Las Vegas, San Diego 'Most Likely' Options for MLS Expansion Club, Commissioner Says

Major League Soccer will name its 30th franchise in the near future, and two cities are leading the charge as possible sites for that expansion.

"San Diego and Las Vegas are the most likely," MLS commissioner Don Garber confirmed on Wednesday during a kickoff event (h/t ESPN).

"The 30th team will come at some point soon," he added. "We'd like to get that announced by the end of the year."

Garber also said Tampa, Detroit, Phoenix and Sacramento were in the running, but Las Vegas and San Diego seem to have pulled away from the pack.

In Dec. 2021, Garber indicated that Las Vegas was the frontrunner.

"We're making progress in Las Vegas," he told reporters at the time. "We're excited about the market, as are all the other leagues in North America. [Businessman Wes Edens, who is leading the Las Vegas ownership group] is a guy we have long-standing relationships with, he had looked at other MLS clubs over the years. We'll continue those discussions and continue to try and get something done with our 30th team within the next 10 months."

Edens is also the co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks.

But San Diego has also made a strong push.

"I'm a big believer in San Diego," Garber told reporters in Nov. 2022. "... I think there's a view that San Diego, it's too nice there and people are out surfing and hanging out at the beach and I just don't buy it. I think San Diego's a great sports market, it's a gateway city."

With the San Diego Wave launched as an expansion team in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) in 2022, professional soccer already has a foothold in the SoCal city.

St. Louis City SC, the league's 29th team, will make its MLS debut against Austin FC on Saturday.