San Diego visits Houston for the first-ever matchup at Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 4
San Diego FC (17-9-6, 57 points) travels to face the Houston Dynamo (9-14-9, 36 points) on Saturday, Oct. 4 at Shell Energy Stadium in the Club’s second to last 2025 MLS Regular Season match. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. PT, with live coverage 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.
Second Meeting Between the Clubs
Saturday marks the second-ever matchup between San Diego and Houston. In their first meeting on July 5 at Snapdragon Stadium, the Dynamo edged SDFC in a seven-goal thriller, winning 4-3. This weekend will be San Diego’s first-ever visit to Shell Energy Stadium.
What’s at Stake
- Expansion History: A win would set a new MLS expansion record for most victories (18), surpassing LAFC’s mark from 2018.
- Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs Positioning:Three points would strengthen San Diego’s hold on first place in the Western Conference. The Club has officially clinched a top-four finish, which secures home-field advantage in the first round of the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs.
San Diego Coming Off Narrow Defeat
SDFC enters its 33rd regular-season match following a 1-0 home loss against the San Jose Earthquakes on Sept. 27. Despite the setback, San Diego dominated possession with 63% of the ball and continues to lead MLS in passes completed (19,294).
On the road, San Diego has been hard to beat, extending its unbeaten run away from home to eight consecutive matches (7-0-1) in the 1-1 road draw against Atlanta United on Sept. 20.
Notable storylines from last week’s match:
- Consistency at the Back: Defender Christopher McVey became the third player to record 30+ starts this season, joining Anders Dreyer (32) and Jeppe Tverskov (31).
- Squad Depth: Defender Aiden Harangi returned to the starting lineup, while forward Amahl Pellegrino made his third MLS start since joining the Club.
- International Duty: SDFC was without defender Luca Bombino, goalkeeper Duran Ferree, and midfielder Pedro Soma, who are representing the U.S. at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.
Houston Dynamo in Playoff Hunt
Houston enters the match following a 3-1 road defeat to Nashville SC at GEODIS Park. With three games left in the regular season, the Dynamo remain in pursuit of a playoff spot in the Western Conference and will look to bounce back in front of their home fans.
Match Coverage
Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. PT from Shell Energy Stadium. Fans can watch the match live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV or listen on San Diego Sports 760 AM (English) and TUDN 1700 AM (Spanish).
San Diego Watch Parties
Join San Diego FC for the Official Watch Party at Pacific Beachfest as the team takes on the Houston Dynamo. SDFC will take over Pacific Beach with a beach soccer showcase and a screening of the SDFC match at the Beer Garden. The watch party will run from 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. PT, with kickoff set at 5:30 p.m. PT. Pacific Beachfest is free and open to the public, where fans can enjoy a live DJ, raffles, giveaways, and more. The first 100 to RSVP and attend the beer garden will receive a complimentary drink ticket – limit one per RSVP entry. Fans interested in attending can RSVP here.
