 | |||
| Full name | San Diego Wave Fútbol Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | June 8, 2021; 4 years ago (2021-06-08) | ||
| Stadium | Snapdragon Stadium San Diego, California | ||
| Capacity | 35,000 | ||
| Owners | Levine Leichtman family office Lauren Leichtman and Arthur Levine (majority owners) Alex Morgan andJimmy Butler (minority investors) | ||
| Head coach | Jonas Eidevall | ||
| League | National Women's Soccer League | ||
| 2025 | Regular season: TBD Playoffs: TBD | ||
| Website | sandiegowavefc | ||
 Current season | |||
San Diego Wave Fútbol Club is an American professionalsoccer team based inSan Diego, California, that competes in theNational Women's Soccer League (NWSL). The team plays its home games atSnapdragon Stadium. Founded on June 8, 2021, the Wave began play in the2022 season as anexpansion team. The Wave won theNWSL Shield with the league's best record in the2023 season, the club's first trophy.[1] The club won theNWSL Challenge Cup in its2024 edition.[2]
The team is San Diego's first women's professional soccer team since 2003, when theWomen's United Soccer Association folded and forced theSan Diego Spirit to disband.[3]
In January 2021,Lisa Baird, the commissioner of theNational Women's Soccer League (NWSL), announced that an expansion team inSacramento, led by Ron Burkle and in conjunction withSacramento Republic FC's expansion bid intoMajor League Soccer, would join the NWSL in 2022.[4] However, Burkle never confirmed the news publicly before exiting the Sacramento Republic's ownership group. Instead, on June 8, 2021, the NWSL announced San Diego as the location for an expansion team owned by Burkle to begin play in 2022.[5] On November 9, it was announced the team would be called Wave Fútbol Club.[6]
San Diego Wave FC officially began play on March 19, 2022, in theNWSL Challenge Cup against fellow expansion teamAngel City FC on the road, where they drew 1-1. They were eliminated from the Challenge Cup after finishing third in their group. The team began their inaugural season on May 1 and opened with three straight wins, sitting on the top of the table for over half the season before finally falling to theKC Current 2–1. Although briefly gaining the top spot twice late in the season, the Wave finished 3rd and qualified for the quarter-finals of theplayoffs. After defeating theChicago Red Stars 2–1,[7] the team traveled toProvidence Park to play against thePortland Thorns in the semi-finals, losing 2-1 following aCrystal Dunn goal in the final minutes of the game.[8] Wave members were heavily represented in the end-of-season awards, withAlex Morgan winning theGolden Boot,Kailen Sheridan winningGoalkeeper of the Year,Casey Stoney named asCoach of the Year,Naomi Girma being crowned as both theDefender of the Year andRookie of the Year.[9]
In the 2023 season, the Wave continued their winning ways, slightly improving upon their record in 2022 and securing theNWSL Shield with two games to spare after beating the Portland Thorns on September 30 and guaranteeing a bye for the playoffs. The Wave facedOL Reign in the semi-finals, losing 1–0 afterVeronica Latsko scored in the 47th minute, marking the second year in a row the Wave were eliminated in the semis. DefenderNaomi Girma was namedU.S. Soccer's Female Player of the Year, recognizing her excellence for the Wave and for theU.S. women's national team.[10]
The Wave kicked off 2024 by winning theChallenge Cup 1–0 over2023 championNJ/NY Gotham FC with an 88th-minute goal fromAlex Morgan.[11] However, during the season, the Wave failed to replicate their successes from prior years. The team finished 10th in the regular season standings and did not qualify for the playoffs for the first time in club history. The Wave also competed in theNWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup and theCONCACAF W Champions Cup, but they failed to make it out of the group stage in both competitions.[12][13] Amid a 7-game winless streak, the club fired head coachCasey Stoney, who had been part of the Wave since 2022.[14] Stoney was replaced by interim coachPaul Buckle, who led the team through the summer of 2024.[15] After Buckle's departure,Landon Donovan managed the team to the end of the season.[16]
