San Antonio FC is weighing a switch to the USL Premier league for the 2028 season, a move that would place the club on a comparable tier to Major League Soccer. The team currently competes in the USL Championship, a division below MLS, and captured the league’s championship in 2022.
To accelerate fan growth, the club is running a free‑ticket promotion for its upcoming USL Cup game against Miami FC on August 12 and its regular‑season match against Oakland Roots SC on August 22, capitalizing on the surge of interest sparked by the recent FIFA World Cup.
Toyota Field, the club’s current home, accommodates fewer than 9,000 spectators, falling short of the 15,000‑seat minimum required for USL Premier competition. This discrepancy has prompted discussions about expanding or relocating the venue to meet the new standards.
Club leadership is assessing the financial and operational implications of the promotion, including potential stadium upgrades, new revenue streams, and the lessons learned from a failed MLS franchise bid in 2015 that ultimately led to Austin securing the spot.
A pathway forward
If the promotion‑relegation model proves viable, San Antonio FC could climb the league pyramid, building on its USL Championship pedigree and the developmental platform of San Antonio FC 2, while navigating the logistical and fiscal challenges of a larger venue.