Soccer in Los Angeles

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Soccer has enjoyed longstanding popularity in Los Angeles. As of 2023, Los Angeles County has three top-level professional teams. The LA Galaxy and Los Angeles FC play in Major League Soccer, and Angel City FC plays in the National Women's Soccer League. The Greater Los Angeles area is also home to one 2nd division professional team, Orange County SC, of the USL Championship, and four 3rd division professional teams, LAFC2 and LA Galaxy II, of MLS Next Pro, and Los Angeles Force and California United Strikers FC of the National Independent Soccer Association. There are also many semi-professional clubs and leagues including the United Premier Soccer League, SoCal Premier League and National Premier Soccer League, among others. In 2019, two more professional teams, Cal FC (Thousand Oaks) and California United Strikers FC (Orange County) joined a new, unsanctioned, professional league called the NPSL Founders Cup They both later left, with Cal FC joining the United Premier Soccer League.

Contents

History

Soccer in Los Angeles began in the 20th century when the Southern California Football League was founded in 1902. [1]

Historic clubs

Los Angeles Wolves

The first and only champions of the United Soccer Association (1967), predecessor to the North American Soccer League (1968–1984).

Los Angeles Kickers

The LA Kickers were the first LA area team to win the National Challenge Cup, known today as the U.S. Open Cup.[ citation needed ]

Maccabi Los Angeles

LA Maccabi won the U.S. Open Cup, known in their time as the National Challenge Cup, a record number five times. [2]

Orange County Soccer Club

The Orange County Soccer Club was a two-time consecutive finalist of the National Challenge Cup, in 1966 and '67. OCSC played Bayern Munich at Santa Ana Stadium in 1966. [3] [4] [5]

Los Angeles Aztecs

The LA Aztecs won the NASL National Championship in their inaugural season, 1974. [6] They played in many stadiums, including the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.[ citation needed ] The Aztecs folded in 1981.[ citation needed ]

California Sunshine

The California Sunshine, an Orange County based pro team, played in the ASL. [7]

Chivas USA

Club Deportivo Chivas USA was a joint venture between Chivas de Guadalajara owner Jorge Vergara, partner Antonio Cué, and Major League Soccer, that operated Chivas trademarks in the United States through the Delaware entity called Chivas de Guadalajara Licensing, LLC. [8] The team folded in 2014.[ citation needed ]

Historic season records

Los Angeles Wolves (USA and NASL) (1967–1968)

YearLeagueWLTPtsReg. seasonPlayoffsAvg. attendance
1967 USA552151st, Western DivisionChampions7,777
1968 NASL118131393rd, Pacific Divisiondid not qualify2,441

Los Angeles Aztecs (NASL) (1974–81)

Several years after the formation of the North American Soccer League in 1968, the Los Angeles Aztecs joined NASL as an expansion team in 1974, and played from 1974 until 1981, folding after the 1981 season. The team featured international superstars such as George Best and Johan Cruyff. The team was at its most popular in 1979 and 1980, averaging over 12,000 fans both seasons.[ citation needed ]

SeasonDivisionPositionLeague Record Playoffs Top scorer
PWLDFAPtsNameGoals
1974 Western1st2011274136110Champions Doug McMillan 10
1975 Western3rd201127404136Conference Quarterfinals Uri Banhoffer 14
1976 Southern3rd4425614894115First round George Best 15
1977 Southern2nd2614120374437Conference Final George Best 14
1978 Western4th302190636936did not qualify Jim Rolland 17
1979 Western2nd3018120546247Conference Semifinal Johan Cruyff 13
1980 Western2nd3220120606152Conference Final Luis Fernando 28
1981 Western2nd3220120606152First round Chris Dangerfield 35

California Surf (NASL) (1978–1981)

YearLeagueWLPtsRegular seasonPlayoffsAvg. Attend.
1978 NASL13171152nd, American Conference, Western DivisionLost 1st Round (San Diego)11,171
1979 NASL15151401st(t), American Conference, Western DivisionLost 1st Round (San Diego)10,330
1980 NASL15171442nd, American Conference, Western DivisionLost 1st Round (Ft. Lauderdale)7,593
1981 NASL11211173rd, Western Divisiondid not qualify8,299

Chivas USA (MLS) (2005–2014)

