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 took place on December 11, 2024 and allowed San Diego FC to select players from other MLS teams based on eligibility requirements. The team also received the first pick in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft, which took 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 joined 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 was played on February 23 against the LA Galaxy; the team's first home match was March 1 against St. Louis City SC.[8]
The first training sessions for San Diego FC opened on January 13, 2025, two days after the start of the preseason camp. The team practiced at their new training facility, the Sharp HealthCare Performance Center, with most of their expected 2025 roster.[9][10]
On February 21, San Diego FC played their inaugural match on the road against the LA Galaxy, the defending MLS Cup champions, at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. They won 2–0 in an upset against the Galaxy with two goals scored by Anders Dreyer; the crowd included an estimated 1,000 San Diego FC supporters who had traveled for the match.[15] The team made their debut at Snapdragon Stadium on March 1 and hosted St. Louis City SC in front of a stadium-record crowd of 34,506. The match finished in a 0–0 draw and was marred by the use of a homophobic chant that was condemned by the club and coach Mikey Varas; midfielder Hirving Lozano left early in the first half with a hamstring injury.[16][17]
Updated to match(es) played on April 19, 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)
The MLS regular season schedule was released on December 19, 2024.[18] 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.[19]
For the 2025 season, San Diego FC were permitted a maximum of 30 signed players on the first team, of which 10 roster positions were designated for supplemental and reserve players. Additional homegrown players are eligible to be signed to off-roster slots and are able to appear in MLS matches through short-term agreements.[22] The senior players in the first 20 roster positions count towards a base salary cap of $5.95 million with exceptions for certain categories, including up to three Designated Players who counted for a set amount in the cap.[22][23]
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.[35]
San Diego FC 
Denmark
Paddy McNair (NIR)
Middlesbrough F.C. (ENG)
PSV Eindhoven (NED)
Tomás Ángel (COL)
Christopher McVey (SWE)
Heine Gikling Bruseth (NOR)
Hamady Diop (SEN)
Jasper Löffelsend (GER)
Aníbal Godoy (PAN)
Manu Duah (GHA)
Anisse Saidi (TUN)
Franco Negri (ARG)
Onni Valakari (FIN)
Pafos FC (CYP)
F.C. Vizela (POR)
Celta Vigo (ESP)
R.S.C. Anderlecht (BEL)
Brazil
Japan