Former FC Dallas and United States men's national team assistant coach Mikey Varas was hired as the club's first head coach on September 16, 2024.[3] The 2024 MLS expansion draft will take place on December 11, 2024, and allow San Diego FC to select up to five players from other MLS teams based on eligibility requirements. The team will also get the first pick in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft, which is scheduled to take place on December 20, 2024.[4]
The first San Diego FC players, including Designated Player and Mexican forward Hirving "Chucky" Lozano, were sent on loan until they join the club in January 2025.[5] The club plans to use players from the international Right to Dream academy system and other teams owned by Mansour, including FC Nordsjælland.[6][7] The first regular season match for San Diego FC is scheduled to be played on February 23 against the LA Galaxy. The team's first home match is scheduled for March 1 against St. Louis City SC.[8]
First match(es) will be played: February 22, 2025. Source: MLS Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)
Regular season
The MLS regular season schedule was released on December 19, 2024.[9] Every team will play 34 matches, of which 17 are at home; this includes a full home-and-away series against the fourteen other teams in the Western Conference and six matches against opponents from the Eastern Conference. Unlike previous seasons, play will not be paused for the Leagues Cup in August.[10]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Squad includes all players who had first team contracts or appearances during the 2024 season across all competitions. Ages listed for each player is calculated from February 22, 2025, the first matchday of the MLS regular season.
For transfers in, dates listed are when San Diego FC officially signed the player to the roster. Transactions where only the rights to the players are acquired are not listed. For transfers out, dates listed are when San Diego FC officially removed the players from its roster, not when they signed with another club. If a player later signed with another club, his new club will be noted, but the date listed here remains the one when he was officially removed from the San Diego FC roster.
In the 2024 MLS expansion draft, San Diego FC made five selections from a list of eligible players signed with other MLS teams. The club traded away two of their players on the same day as the draft.[21]
