusion began the grand expansion of the league as the league reached 23 total teams to begin the 2018 season. Though, the more recent years of the league have had the greatest number of additions as six teams have been introduced to the MLS fanbase. The league will reach their goal of 30 teams to begin the 2025 season.
When the club was first announced in 2023, the club’s goal was to represent the city of San Diego. CEO of San Diego FC, Tom Penn, collaborated with fans so the club’s visual identity represented the people of San Diego.
“Our brand identity has been co-created with our fans and supporters over the past six months. We believe our crest truly reflects the essence and spirit of San Diego. Our club strives to become the epicenter of football excellence and innovation in North America,” Penn said, according to MLS.
The club’s crest aims to represent the diversity of the 18 cities that make up the California community as well as the vibrancy of San Diego. The football club worked with Pupila, the world-renowned design agency, and created the club’s four principal virtues, according to MLS.com. The virtues are: gratitude, proud, not loud, diversity, and flow.
The crest itself has special representations hidden in itself. One of the colors of the crest, chrome, represents San Diego’s spirit of excellence and cutting-edge innovation, according to MLS.com. Chrome also reflects the city of San Diego’s colors, which are yellow, orange, red and blue. The club’s other color, azul, signifies San Diego’s deep connection to the Pacific Ocean and the clear blue sky.
The crest itself incorporates 18 lines that make up a soccer ball. These lines represent the 18 cities that make up the communities surrounding San Diego, according to MLS. The arched font spelling out “San Diego” represents the numerous iconic arches throughout the city neighborhoods. Finally, the crest is in the shape of a shield marking the strength and unity of San Diego as a whole.
The club will host its home matches at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California. The stadium is also home to the San Diego State Aztecs football team. The club will be led by manager Mikey Varas who most recently was the U.S. National Team interim coach. The club will open their season in Los Angeles against the Galaxy. Its first match at home will be against St. Louis SC on March 1.
