San Diego's History of Soccer

With the recent introduction of a professional men's soccer team in San Diego, it is only right that we revisit the history of soccer in the city. 

The Story Begins in 1967....

The San Diego Toros were the earliest soccer club based in San Diego. Originally the Los Angeles Toros, with the merging of the USA with the NPSL to form the NASL , they relocated to San Diego in order to not have two teams playing in the same stadium in the league, which was formed in 1968. 

Photo By Glenn Maddock via Facebook, through SoccerNation

The Toros were incredibly short lived, but saw some success. Winning the Pacific Division in 1968 , and moving on to the final which they would lose 3-0 in an aggregate score to the Atlanta Chiefs. The team notably did not have a single American in their roster for both years in existence , with their most known player being Brazilian "Vava"(on the right below) , whom was considered second best to Pelé during the 1960's. The club would dissolve in 1969 , along with 11 other clubs. 

Photo via SoccerNation 

The San Diego "Jaws"

A second attempt at an NASL team based out of San Diego , the "Jaws" were founded in 1976. The Jaws played at the Aztec Bowl at San Diego State University, which no longer exists. Perhaps a worse failure than the Toros, lasting only one season with a 9-15 record which saw them miss the playoffs. 

"Announced attendance averaged around 6,000, a far cry from the full football stadiums other NASL teams, most notably the New York Cosmos, were pulling in during the era." 

After one season in SD , the Jaws would become the Las Vegas Quicksilvers and another failed attempt at a successful professional soccer team in America's finest city. 

Before people knew it , the Jaws would return to San Diego. After one year in Vegas under the Quicksilver moniker , they would return to San Diego as the San Diego Sockers.  Their greatest claim to fame was having who is considered by most the best Mexican player in the history of the game, Hugo Sanchez to play for them for their short lived outdoor soccer saga. The Sockers played in the NASL outdoor soccer league from 78-84 , with their best seasons always ending during the conference finals. 

The Sockers would see immense success in indoor soccer, winning 10 championships between 1982 and 1996, when the club dissolved. The club would see two revivals in the 2000s, and still stands today. 

Recent History

San Diego 1904 and San Diego Loyal were both men's soccer teams founded in 2016 and 2019 respectively. Playing for the NISA and USL , both clubs dissolved in the early 2020s, despite backing from former professional soccer players including Landon Donovan and Eden Hazard. 

The Future of Soccer in San Diego

The San Diego Wave , a women's soccer team has seen the most success and traction in professional soccer. This success made possible greatly in part by Alex Morgan, one of the best soccer players in the history of the United States. The Wave were the best team of the 2023 season , winning the NWSL shield, but losing the semifinal to the OL reign. Despite its short history, the Wave is and is expected to compete and dominate in the NWSL for years to come. 

With the rise of popularity of soccer in the US , and a great culture of soccer in San Diego, it is incredibly exciting for the city to finally have a team in the greatest league the US has to offer in the MLS. San Diego FC plans to build a performance center and will play at Snapdragon Stadium beginning in 2025 .