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San Diego FC Faces Pumas UNAM in Champions Cup Opener
4 Feb
Summary
- San Diego FC begins its second year competing in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
- The team faces Mexico City's Pumas UNAM in the first round.
- Coach Mike Varas signed an extension after a record-breaking debut season.
San Diego FC commences its second year of competition on Tuesday night at Snapdragon Stadium, entering the opening round of the Concacaf Champions Cup. This prestigious tournament features top club teams from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Having finished atop Major League Soccer's Western Conference in their debut season, SDFC earned a spot in the tournament and will face Mexico City's Pumas UNAM in a two-leg first-round series. Coach Mike Varas, who signed a contract extension in January, guided the team to MLS expansion-team records for points and wins in 2025. The club reached the MLS Cup Western Conference final before falling to the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Coach Varas acknowledged the challenge of facing an unbeaten Pumas team that has been playing together for a longer period. However, he expressed confidence in his team's style, teamwork, and fighting spirit, anticipating improvement as the games progress. Pumas, a strong transitional team with a midfield bolstered by loanee Jordan Carrillo, reached the Champions Cup final in 2022.
