San Diego FC (SDFC) announced today that the Club has signed Tunisia Men's National Team winger Elias Achouri, who represented his country at the FIFA World Cup 2026™, to a Designated Player Contract from FC Copenhagen. Achouri is signed through the 2028-29 season and will be added to the roster pending receipt of his P1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate (ITC).
Achouri will be introduced to fans at Snapdragon Stadium prior to kickoff against FC Dallas. Fans should plan to be in their seats by 6:00 p.m. PT to welcome the Club's newest signing to San Diego. Get your tickets to the match here.
"We're excited to welcome Elias to San Diego FC,” said SDFC Sporting Director Tyler Heaps. “He is a player with experience competing at a high level in both European club competitions and on the international stage, and we believe he'll be a strong addition to our group. This signing reflects our continued commitment to building a roster that can compete at the highest level, and we're looking forward to integrating Elias into our environment.”
Achouri, 27, becomes just the third Designated Player in SDFC history as he joins SDFC after spending the past three seasons with FC Copenhagen of the Danish Superliga. During his time with the club, he made 116 appearances across all competitions, recording 12 goals and 26 assists while helping Copenhagen capture both the 2024/25 Danish Superliga title and the 2024/25 Danish Cup.
Born in Saint-Denis, Réunion, France, Achouri began his youth career in the academies of Olympique Lyonnais and AS Saint-Étienne before continuing his development in Portugal with Vitória SC and Vitória Guimarães.
In July 2021, Achouri joined G.D. Estoril Praia's U-23 side before signing his first professional contract one month later. He was subsequently loaned to C.D. Trofense, where he made his professional debut in Portugal's second division on Sept. 12, 2021. During his loan spell, he made 28 appearances across all competitions, scoring nine goals.
Achouri joined Danish side Viborg FF on a permanent transfer in 2022 and enjoyed a breakout 2022/23 campaign, making 28 appearances while recording six goals and nine assists across all competitions. His performances earned him a move to FC Copenhagen on July 24, 2023.
Achouri, who is of Tunisian heritage through his father, has represented the Tunisia Men's National Team since 2022. Most recently, he made three appearances for Tunisia at the FIFA World Cup 2026™, starting all three Group F matches against Sweden, Japan and the Netherlands. Overall, Achouri has earned 33 senior caps and scored four goals for Tunisia in all competitions.
Transaction: SDFC signed winger Elias Achouri to a Designated Player Contract from FC Copenhagen. Achouri is guaranteed through June 2029 and will be added to the roster pending receipt of his P1 Visa and ITC.
