Major League Soccer has awarded San Diego its 30th franchise, which is set to join the league in 2025.
The expansion team announced Thursday is owned by 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 Manny Machado, the star third baseman for Major League Baseball’s San Diego Padres.
A team name and crest will be revealed in the future for the MLS franchise in San Diego, which will bring the Western Conference to 15 teams, drawing it even with the Eastern Conference.
The team will play at San Diego State University’s Snapdragon Stadium, which opened last year. The stadium is also home to the San Diego Wave of the National Women’s Soccer League and the SDSU football team.
Mansour, who is based in London, is worth an estimated $3.6 billion. He is the founder of Man Capital, an investment management firm that owns Right to Dream, which helps identify and develop talented soccer players internationally. Mansour is also the majority owner of a Danish soccer club.