mls have officially announced a record $500 million deal for an expansion team in San Diego, which will be owned by Egyptian businessman Mohamed Mansour.
Mansour has been involved in football for some time now, having taken over the notable football academy Right To Dream in a $120M operation back in 2021.
He has now paid a record-breaking expansion fee of $500 million to start an MLS franchise, accordingly, the American club will be the most expensive in the history of MLS and one of the top ten most expensive football clubs in the world.
The $500 million expansion fee is significantly more than the previous record of $325 million paid by Charlotte FC in 2019.
San Diego was awarded the MLS's Expansion team on Thursday, becoming the league's 30th team.
The San Diego team will start playing in 2025 and will play at Snapdragon Stadium, which was built last year and has a capacity of 35,000.
“We couldn't be more excited to partner with the Sycuan Tribe to bring major league soccer to such a deserving community and legion of San Diego soccer fans. This is a real opportunity to create a powerful and lasting legacy for the city and region,” Mohamed Mansour said.
“We look forward to introducing Right to Dream's unique developmental approach and unparalleled soccer expertise to San Diego and MLS by delivering tangible benefits to the community as we look to open doors and identify and nurture talent from across the county and beyond.”
