The 2025 MLS Cup Final between Eastern Conference champion Inter Miami CF and the Western Conference champion Vancouver Whitecaps on Dec. 6 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. delivered record-breaking numbers — 4.6 million viewers across all platforms and 798 million social media impressions, according to the league.
Fans in more than 100 countries globally tuned into the broadcast that saw Inter Miami snap a 1-1 tie with two second-half goals to claim its first MLS Cup championship with a 3-1 victory. World-class star Lionel Messi was named MVP with two assists.
The social media engagement was unprecedented — a 532 percent increase over last year.
The game, played in front of a sellout crowd of 21,550, featured the youngest MLS Cup audience ever with 70 percent of Apple TV viewers under the age of 45. The average viewing time was 70 minutes.
An additional 20,452 fans packed Vancouver’s BC Place for the largest away viewing party in MLS Cup history.
Across 29 playoff matches through the conference finals, MLS averaged 711,000 viewers, up 23 percent from 2024.
Numbers the league has to be very pleased with.
Much of that success has to be attributed to San Diego FC’s maiden MLS campaign as the league’s top expansion team.
San Diego FC advanced to the Western Conference Final against visiting Vancouver after capturing the conference’s top regular season record as the No. 1 playoff seed.
The San Diego expansion franchise set all kinds of performance and attendance records.
The team recorded 19 wins and 63 standings points — both new benchmarks — while averaging 28,064 fans. The team posted a Snapdragon Stadium record 34,506 fans for its debut match.
SDFC surpassed LAFC’s previous expansion mark of 57 standings points and St. Louis City’s 17 regular season wins.
Hometown heroes
It was a first season definitely to be remembered, even cherished, despite the disappointing ending with the 3-1 loss to the Whitecaps in the conference final.
The team’s passionate fan base embraced the team from the start and never stopped supporting it.
“Nobody can take away the season these guys (had), nobody can ever take that away from them,” San Diego FC head coach Mikey Varas said in a post-game media conference. “They made a city dream. They made a while region dream. They were one stop away from MLS Cup.
“I hope that everybody remembers that we went for it, we went for it with a clear identity, trying to be a reflection of the community, trying to make San Diego proud.
“We fought to the last second in every match we were ever in, and we always took accountability and never shied away from when we weren’t good enough. I hope they also remember that we all just met each other 12 months ago, and that we put a tremendous foundation together to build something sustainable into the future.”
The team posted an amazing video college on its social media platform addressed to its fans:
THANK YOU FOR A HISTORIC INAUGURAL SEASON. pic.twitter.com/tD79i22DUD
“It’s worth watching again and again to relive the magic of 2025.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria posted on X: “I am so proud of San Diego FC. Mo matter the score tonight, this first-season run has been incredible. From packed nights at Snapdragon Stadium in Mission Valley to becoming one of the strongest expansion clubs in MLS history, this team has united our city in a big way.”
The team hosted 700,000 fans for home matches at Snapdragon Stadium and finished with three MLS All-Stars: wingers Anders Dreyer and Hirving “Chucky” Lozano and midfielder Jeppe Tverskov.
Dreyer was a finalist for the league’s MVP award and captured MLS Newcomer of the Year honor with 38 goal contributions (19 goals, 19 assists) in the regular season and six more (four goals, two assists) in five playoff matches.
Varas was a finalist for the MLS Coach of the Year award.
It all added up to San Diego FC earning distinction as best expansion team in MLS history.
All the kudos are well deserved.
On the pitch, SDFC fostered community engagement by hosting Liga MX side Club Tijuana (Xolos) in the inaugural Baja Cup on Sept. 15, winning 4-2. After trailing twice, SDFC gave its fans something to cheer for in the San Diego/Tijuana rivalry with three goals in the second half. Alex Mighten, David Vazquez and Manu Duah notched SDFC’s opening three goals.
The Baja Cup marked the first meeting between SDFC and Club Tijuana as part of a five-year partnership that celebrates the shared football culture of the borer region with an annual friendly match.
Sweetwater High School alum Joe Corona drew the assist on Club Tijuana’s game-opening goal scored by Vitinho in the sixth minute. Christian Leyva put the Xolos ahead 2-1 in the 51st minute.
There were a lot of notables in the cross-border match, which doubled as SDFC’s second win in an international friendly.
Vazquez, who scored his first goal for SDFC, was named man of the match with two goal contributions against the Xolos by also adding an assist on Duah’s goal, also his first for SDFC.
Goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega started for SDFC and was replaced by Duran Ferree, the team’s first local player signing, in the 46th minute, with the San Diego native making his debut with SDFC. Ferree recorded a pair of saves against Club Tijuana.
SDFC used four guest players from its recently opened Right to Dream Academy, one of whom scored the match’s final goal. Another guest player assisted on the scoring play.
The third consecutive edition of the CONCACAF-sanctioned Leagues Cup 2025 competition took place between July 29 and Aug. 31 with all 18 clubs from Liga MX and 18 qualified MLS clubs competing.
San Diego FC hosted three Phase One games at Snapdragon Stadium: CF Pachuca (3-2 loss) on July 29, Tigres UANL (2-1 loss) on Aug. 1 and Mazatlan FC (2-0 win) on Aug. 5. Onni Valakari had both goals in the win over Mazatlan while Luca Bombino and Dreyer each scored goals in injury time against Pachuca. Tomas Angel scored for the hosts against Tigres.
SDFC defeated Club America, 3-0 in an exhibition match on June 7 as Milan Iloski scored two goals and Angel added another against the 16-time Liga MX champions as the MLS expansion team recorded its first international friendly.