2024 also featured notable off-the-field events in the Wave's history. On March 14, owner Ron Burkle announced the sale of San Diego Wave FC to Lauren Leichtman and Arthur Levine, managers of the Levine Leichtman Capital Partners investment firm, for $113 million and a total (and, at the time, league record) team valuation of $120 million. The new owners immediately paid $35 million for 35% of the team, and paid $78 million for the remaining 65% of the team at the end of the 2024 NWSL season.[17] This represents a large increase in team value from the $2 million Burkle paid just two years previously as an NWSL expansion fee.[18] The Wave also hiredCamille Ashton as sporting manager and general manager to replace Molly Downtain, who left in the offseason.[19] Finally, the club hired formerUSWNT playerShannon MacMillan as Chief Impact Officer on July 1, 2024.[20]
In July, several former Wave employees spoke out onsocial media, alleging that the club and presidentJill Ellis created an unhealthy and abusive work environment. The Wave denied all allegations and threatened legal action against those who spoke out.[21][22] In mid-October, five former employees filed a lawsuit against the Wave and theNWSL, allegingdiscrimination,sexual harassment,wrongful termination, andretaliation.[23][24] In December, the Wave announced Jill Ellis's immediate departure to become Chief of Football atFIFA.[25]
Leading up to the 2025 season, the Wave announced that interim coachLandon Donovan would not be returning to his position.[26] On January 7, 2025, Swedish managerJonas Eidevall was announced to be filling the role, becoming the Wave's second-ever full-time head coach in club history.[27]
San Diego Wave FC are owned by the Levine Leichtman family office, led by majority owners Lauren Leichtman and Arthur Levine (founders of Levine Leichtman Capital Partners).[28][29][30]
In May 2025, two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup championAlex Morgan joined the Wave’s ownership group as a minority investor.[31][32]
In October 2025, NBA All-Star and Olympic gold medalistJimmy Butler also became a minority investor in the club.[33][34]
On December 15, 2021, the team revealed its crest for its upcoming 2022 season in a press release, stating "the crest, encased in a shield, is a symbol of strength, for the city and team, to proudly stand behind. A powerful wave, cresting in the rich blues of the Pacific Ocean, sits front and center as the iconic mark of the Wave. And under the proud banner of the city’s name, are the vivid colors of the horizon, celebrating the beauty, fun, and vibrant culture of the city and its people".[35]
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Front sponsor | Back sponsor | Sleeve sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Nike | Kaiser Permanente | Pechanga Resort Casino | Gatorade |
| 2023 | Think Blue San Diego Will Perform | Bud Light | ||
| 2024 | PenFed Credit Union 24 Hour Fitness[36] | Dexcom |
        2022 home | 2022–23 away |   2023 home |    2024–25 home |  2024 away |     2025 away |
The club began play atTorero Stadium on the campus of theUniversity of San Diego for its inaugural season. It moved toSnapdragon Stadium, located in the Mission Valley campus expansion ofSan Diego State University (SDSU), for its last two home games of the 2022 season.[37] The Wave's opener at the new stadium against regional rival and fellow 2022 NWSL entryAngel City FC on September 17 drew a sellout crowd of 32,000, setting a new NWSL single-game attendance record.[38] On March 23, 2024, the Wave set the current record for NWSL season home opener attendance with 32,066 fans attending their 2–1 loss to theKansas City Current.[39]
As of August 16, 2025.[40]
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | FW |  CAN | Mya Jones(loaned toAFC Toronto) |
| — | DF |  COL | Sintia Cabezas(loaned toLevante UD) |
For details of former players, seeCategory:San Diego Wave FC players andList of San Diego Wave FC players.