SeasonConfPosLeague Record Playoffs U.S. Open Cup CONCACAF
Champions League
Top scorer
PlydWonLostDrewFAPtsNameGoals
2005 West6th324226316718Did not qualifyFourth roundDid not qualify Héctor Cuadros 4
2006 West3rd3210913454243Conference SemifinalThird roundDid not qualify Ante Razov 14
2007 West1st301578462853Conference SemifinalThird roundDid not qualify Maykel Galindo 12
2008 West2nd3012117404143Conference SemifinalThird roundPreliminary round Alecko Eskandarian
Ante Razov
Sacha Kljestan
5
2009 West4th3013116343145Conference SemifinalThird roundDid not qualify Eduardo Lillingston 8
2010 West8th308184314528Did not qualifySemifinalDid not qualify Justin Braun 9
2011 West8th3481412414336Did not qualifyDid not qualifyDid not qualify Justin Braun
Nick LaBrocca
9
2012 West9th347189245830Did not qualifySemifinalDid not qualify Juan Pablo Ángel 4
2013 West9th346208306726Did not qualifyFourth roundDid not qualify Erick Torres 7
2014 West7th349166296133Did not qualifyFourth roundDid not qualify Erick Torres 15

Professional clubs, modern era

ClubStadiumCapacityFoundedNotes
Major League Soccer (2)
LA Galaxy Dignity Health Sports Park 27,0001994Los Angeles' first MLS franchise.
Los Angeles FC BMO Stadium 22,0002014
ClubStadiumCapacityFoundedNotes
National Women's Soccer League (1)
Angel City FC BMO Stadium 22,0002020
ClubStadiumCapacityFoundedNotes
USL Championship (2)
LA Galaxy II Dignity Health Sports Park 5,0002015USL affiliate of LA Galaxy.
Orange County SC Championship Stadium 5,0002016Former USL affiliate of LAFC.
ClubStadiumCapacityFoundedNotes
National Independent Soccer Association
California United Strikers FC Championship Soccer Stadium 5,0002017
Los Angeles Force Rio Hondo Stadium 1,0002019

LA Galaxy (MLS) (1996–present)

The launch of Major League Soccer in 1996 included the newly formed Los Angeles Galaxy as one of the founding teams. LA Soccer Partners were the original owners; Anschutz Entertainment Group is the current owner. The Galaxy won the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 2000. [9]

SeasonConfPosLeague Record Playoffs U.S. Open Cup CONCACAF
Champions League
Top scorer
PlydWonLostDrewFAPtsNameGoals
1996 West1st3219130594949FinalDid not enterDid not qualify Eduardo Hurtado 21
1997 West2nd3216160554444Conference SemifinalDid not enterFinal Welton 11
1998 West1st322480854468Conference SemifinalDid not enterDid not enter Cobi Jones 19
1999 West1st3220120492954FinalQuarterfinalDid not qualify Cobi Jones
Carlos Hermosillo
8
2000 West2nd3214108473750SemifinalSemifinalChampions Cobi Jones 7
2001 West1st261475523647FinalChampionsNot Held Luis Hernández 8
2002 West1st281693443351ChampionsFinalDid not qualify Carlos Ruiz 24
2003 West4th309129353536Conference SemifinalSemifinalQuarterfinal Carlos Ruiz 15
2004 West2nd3011910424043Conference SemifinalFourth roundDid not qualify Carlos Ruiz 11
2005 West4th3213136444545ChampionsChampionsDid not qualify Landon Donovan 12
2006 West5th3211156373739Did not qualifyFinalQuarterfinal Landon Donovan 12
2007 West5th309147384834Did not qualifyThird roundDid not qualify Landon Donovan 8
2008 West6th308139556233Did not qualifyDid not qualifyDid not qualify Landon Donovan 20
2009 West1st3012612363148FinalDid not qualifyDid not qualify Landon Donovan 12
2010 West1st301875442659Conference FinalQuarterfinalPreliminary round Edson Buddle 19
2011 West1st3419510482867ChampionsQuarterfinalQuarterfinal Landon Donovan 12
2012 West4th3416126594754ChampionsThird roundSemifinal Robbie Keane 16
2013 West3rd3415118533853Conference SemifinalThird roundQuarterfinal Robbie Keane 16
2014 West2nd3417710693761ChampionsFifth roundDid not qualify Robbie Keane 19
2015 West5th3414119564651Knockout roundQuarterfinalQuarterfinal Robbie Keane 20
2016 West3rd3412616543952Conference SemifinalSemifinalDid not qualify Giovani dos Santos 14
2017 West11th348188456732Did not qualifyQuarterfinalDid not qualify Romain Alessandrini 13
2018 West7th3413129666448Did not qualifyRound of 16Did not qualify Zlatan Ibrahimović 22
2019 West5th3416153565551Conference SemifinalRound of 16Did not qualify Zlatan Ibrahimović 30

