San Diego FC Travels to Face the Portland Timbers on MLS Decision Day
MLS San Diego FC

San Diego FC Travels to Face the Portland Timbers on MLS Decision Day

Published on October 16, 2025 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
San Diego FC News Release


San Diego FC (18-9-6, 60 points) travels to the Pacific Northwest to face the Portland Timbers on MLS Decision Day 2025, Saturday, Oct. 18 at Providence Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. PT, with live coverage available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, and radio broadcasts in English on San Diego Sports 760 AM and in Spanish on TUDN 1700 AM.

Winning away from home has become a calling card for the expansion side, as San Diego (11 road wins) sits tied with FC Cincinnati (11) for the most road victories in MLS this season.

With a victory over the Timbers, San Diego would become just the second team in MLS history to win at least 12 road matches in a single season, joining the 1998 LA Galaxy, which won 13 road matches en route to capturing the first Supporters' Shield in club history. A victory would also match 2024 Inter Miami CF (37 points) and the 1998 LA Galaxy (37 points) for the most points secured in road matches in a single season in league history.

Decision Day 2025: The Final Push

The final day of the ‚ 2025 MLS Regular Season ‚ will determine postseason positioning across the league. All ‚ Western Conference matches kick off simultaneously ‚ at 6:00 p.m. PT on MLS Season Pass, setting up an intense, drama-filled finish as SDFC looks to lock in the highest possible playoff seed in its historic inaugural season.

SDFC: A Record-Breaking Inaugural Season

In their debut MLS campaign, SDFC has rewritten the record books:

First club in MLS to clinch a 2025 Playoff berth

Most successful expansion team in league history ‚ with ‚ 60 points and 18 wins

Currently 2nd in the Western Conference, still in contention for the ‚ No. 1 seed ‚ with one match remaining

What's at Stake for San Diego on Decision Day

SDFC faces Portland in its 34th and final regular season match with plenty still to play for:

Win: Could finish ‚ 1st or 2nd ‚ in the Western Conference

Draw: Potential to finish ‚ 3rd

Loss: Could drop to ‚ 3rd or 4th

A win, paired with a ‚ Vancouver slip-up, could see San Diego clinch the ‚ top seed ‚ in the West and home-field advantage throughout the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs. Playoff matchups, dates, and times will be announced Sunday, Oct. 19.

Eyes on the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup

San Diego FC, Minnesota United FC, and LAFC will battle on Decision Day to climb the standings and clinch a spot in the continent's premier competition. A strong performance from SDFC could secure the Club's first-ever berth in international competition - a milestone achievement in San Diego's debut MLS season. While all three clubs remain in pursuit of the MLS Cup - and the accompanying Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 bye that comes with the league title - whichever team finishes with the most points following Decision Day will, at a minimum, clinch a Champions Cup berth via the Supporters' Shield standings.

Home-Field Advantage Matters

Since the introduction of the new Audi MLS Cup Playoffs format in 2023, home teams have won nearly 70% of Round One Best-of-3 Series - making a top-four finish and home-field advantage a key advantage.

Second Meeting Between the Clubs

Saturday marks the ‚ second-ever matchup ‚ between San Diego and Portland. The two sides first met on Aug. 23 at Snapdragon Stadium, where they played to a tightly contested ‚ 0-0 draw. This weekend will be San Diego's ‚ first-ever visit to Providence Park, one of MLS's most iconic venues. To date, SDFC has defeated every team in the Western Conference at least once - except for the Portland Timbers.

San Diego Coming Off Record-Setting Win

SDFC enters Decision Day following a 4-2 road victory over the Houston Dynamo on Sept. 4 at Shell Energy Stadium. The win not only secured a new expansion record for the most points (60) but also etched San Diego's name in the MLS record books as the most successful expansion club in league history. With 18 wins, SDFC surpassed LAFC's 2018 mark for most victories by an expansion team.

Portland Timbers Looking to Rebound

The Timbers enter their final match of 2025 following a ‚ 1-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders ‚ on Oct. 4 at Lumen Field. Portland will aim to end its campaign on a high note in front of its home fans at Providence Park ahead of the postseason.

The Final Push in the Landon Donovan MLS MVP Race

As MLS Decision Day approaches, ‚ SDFC's Anders Dreyer ‚ continues to make a strong case for the ‚ Landon Donovan MLS MVP ‚ award. In his first MLS season, Dreyer has been the creative heartbeat of San Diego's record-breaking expansion campaign, recording ‚ 17 goals and 18 assists ‚ - tied for the league lead in assists and among the top performers in total goal contributions.

While reigning MVP ‚ Lionel Messi ‚ leads MLS with ‚ 44 goal contributions ‚ (26 goals, 18 assists) and aims to become the first player in league history to win the award in consecutive seasons, Dreyer remains firmly in the conversation. His consistency, playmaking, and leadership have powered SDFC to one of the best inaugural seasons in MLS history, keeping him in contention to challenge Messi and ‚ LAFC's Denis Bouanga ‚ (24 goals, 8 assists) for the league's top individual honor.

Official SDFC Watch Party Crawl - 3rd Avenue, Chula Vista

SDFC is closing out its ‚ inaugural regular season in style ‚ - and fans are invited to be part of the celebration. Join SDFC on ‚ Saturday, Oct. 18 ‚ for the ‚ Official San Diego FC Watch Party Crawl ‚ on ‚ Chula Vista's vibrant 3rd Avenue, as SDFC goes against the Portland Timbers on MLS Decision Day.

Event Details:

Date: ‚ Saturday, Oct. 18

Time: ‚ 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. PT (Kickoff at 6:00 p.m. PT)

Location: ‚ Six venues along 3rd Avenue, Chula Vista

Afterparty: ‚ Brewjeria Taproom & Kitchen, 8:00 p.m. PT-10:00 p.m. PT

Admission: ‚ Free | All Ages Welcome

What to Expect:

Watch Party Crawl across six local venues - all ages welcome

SDFC Car Cruise ‚ to kick off festivities at 4:00 p.m. along 3rd Ave

Giveaways and raffle prizes, including signed team kit, merchandise, and playoff tickets

Post-match afterparty featuring a ‚ Live DJ set by SDFC's own Beto Perez

Participating Venues:

Vogue Tavern - 230 3rd Ave

Brewjeria Taproom & Kitchen - 241 3rd Ave

La Nacional - 279 3rd Ave

Groundswell Brew Tasting Room - 258 3rd Ave

Balboa South Bar & Grill - 290 3rd Ave

3 Punk Ales - 259 3rd Ave

Check out the San Diego FC Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from October 16, 2025


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