The expansion San Diego FC will make its debut against the LA Galaxy in Carson during Major League Soccer‘s opening weekend Feb. 22-23, the league announced Monday.
The exact date, as well as the rest of the MLS schedule, will be announced in December.
San Diego, the league’s 30th team, also learned Monday that its first home match will be March 1 against St. Louis City SC at Snapdragon Stadium in Mission Valley.
The club recently hired coach Mikey Varas, who most recently was interim coach of the United States national team. San Diego then signed Mexican star Hirving “Chucky” Lozano in June.
Varas and sporting director Tyler Heaps will be able to select up to five current MLS players during the expansion draft on Dec. 11. The club also holds the first overall selection in the MLS SuperDraft on Dec. 20.
Besides Lozano, San Diego’s current roster includes forward Marcus Ingvartsen, midfielder Jeppe Tverskov, defender Paddy McNair, goalkeeper Duran Ferree and winger Alex Mighten.
San Diego is owned by Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Mansour and the Sycuan Tribe, the first Native American tribe to have an ownership stake in a professional soccer team. The ownership group also includes San Diego Padres star third baseman Manny Machado.
