Sacramento joins Major League Soccer, will begin play in 2022

Major League Soccer has awarded its 29th franchise to Sacramento. Commissioner Don Garber announced the league’s newest team Monday, joined by Mayor Darrell Steinberg and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Sacramento Republic FC is set to begin play in 2022. The team’s ownership group includes lead investor Ron Burkle, an owner of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, as well as entertainment executive Matt Alvarez and Kevin Nagle, an investor in the NBA’s Sacramento Kings who has spearheaded the bid for MLS expansion since 2014.

The group’s plans include a new $300 million soccer-specific stadium on a 14-acre site downtown. The team has already secured commitments for more than 10,000 season tickets. Additionally, UC Davis Health signed a multi-year deal with the team to become the sponsor of Sacramento’s jersey once it joins MLS.

The Sacramento Republic, of the lower-tier USL Championship league, currently plays at 11,000seat Papa Murphy’s Park and has regularly sold out matches since moving to the stadium in 2014.

Major League Soccer has expanded by 17 teams since 2005. FC Cincinnati joined the league this season. Nashville and Miami are set to start play next year, with Austin FC coming aboard in 2021. St. Louis, which was awarded an expansion team in August, will kick off in 2022 with Sacramento.

Carolina Panthers owner Dave Tepper has pursued an expansion team for Charlotte, while two ownership groups in Las Vegas have also expressed interest in a team.