San Jose Earthquakes
The California Clásico: A fierce rivalry between MLS charter members San Jose and LA.
The San Jose Earthquakes are an American professional soccer club based in San Jose, California, competing in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. Originally known as the San Jose Clash, the franchise began play in 1996 as one of the charter members of the league and took part in the first game in MLS history, winning 1–0 against D.C. United. The Earthquakes have won two MLS Cup titles (2001, 2003) and three Supporters' Shields (2005, 2010, 2012). They hold a fierce rivalry with the LA Galaxy known as the California Clásico.
- League
- Major League Soccer (MLS)
- Founding Year
- 1996
- Region
- California Rivalry
- Earthquakes MLS Cups
- 2
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The franchise began in 1996 under the name San Jose Clash, a name chosen by fans, before officially changing to Earthquakes on October 27, 1999. The team won its first MLS Cup in 2001 with a 2–1 overtime victory over the archrival Los Angeles Galaxy. Before reaching the 2003 final, the Earthquakes rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat the Galaxy 5–4 on aggregate in a first-round playoff match described by many as the greatest in league history. In 2001, the team also secured the biggest regular season turnaround in league history, moving from 29 points in 2000 to 45 points in 2001.
In Their Own Story
On April 6, 1996, San Jose hosted the league's inaugural game at Spartan Stadium before a crowd of 31,683. Eric Wynalda scored the first goal in MLS history as the Clash defeated D.C. United 1–0. One month later, the club set a city attendance record for a sporting event with 31,728 fans watching them play the Los Angeles Galaxy. Tensions between star player Wynalda and coach Laurie Calloway escalated quickly that season, leading to a locker room brawl involving John Doyle and Wynalda hiring an airplane to tow a banner demanding the coach's firing.
Reader's Guide
The San Jose Earthquakes were granted permission to relocate after failing to secure a soccer-specific stadium in San Jose. In December 2005, owner Anschutz Entertainment Group announced the team would move to Houston for the 2006 season, becoming an expansion franchise later known as the Houston Dynamo. The league kept the Earthquakes name, colors, logo, and history reserved for a future San Jose team. On July 18, 2007, MLS formally awarded an expansion franchise to Lewis Wolff and John Fisher to bring the Earthquakes back. The team resumed play in 2008, playing at Buck Shaw Stadium from 2008 to 2014 before moving to their current home at PayPal Park in 2015.
Did You Know?
- The franchise was originally named the San Jose Clash, a name chosen by fans, before reverting to Earthquakes in October 1999.
- In 2003, the Earthquakes came back from a two-goal deficit to defeat the Galaxy 5–4 on aggregate in what many call the greatest playoff match in MLS history.
- From 2008 to 2014, the team played at Buck Shaw Stadium on the Santa Clara University campus before moving to PayPal Park in 2015.
- On June 18, 2025, owner John Fisher announced that he had put the team up for sale.
- The first game in MLS history was San Jose Clash vs. D.C. United on April 6, 1996, with San Jose winning 1–0.
More in Great Rivalries
Related in LA Galaxy
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