San Diego FC’s 2025 MLS expansion season was full of historic achievements and milestone moments.
Their 2026 campaign starts with another, as head coach Mikey Varas’ side make their Concacaf Champions Cup debut in Tuesday’s Round One, Leg 1 fixture against LIGA MX’s Pumas UNAM at Snapdragon Stadium (11 pm ET | FS2, TUDN).
“We’re really excited. We had a short break, short preseason, so it’s a massive challenge to be ready for this moment,” Varas said at Monday’s matchday-1 press conference.
“But the boys have done just a great job of committing to the cause and to the adventure and not making anything an excuse, but just playing the hand we’ve been dealt as best we can. Really, I think the mood is really good.”
Building on dream debut
San Diego defied preseason expectations in last year’s expansion season, earning the Western Conference No. 1 seed with 63 points and 19 wins (both MLS expansion team records).
That success has them entering 2026 with lofty goals, starting with their first attempt at making a run in CCC.
They’ll be led by Danish No. 10 Anders Dreyer, who emerged as a Landon Donovan MLS MVP candidate last season while posting 19g/19a.
“I think for us, it’s really, really clear: Every time we step out on the pitch, we want to win the game, and we want to win it our way,” Varas said. “And that doesn’t matter if it’s a friendly, or if it’s a small-sided competition or if it’s a league game. The mentality is, from the moment we get out of our car to when we get back in it, we think about winning and improving our style of play.
“That being said, it’s not lost on us that we’re three-and-a-half weeks into our preseason, so we always look at the short-term and the long-term in combination.”
Continental quest
To make the Round of 16, San Diego will need to best a talented Pumas side already four matches into their LIGA MX Clasura campaign. The sides will play Leg 2 at Estadio Olímpico Universitario in Mexico City on Feb. 10, with the winner meeting reigning Mexican champions Toluca.
While the fitness deficit presents a challenge, Varas is confident his side can best a team featuring former MLS stars Pedro Vite (ex-Vancouver Whitecaps FC) and Coco Carrasquilla (ex-Houston Dynamo FC).
“For us, it’s not a problem, it’s just a challenge,” Varas said. “It’s not something we’re thinking about. What we know is that we need to lean on everything that we gained the last year, all those hours in training, all those hours together.
“We’re going to really lean into our style play, our teamwork and our fighting spirit while we continue to gain our rhythm. I can imagine we’ll be better as the game goes on and as the weeks go on.”
