SKC Hosts San Diego FC on Saturday
MLS Sporting Kansas City

SKC Hosts San Diego FC on Saturday

Published on August 8, 2025 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release


Sporting Kansas City will host Western Conference leaders San Diego FC for the first time at 7:45 p.m. CT on Saturday at Children's Mercy Park. Tickets for the match are available via SeatGeek as the club pays tribute to military service members with the team's annual Sporting Salutes theme night.

Fans are encouraged to arrive early for a challenge coin giveaway at the gates, while supplies last, and the festivities will continue throughout the gameday. Military vehicles and non-profit military organizations will be on the Mazuma Plaza prior to kickoff and sailors from the USS Kansas City -- as well as military honoree Matthew Schilling -- will be recognized during the pre-game ceremony. Military personnel will also participate in a full-field American flag presentation during the national anthem, which will conclude with a C-130 flyover, and military veterans can take advantage of a special offer at Children's Mercy Park concessions with valid ID.

Sporting KC players will wear a commemorative Sporting Salutes patch on their jerseys, two of which will be donated to the National World War I Museum and Memorial to be included in the Beautiful Game exhibition opening next February ahead of FIFA World Cup 26. Volunteers from the National World War I Museum and Memorial will be recognized at halftime and Sporting Kansas City has also teamed up with the institution for a limited edition Sporting Salutes scarf which will be available to purchase at SportingStyle along with a new World Cup host city tee, the United We Play pre-match top and the August pin of the month.

Sporting Kansas City kicks off the month of August sitting six points below the playoff line with 10 games remaining in the regular season campaign and the club's backline looks to be bolstered for the stretch run by the arrival of 24-year-old Mexican center back Alan Montes on loan from LIGA MX side Club Necaxa. The 6-foot-4 defender was officially added to the team's roster this week with the receipt of his P1 visa and International Transfer Certificate.

Sporting is unbeaten in eight straight MLS home matches against expansion sides (including playoffs) with the team's last such loss at Children's Mercy Park coming more than a decade ago against CF Montreal in 2012. SKC and San Diego meet for a second time this season after a scoreless draw in Southern California in May and the match-up features a pair of first-year head coaches in Kerry Zavagnin and Mikey Varas as well as two of the top teenagers in Major League Soccer this season.

MLS Teenagers: Most Minutes in 2025

1. Jacob Bartlett (SKC): 1,597 minutes

2. Luca Bombino (SD): 1,502 minutes

3. Peyton Miller (NE): 1,480 minutes

4. Francis Westfield (PHI): 1,415 minutes

San Diego is the top scoring team in the Western Conference and the club's offense is led by the Designated Player duo of MLS All-Stars Hirving Lozano (seven goals, eight assists) and Anders Dreyer (11 goals, 16 assists). A Danish international, Dreyer has a league-leading 27 goal contributions this season and his 16 assists in his first 25 matches ranks fourth most in MLS history behind Lionel Messi (18), Carlos Valderrama (19) and Marco Etcheverry (19).

The visitors arrive in Kansas City having won on each of their past four road trips -- becoming the first expansion team to win four straight regular season away matches outright (excluding shootouts) -- and return to the road after playing six straight home matches. Most recently, San Diego defeated Mazatlan FC on Tuesday in Leagues Cup after previously falling to Pachuca and UANL in the tournament.

Three of the team's four recent additions -- defender Aiden Harangi (on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt), as well as midfielders David Vazquez (on loan from the Philadelphia Union) and Pedro Soma (transfer from UE Cornella) -- debuted during Leagues Cup while forward Corey Baird was acquired in a trade with FC Cincinnati this week and awaits his first appearance for San Diego FC.

Both sides will be missing key contributors as Sporting KC left back Tim Leibold is suspended (caution accumulation) while center back Joaquin Fernandez (hamstring) and Erik Thommy (hip) have been ruled out due to injury. San Diego forward Marcus Ingvartsen has returned to training after recovering from a lower body injury that has sidelined him since June while Andres Reyes underwent season-ending surgery earlier this summer and fellow center back Paddy McNair missed the team's last two matches.

Saturday's showdown will be available to watch on Apple TV with an MLS Season Pass subscription in English (Nate Bukaty and Devon Kerr) and Spanish (Oscar Salazar and Jaime Macias). SKCvSD will also be nationally televised on FS1 (Mike Watts and Jamie Watson) and FOX Deportes while local radio coverage will air on 810 AM and 103.7 FM (Blake Aerni and Jon Kempin). Pub partners in the Sporting Pub Network will also show all of the action, including a watch party at No Other Pub in the Kansas City Power and Light District with food and drink specials starting at 5:45 p.m. for fans in SKC gear.

Sporting Kansas City vs. San Diego FC

2025 MLS Regular Season | Match 25

Saturday, Aug. 9 | 7:45 p.m. CT (7:55 kickoff)

Children's Mercy Park | Kansas City, Kansas

Broadcast Schedule:

TV | FS1 or FOX Deportes

Watch | MLS Season Pass on Apple TV

Radio | 810 AM or 103.7 FM or SKC App

Check out the Sporting Kansas City Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from August 8, 2025


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