Sacramento’s MLS dreams may soon be reality
Major League Soccer in Sacramento seems to be a few formalities away from becoming a reality following an announcement earlier this week that the league would expand to 30 teams.
It’s good news for Republic FC fans: with three teams being added to the league, Commissioner Don Garber said after Thursday’s Board of Governor meeting frontrunners Sacramento and St. Louis are the only two cities approved to enter formal expansion discussions.
The discussions will involve Sacramento formally presenting the league with its stadium plans and proving that it has the necessary fan base and corporate support to hoist the city from the minors to the major league.
If all goes according to plan, Republic FC could compete in MLS by 2021 or 2022.
The team currently plays in the United Soccer League, which is considered to be one notch down from MLS, with home matches hosted from Papa Murphy’s Park in Cal Expo.
MLS play would require a larger venue.
Here’s everything you need to know about the planned stadium development. Where would it be? Sacramento plans to turn 240 acres of the city’s longabandoned downtown railyard into a new hub of entertainment, commerce and apartment living.
A state-of-the-art soccer stadium would be built on 31 acres in the northeast corner of that parcel.
That stadium proposal came in January, shortly after billionaire investor Ron Burkle bought a controlling stake in Republic FC and signed a land deal to build an Mls-ready stadium. What would it look like? Republic FC released updated renderings of the stadium in early April.
The newest additions to the stadium plans include canopy-level seating and lookout points with views of the river and city skyline.
How many fans would it hold?
The stadium’s capacity would be about 22,000.
When would construction start and finish?
Building would start within months of MLS making a Sacramento expansion official, city leaders say.
Garber said Thursday the league hopes to have a decision for Sacramento before the end of July.
Republic FC said in a statement accompanying the renderings that the plan is to have the stadium ready to open before the end of 2021.