Central Coast soccer club joins United Soccer League Championship

CENTRAL COAST, Calif. (KION) The Central Coast will soon have its own professional soccer team.

The United Soccer League announced Monday that Monterey Bay FC will be joining USL Championship play for the 2022 season.

“We’re very excited to welcome Monterey Bay FC to the USL Championship,” said USL President Jake Edwards. “It’s a diverse and beautiful community that has a tremendous passion for soccer. MBFC adds to a growing west coast footprint and we can’t wait to see what they can do against regional rivals like Oakland Roots SC and Sacramento Republic FC in the years to come.”

The club will play at the CSU Monterey Bay campus, and it is working to upgrade facilities so it can increase the venue's capacity to 6,000 and be ready to play in 2022. Construction is expected to begin this summer.

“We are excited at the opportunity to work with Monterey Bay FC and the USL in bringing world-class soccer to the Monterey Bay region,” said CSUMB President Eduardo M. Ochoa. “Monterey Bay FC represents an opportunity for our student-athletes to train and learn in immediate proximity to talented soccer professionals and for our students to engage in a diverse number of internships supporting Monterey Bay FC.

The team's owner and chairman, Ray Beshoff, is working with a group of local investors to create the club's official colors and crest, which are expected to be released in the next few months. In the meantime, the club will launch virtual events and listening sessions that will be open to the public to help decide on the crest and colors.

Watch the welcome video that includes members of the San Jose Earthquakes below.