In February of 2025, San Diego FC was preparing for a trip to Los Angeles to face the defending MLS Cup champion Galaxy. It was the first match in franchise history and most of the group had only been together for a few weeks and were still learning each other’s names.

Oh, what a difference a year makes.

“We feel very confident that the relations now are kind of set and built in,” says SDFC captain Jeppe Tverskov. “So, yeah, the performances and results hopefully also should come, based on that.”

SDFC goes into the 2026 season opener against Montreal on Saturday night at Snapdragon Stadium as the defending Western Conference regular season champs after turning in the best effort by an expansion team in Major League Soccer history. San Diego set MLS records for points and wins by a first-year club, advancing to the conference championship game.

They fully expect to be even better in Year 2.

The biggest reason for their success was forward Anders Dreyer, an MVP finalist in his first year in the league. Dreyer had a symmetrical 19 goals and 19 assists, giving him more points than anyone except Lionel Messi. He says we haven’t even seen his peak yet.

“No, I think I have a lot more to show,” says Dreyer. “And I’m ready for that. Of course, last was very good. I know that, but I hope, and I believe that I can keep it up.”

There is one wrinkle in the starting lineup for the opener. In their playoff loss to Vancouver, goalie Pablo Sisniega was given a red card, which comes with an automatic suspension for the next match. That penalty carries over into the next season so he has to sit out the season opener. With C.J. dos Santos still recovering from an injury, 19-year-old Duran Ferree, a San Diego native, will make his first career Major League Soccer start in goal.

“He’s a top young player. H stepped into some tough situations in games and he made big saves,” says SDFC head coach Mikey Varas. “That’s part of the reason he’s getting this opportunity. Duran has showed us that he’s more than a capable goalkeeper, and we really trust him. He’s got a great demeanor for the big moment. You can tell that he’s calm under pressure and he’s really excited to show his hometown what he’s got.”

The schedule makers are doing all they can to help San Diego open with a win. Montreal tied for the second-fewest points in Major League Soccer a year ago. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Snapdragon Stadium.