It seems like it was only yesterday when Albion San Diego and San Diego Loyal first faced each other in a dramatic U S. Open Cup match at a jam-packed Canyon Crest Academy Stadium in April of 2022, which was decided in the 89th-minute goal off a corner-kick for the USL Championship representative.

The two local rivals then took part in a rematch a year later at the SDSU Sports Deck with the attending supporters from each side bringing the same level of passion and energy that they did in the first meeting.

With San Diego Loyal no longer around, the question becomes whether or not Albion San Diego will be back so the local soccer fans can continue enjoying a semblance of rivalry with San Diego FC coming to town.

It’s been just over 15 months since San Diego Loyal chairman Andrew Vassiliadis announced that the team would cease operations and not return at the conclusion of that season much to the dismay of its supporters. The outcry was immediate and long-lasting with fans of the club left feeling confused in terms of knowing who to blame, what to do, and where to go next.

Major League Soccer announced that San Diego was granted an expansion spot three-months prior with SDFC doing a great job ever since in bringing a level of excitement for its upcoming inaugural season.

The question is: who will be the David to this fútbol Goliath? To answer that question we can simply look back at recent history. In December of 2021, San Diego 1904 FC merged with Albion SC Pros to become Albion San Diego, which competed professionally as a member of the National Independent Soccer Association the following season.

The 1904 FC fans were very curious as to how this experiment would pan out on the pitch and were noticeably impressed as the team made it to the NISA final in 2022 and the semifinal in 2023. Albion San Diego took a break in 2024 and there’s been no official word on whether it will return for 2025.

If it does return, it will benefit all soccer fans living in the region because it helps reignite those emotions that benefit from a good Cinderella story combined with a local rivalry as its driving force. Whether it be a friendly scrimmage, a pre-season exhibition game, or a coveted U.S. Open Cup match between SDFC and Albion San Diego, the fans will undoubtedly be there in droves because, as San Diego Loyal co-founder and former president Warren Smith famously said, “I truly believe that San Diego is the capital of soccer in North America.”

Foto de David Frerker