San Diego Loyal, a club founded by U.S. soccer legend Landon Donovan, will cease its operations at the end of the current USL Championship campaign. The club announced the decision in a video message featuring chairman Andrew Vassiliadis.
According to Vassiliadis, the decision was made after Loyal failed to find a suitable solution for their stadium.
“From Oceanside down to the border, we’ve looked at everything and left no stone unturned,” said Vassiliadis. “Unfortunately, after looking at all of that, I’ve come to the conclusion that this will be the last season for San Diego Loyal.”
San Diego Loyal SC was founded in 2019 by Warren Smith and Donovan. It made its debut in 2020, with Donovan initially serving as a manager before transitioning to an Executive Vice President role after three seasons. Loyal second in the USL Western Conference last year and made it to the quarterfinals of the USL Championship playoffs. They also reached the third-round in the U.S. Open Cup.
Loyal ceasing its operation won’t be the end of professional soccer in San Diego. The city was recently awarded an MLS franchise, which is scheduled to make its competitive debut in 2025. The franchise is backed by an ownership group that doesn’t include either Smith or Donovan.