| Coaching | |
|---|---|
| Head coach |  Jonas Eidevall |
| Assistant Coach |  Becki Tweed |
| Head of Goalkeeping | Kenneth Mattsson |
| Individual Performance Coach |  Anja Mittag |
| Technical | |
| General Manager |  Camille Ashton |
| Technical Director | Chris Loxston |
| Season | Regular season | Playoffs | Challenge Cup | Summer Cup | Champions Cup | Top Scorer | Avg. attendance | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | Pos | |||||||
| 2022 | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 32 | 21 | 36 | 3rd | Semi-finals | Group stage | Not held | Not held | Alex Morgan (12) | 8,729 |
| 2023 | 22 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 31 | 22 | 37 | 1st | Semi-finals | Group stage | Alex Morgan (6) | 20,718 | ||
| 2024 | 26 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 25 | 35 | 25 | 10th | DNQ | Champions | Group stage | Group stage | Jaedyn Shaw (4) | 19,575 |
| 2025 | 26 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 32 | 29 | 39 | 5th | TBD | DNQ | N/A | DNQ | TBD | TBD |
Only competitive matches are counted. Includes NWSL regular season, playoffs, and Challenge Cup matches.
| Name | Nationality | From | To | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casey Stoney | England | July 14, 2021 | June 24, 2024 | 65 | 32 | 28 | 94 | 82 | +12 | 52 |
| Paul Buckle (interim) | England | June 24, 2024 | August 15, 2024 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 0 |
| Landon Donovan (interim) |  United States | August 16, 2024 | November 18, 2024 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 18 | -6 | 30 |
| Jonas Eidevall | Sweden | January 7, 2025 | present | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | Appearances | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Nat. | Pos. | Wave career | NWSL | Playoffs | Cup | Cont'l | Other | Total |
| 1 | Kristen McNabb | | DF | 2022– | 82 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 99 |
| Makenzy Robbe | | FW | 2022– | 82 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 99 | |
| 3 | Kailen Sheridan | | GK | 2022– | 86 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 97 |
| 4 | Christen Westphal | | DF | 2022–2024 | 59 | 3 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 80 |
| 5 | Naomi Girma | | DF | 2022–2024 | 58 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 72 |
| 6 | Emily van Egmond |  | MF | 2022–2024 | 58 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 70 |
| 7 | Amirah Ali | | FW | 2022–2024 | 48 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 68 |
| 8 | Alex Morgan | | FW | 2022–2024 | 48 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 63 |
| 9 | Sofia Jakobsson | | FW | 2022–2024 | 45 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 59 |
| Jaedyn Shaw | | FW | 2022–2024 | 47 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 59 | |
| Player | Goals scored | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Nat. | Pos. | Wave career | NWSL | Playoffs | Cup | Cont'l | Other | Total |
| 1 | Alex Morgan | | FW | 2022–2024 | 19 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| 2 | Jaedyn Shaw | | FW | 2022–2024 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| 3 | Makenzy Robbe | | FW | 2022– | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 4 | María Sánchez |  | FW | 2024–2025 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 9 |
| 5 | Amirah Ali | | FW | 2022–2024 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| 6 | Delphine Cascarino |  | FW | 2024– | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Taylor Kornieck | | MF | 2022–2023 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | |
| Kristen McNabb | | DF | 2022– | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | |
| 9 | Kenza Dali | | MF | 2025– | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Dudinha |  | FW | 2025– | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |
| Player | Assists | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Nat. | Pos. | Wave career | NWSL | Playoffs | Cup | Cont'l | Other | Total |
| 1 | Delphine Cascarino | | FW | 2024– | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Alex Morgan | | FW | 2022–2024 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | |
| 3 | María Sánchez | | FW | 2024–2025 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Christen Westphal | | DF | 2022–2024 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | |
| 5 | Sofia Jakobsson | | FW | 2022–2024 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Hanna Lundkvist | | DF | 2024– | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | |
| Makenzy Robbe | | FW | 2022– | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |
| Jaedyn Shaw | | FW | 2022–2024 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |
| 9 | Taylor Kornieck | | MF | 2022–2023 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Perle Morroni | | DF | 2024– | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| Kelsey Turnbow | | MF | 2022–2023 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
_014_(Morgan).jpg)
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