With ambitious plans and an experienced front office, Santa Barbara Sky FC is gaining momentum ahead of the club’s 2026 debut in the USL Championship.
In the past several years we have seen a renaissance in lower-league American soccer. Most recently, the USL has shook things up with its bold plan to introduce promotion and relegation in addition to a new top-flight league, but even before its landmark announcement, there has been plenty cooking across all divisions of the USL.
Teams like Louisville City FC, Orange County SC, and New Mexico United have brought in record numbers in attendance, revenue, and have sold players on to first-division teams both domestically and internationally.
There has clearly been a market for soccer in places outside of the Big 30 of MLS, and many second- and third-division teams have become centerpieces of their communities.
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Perhaps the most intriguing expansion project yet is set to kick off in 2026, with Santa Barbara Sky FC, a recently-founded club in California’s sunny Central Coast.
An underrated jewel, the area has always been a hotbed for soccer culture, with talents such as Bay FC’s Kiki Pickett and Bournemouth right back Julián Araujo hailing from Santa Barbara County. Sky FC are seeking to tap into this soccer fandom with their community-first mentality, and elevate the best in the region to the world’s stage.
We are building something special here on California's Central Coast, delivering the professional football experience this amazing community deserves…#santabarbaraskyfc
Pele famously coined it “o jogo bonito”…the Beautiful Game. He described the fluidity of play, the…
— Peter Moore (@PeterMooreUSA) January 21, 2025
From the inception, Sky FC have been in the capable hands of Peter Moore, a trailblazer across multiple fields, most notably in the football world as the CEO of Liverpool FC from 2017-20. While launching a USL expansion bid has proven to be no easy task, having the 2019 Football Business CEO of the Year leading the charge is a good start.
The front office is led by several movers and shakers in the industry, including chief marketing officer Krista Treide, a former executive for Nike and Reebok. The club has already made the bold move of choosing to purchase the franchise rights of Memphis 901, who folded in 2024, and enter into the USL Championship, the second division of American soccer. Sky FC had originally planned to debut in the third division, USL League One.
But before the club kicks off, the first order of business is to solidify a structure that will create longevity and success both on and off the pitch.
“It’s been exhilarating, challenging, and incredibly rewarding,” Treide said. “Right now, we’re ensuring that our business foundation is rock solid, refining our tech stack, upgrading stadium infrastructure, engaging and building our audiences, and implementing everything behind the scenes to ensure that our season kick off in March 2026 is seamless.
“Our goal is to create an unforgettable matchday that draws fans in, makes them feel a sense of belonging, and keeps them coming back with pride and ownership in Sky FC.”
Santa Barbara is one of the most beautiful destinations in the United States, with incredible ocean vistas, ideal weather, and a thriving culture that makes it a perfect home for the beautiful game.
Matching the area’s natural beauty is Sky FC’s branding — which the club’s front office knew it had to nail from the get go. The crest features a terracotta primary color, which can be seen throughout Santa Barbara’s streets and architecture, most notably the Mission Santa Barbara. The icon of Saint Barbara, the patron saint and namesake of the city, features at the front and center of the crest. Paired together, it’s one of the most unique looks across American soccer.
Santa Barbara has long had ties with soccer, as the idyllic locale was attractive to Mexican and Italian immigrants in the 1940s. They brought with them a love for the sport, and established soccer as a core tenet of Santa Barbara’s culture as the city grew. Despite not having a professional side until now, the area is known for the community’s championship-winning teams.
Among these teams are the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos, whose men’s and women’s programs are consistent powerhouses, with the men’s side winning the 2006 NCAA national championship.
UCSB has produced the likes of Chris Pontius and Christian Ramirez, who have both seen action for the U.S. men’s national team, 2024 MLS SuperDraft No. 1 pick Manu Duah, and Canadian men’s national team player and Bundesliga veteran Rob Friend.
On the women’s side, U.S. women’s national team legend Carin Jennings-Gabarra, who won the first-ever Women’s World Cup Golden Ball, donned a Gaucho jersey from 1983-86.
The University is integral to the Santa Barbara community, and the Sky have strengthened that bond with the announcement that they will play their first few seasons in the 17,000-seat Harder Stadium, home of the Gauchos and the host of the 2010 and 2018 NCAA men’s soccer championships.
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Santa Barbara and the wider California Central Coast are known for their proud history and deep sporting heritage, but there is no professional sports team between San Luis Obispo and Camarillo, an area that is home to over 1 million people. The Sky is seeking to use this untapped market to further unite the community, and give it a team that it can be proud of.
“Santa Barbara is welcoming by nature, and with the void of professional soccer locally, Santa Barbara Sky FC gives people an even deeper sense of community,” Treide said. “Supporters will not have to look elsewhere to places like Los Angeles and Orange County to find a team to call their own, or to find high quality of play, but now they will have it in their own backyard.
“The beautiful game has a way of uniting people across all walks of life — agnostic to race, socioeconomic status, gender, political affiliation, or even soccer IQ.”
Capitalizing on this oasis of potential fans will be crucial for the club’s success, but Santa Barbara also presents an attractive option for players as well.
“Players and their families will experience a world-class quality of life, fantastic schools, and a vibrant, historic and respected soccer culture, all while being embraced by a broad community that is ready to rally behind its team,” Treide said.
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The club is still a year away from playing on the pitch, but its efforts in the community have already kicked off. Fundación Cielo, Sky FC’s nonprofit arm, has collaborated with the Food Bank of Santa Barbara County to combat food insecurity in the community, and started the initiative by donating $5,000 to support the program. Additionally, a new video project, SOMOS Comunidad (We Are Community), just launched, collaborating with award-winning filmmakers to highlight people across the Central Coast community.
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As for the future, Sky FC announced an apparel deal with PUMA in 2022, and we were told to expect some more merch drops and capsule collections all the way to the first match and beyond. Despite still being a year out from the starting 11 taking the field for the first time, they have already reached over 1,000 season ticket deposits, a promising sign that the club’s vision is working.
Once in the league, Sky FC are going to have some intriguing potential rivalries, with Orange County SC, Monterey Bay, Oakland Roots, and Sacramento Republic all vying to battle for California supremacy, not to mention possible battles with California-based MLS clubs in the U.S. Open Cup for years to come.
Plus, the potential that comes with the USL’s plans to enact promotion and relegation across its soon-to-be three professional leagues is massive. But while the club is excited for pro/rel, the vision stays the same. What legends, iconic moments, and traditions come out of Santa Barbara in the future remains to be seen, but what is certain is that it will be molded by fans of the club.
“We want our supporters to help define what Santa Barbara Sky FC stands for — creating chants, building a matchday atmosphere that is electric, and ensuring that the community feels a deep sense of belonging, pride, and ownership,” Treide said.
