After several months of speculation, which included names like Hugo Sanchez, Landon Donovan, and Javier Aguirre among several others, San Diego FC announced Mikey Varas as its head coach.
Varas most recently served as the interim head coach of the U.S. men’s national team after leading the
U-20 side at the 2022 Concacaf championship where the team won the tournament.
“I am honored to join San Diego FC as the club’s first head coach,” said Varas. “The opportunity to build something special from the ground up, with such ambitious and committed ownership, and in a city with such a passionate fan base, is truly exciting.”
At the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Varas served as an opponent scout and later coached the U-20 side to the top of their group at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina.
“We believe Mikey (Varas) is the perfect choice to lead San Diego FC as the club’s first head coach,” said SDFC chairman, Sir Mohamed Mansour. “As we prepare for our inaugural season, Mikey’s leadership, desire to win now, and his deep understanding of player development make him the ideal choice to guide our club forward.”
Before joining U.S. Soccer, Varas served as an assistant coach for FC Dallas under former head coach Luchi Gonzalez for three seasons. During his tenure, FC Dallas reached the MLS Cup playoffs twice fueled by several standout homegrown players from the club’s academy.
“I look forward to working with the team and the community to develop a winning culture from the start. I will give everything to this club and the people of San Diego,” Varas added.
San Diego FC has already made several noteworthy player signings in preparation for its inaugural Major League Soccer season including former San Diego Loyal goalkeeper Duran Ferree, former Manchester United defender Patrick McNair, along with the team’s first two international signings Marcus Ingvartsen and Jeppe Tverskov, from FC Nordsjaelland in the Danish Superliga. SDFC also recently announced it had acquired Alex Mighten from English Premier League side Nottingham Forest F.C. signing the winger to a two-and-a-half-year contract through the end of the 2026 season with a club option for an additional year.
“Mikey embodies the values and ambitions of San Diego FC,” said SDFC sporting director Tyler Heaps. “His ideas on the game and how it should be played align with ours and his commitment and energy throughout the process is one that we feel connects with this community and our vision for the club.”
