SDFC Hosts FC Cincinnati Saturday at Snapdragon Stadium
MLS San Diego FC

SDFC Hosts FC Cincinnati Saturday at Snapdragon Stadium

Published on May 15, 2026 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
San Diego FC News Release


SAN DIEGO - San Diego FC (SDFC) returns to Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday, May 16, to host FC Cincinnati in an interconference matchup between two clubs level on points heading into the weekend. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. PT, with live coverage available on Apple TV and a local English radio broadcast on San Diego Sports 760 AM.

Saturday's contest marks the second match of SDFC's three-game homestand before the summer break and comes on the heels of the Club's most dominant performance of the 2026 season.

Tickets for Saturday's match are available at SanDiegoFC.com/Tickets, where the first 20,000 fans in attendance will receive an exclusive SDFC Anders Dreyer bobblehead courtesy of SHARP Healthcare.

Back in Form at Home

SDFC (4-5-4, 16 points) enters Saturday's matchup after a commanding 5-0 victory over Austin FC on Wednesday night at Snapdragon Stadium. The result snapped the Club's 10-match winless streak across all competitions and marked San Diego's first MLS regular season win since March 7 at Sporting Kansas City.

David Vazquez recorded a brace, while Anders Dreyer, Pedro Soma and Marcus Ingvartsen also found the net in an explosive attacking display. SDFC controlled the match from the opening whistle, outpossessing Austin FC 56 to 44 percent and completing 672 passes on the night.

The victory also extended San Diego's unbeaten run to three consecutive MLS matches, with the Club earning five of a possible nine points during that stretch.

Attack Clicking Into Gear

SDFC's offense continued its recent resurgence Wednesday night, scoring five goals for the third time in Club history and improving to 18 goals scored at home this season.

Marcus Ingvartsen remains one of the hottest attacking players in MLS, scoring his team-leading ninth goal of the league campaign against Austin. The Danish forward has now recorded five goals in his last six MLS matches and leads the Club with 13 goal contributions in league play (nine goals, four assists).

Anders Dreyer also continued his strong season with his sixth MLS goal and now has 13 goal contributions overall (six goals, seven assists). Dreyer and Ingvartsen combined for five goal contributions in Wednesday's victory.

Midfielder Pedro Soma delivered a breakout performance in his third MLS start, recording his first MLS goal and assist, while David Vazquez added his first two MLS goals of the season.

Strong at Snapdragon Stadium

Saturday's match gives SDFC another opportunity to build momentum at home, where the Club has earned a 3-2-2 record during the 2026 MLS Regular Season.

San Diego is unbeaten this season when leading at halftime (4-0-3) and holds a 4-1-3 record when scoring first. The Club also earned its first clean sheet since March 7 in Wednesday's win, with goalkeeper Duran Ferree recording his fourth career MLS shutout.

Opposition Watch

FC Cincinnati (4-5-4, 16 points) arrives in San Diego following a high-scoring 5-3 loss to Inter Miami CF on Wednesday night.

Despite the result, Cincinnati has remained one of the more dangerous attacking teams in MLS and enters Saturday level on points with SDFC. The Eastern Conference side will look to rebound quickly before returning home to face Orlando City on May 23 ahead of the summer break.

Saturday will mark an important opportunity for both clubs as they look to climb the standings approaching the midpoint of the season.

Series History

Saturday marks the first-ever MLS meeting between SDFC and FC Cincinnati.

Cincinnati became the 24th MLS club during the 2019 season and has consistently remained among the Eastern Conference contenders in recent years. Saturday's matchup will provide the first opportunity for the two clubs to meet in regular season competition.

Homestand Continues

Saturday's match is the second of three consecutive home matches for SDFC before the summer break. With momentum building following Wednesday's performance, San Diego will look to continue its climb up the Western Conference standings while building on its recent form in front of the home crowd at Snapdragon Stadium.

Getting to the Match

Pre-purchase parking HERE in advance to ensure a smooth arrival experience.

Use public transit: The MTS Trolley Green Line provides direct access to Snapdragon Stadium.

Rideshare: Drop-off and pick-up zones are located near the venue.

Review Matchday Policies at SanDiegoFC.com/matchday.

Tickets for Sunday's match are available now at SanDiegoFC.com/Tickets.

El Paletero Bobblehead Night

Saturday's match will also feature the Club's first-ever bobblehead giveaway, as the first 20,000 fans in attendance will receive an exclusive Anders Dreyer "El Paletero" bobblehead presented by SHARP HealthCare.

Since scoring the first goal in Club history against the LA Galaxy during the inaugural season, Dreyer has quickly become one of the most beloved players among the San Diego faithful. Fans embraced the Danish winger with the nickname "El Paletero," a nod to his last name and his ability to "serve up" assists and goals throughout his SDFC career.

The nickname also inspired one of the Club's most memorable community moments during the 2025 season, when Dreyer rode a paletero bike through neighborhoods across San Diego handing out free paletas and prizes to supporters.

Now in 2026, the fan-favorite tradition comes to life in bobblehead form as part of SDFC's Celebration Nights series. Dreyer, who has recorded 13 goal contributions this MLS season (six goals, seven assists), enters Saturday's match in strong form after scoring in Wednesday's 5-0 victory over Austin FC.

Fans are encouraged to arrive early to secure the limited-edition giveaway before kickoff at Snapdragon Stadium.

Vazquez Earns Team of the Matchday Honors

Following his standout performance in Wednesday's 5-0 win over Austin FC, SDFC forward David Vazquez was named to the MLS Team of the Matchday for Matchday 13.

Vazquez recorded his first brace of the 2026 MLS season while adding an assist in one of the strongest performances of his young career. The forward opened the scoring in the eighth minute, finishing a cross from Onni Valakari inside the six-yard box before later helping set up Marcus Ingvartsen's second-half goal. He capped off the night in stoppage time with his second goal of the match, sprinting into the penalty area and finishing past Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver to complete the 5-0 victory.

Vazquez finished Wednesday's match with three goal contributions and an 89 percent pass completion rate, helping power one of SDFC's most complete performances of the season.

The performance marked Vazquez's first MLS Team of the Matchday selection of the 2026 campaign and continued a breakout stretch for the young attacker as San Diego prepares to host FC Cincinnati on Saturday night at Snapdragon Stadium.

SAN DIEGO FC VS FC CINCINNATI

2026 MLS Regular Season | Matchday 14

Saturday, May 16 | 6:30 p.m. PT (6:40 p.m. PT Official Kickoff)

Snapdragon Stadium | San Diego, Calif.

Broadcast: Apple TV

MLS English Announcers: Evan Weston (PxP), Sacha Kljestan (Analyst)

MLS Spanish Announcers: Diego Possolano (PxP), Daniel Chapela (Analyst)

San Diego FC English Radio (San Diego Sports 760 AM): Adrian Garcia Marquez (Play-By-Play); Darren Smith (Analyst)

MATCH INFO:

SD vs CIN Game Notes

SDFC Match Preview Soundbites: Head Coach Mikey Varas, Forward Marcus Ingvartsen and Winger Anders Dreyer

SDFC Audio Pronunciation Guide

Watch on Apple TV

San Diego FC App: iOS, Android

2026 MLS REGULAR SEASON: SAN DIEGO FC VS FC CINCINNATI

DATE EVENT TIME (PT) LOCATION

Saturday, May 16 2026 MLS Regular Season: San Diego FC vs FC Cincinnati 6:30 PM Snapdragon Stadium

Check out the San Diego FC Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Major League Soccer Stories from May 15, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central