Los Angeles FC (MLS) (2018–present)

SeasonConfPosLeague Record Playoffs U.S. Open Cup CONCACAF
Champions League
Top scorer
PlydWonLostDrewFAPtsNameGoals
2018 West3rd341699685257Knockout roundSemifinalDid not qualify Carlos Vela 14
2019 West1st342149853772Conference FinalQuarterfinalDid not qualify Carlos Vela 34

Angel City FC (NWSL, 2022–present)

SeasonPosLeague Record Playoffs Challenge Cup Top scorer
PlydWonLostDrewFAPtsNameGoals
2022 8th22895232729Did not qualify4th, West Division Savannah McCaskill 6

Los Angeles derbies

LA Galaxy vs Chivas USA (2008–2014)

The rivalry ended in 2014 when Chivas ceased operations.

LA Galaxy vs Los Angeles FC (2018–present)

Los Angeles FC joined the league in 2018 and a crosstown rivalry, El Tráfico, was created. [10]

Amateur and Semi-professional

Amateur and Semi-professional leagues

Amateur and Semi-professional clubs

Most successful clubs overall

Teams in bold are still active.

Team D1 Regular season U.S. Open Cup D1
Playoffs
CONCACAF Champions League Total
LA Galaxy 425112
Los Angeles Aztecs 10102
Los Angeles FC 10001
Los Angeles Wolves 00101
California Surf 00000
Chivas USA 00000

Stadia

Dignity Health Sports Park during the 2009 MLS Western Conference Final LA Galaxy vs Houston Dynamo- Western Conference Finals panorama.jpg
Dignity Health Sports Park during the 2009 MLS Western Conference Final
June 10, 1966 Bayern Munich (Bundesliga) 3–3 Orange County Soccer Club (Continental League) Santa Ana, CA
Stadium: Santa Ana Stadium
April 24, 1988 C.D. Guadalajara
(Primera División de México)
5–4 United States
(United States Soccer Federation)
Santa Ana, CA
Stadium: Santa Ana Stadium
August 28, 1988 Club Sport Herediano
(Primera División de Costa Rica)
1–0 Club Deportivo Olimpia
(Liga Nacional de Honduras)
Santa Ana, CA
Stadium: Santa Ana Stadium
January 13, 1989 Club América (Liga MX) 2–1 Bayern Munich (Bundesliga) Santa Ana, CA
Stadium: Santa Ana Stadium
Attendance: 11,500
November 16, 2015 Atlético Marte
(Salvadoran Primera División)
2–4 Orange County Blues FC (USL) Santa Ana, CA
Stadium: Santa Ana Stadium
Attendance: 1,684

Women's soccer

In 2009, Los Angeles became home to a third top-level professional team, the Los Angeles Sol, a charter member of Women's Professional Soccer. WPS was the second attempt to establish a fully professional women's league in the U.S., after the demise of the Women's United Soccer Association (which did not have an L.A. representative). The Sol shared The Home Depot Center, now known as Dignity Health Sports Park, with the Galaxy and Chivas USA, before ceasing operations in January 2010.[ citation needed ]

WPS folded after the 2011 season; its effective successor, the National Women's Soccer League, does not currently have a fully operational franchise in Los Angeles, nor in California. In July 2020, a then-unnamed team backed by an almost all-female ownership group was announced as a new NWSL member. The team, later unveiled as Angel City FC, plans to start play in 2022 at Banc of California Stadium, home to Los Angeles FC of MLS.

Indoor soccer

Although the area does not have any current professional indoor soccer teams, Los Angeles has hosted three. The Los Angeles Aztecs played one tournament and two seasons in the NASL Indoor leagues in 1975 and from 1979 to 1981. The Los Angeles Lazers played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League from 1982 to 1989. Finally, the Los Angeles United played a single season in the Continental Indoor Soccer League in 1994 before being relocated to Anaheim.

See also

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