New pro soccer team, Golden City FC, announced last May it would begin its $10 million renovation of Kezar Stadium last December, which is now being pushed to this December, and some are skeptical it will be ready in time for the 2027 season.
Last spring, Mayor Daniel Lurie announced that San Francisco would be getting its own professional Major League Soccer Next Pro affiliate soccer team, Golden City Football Club, following a $10 million renovation of the historic Kezar Stadium, as SFist reported previously.
The club had initially aimed to break ground last December with the goal of having the stadium ready in time for MLS Next Pro’s 2026 season, but it encountered unspecified delays, as SFGate reported earlier this month.
San Francisco Recreation and Parks has since confirmed to KQED that Golden City FC is set to begin updates to the stadium beginning in December with the goal of completing the project in time for the MLS Next Pro’s 2027 season.
The club’s plans were likely delayed due to restrictions under its agreement with Rec and Park that construction can’t hinder the community's use of the field from June through November, or the track from February to mid-June, per SFGate.
“It’s a little tricky because there are windows they can work in,” Tamara Aparton, Rec and Park’s deputy director of communications, told KQED. “There haven’t been any changes to the schedule.”
The agreement also stipulates that Rec and Park can terminate the deal if certain deadlines aren’t met.
The club must also play its first game by September 30, 2027, which coincides with the deadline for completing at least 50% of the required improvements, with all work required to be completed by September 1, 2029, which may be a tall order, as SFGate reports.
Following Lurie’s announcement of the team last May, concerns surrounding conflict of interest surfaced when it was revealed that one of Golden City FC's co-owners is a longtime donor of Lurie’s nonprofit, Tipping Point.
The club has also been virtually silent online. While the team has an instagram account, there are no posts. SFGate noted its website had been down for six months, which is now back online.
“We’re really quiet, and it’s very intentional,” a team spokesperson said, speaking KQED. “We’ve been working behind the scenes on go-to-market strategies … But to be fair, we won’t hit the on button until probably sometime late first quarter [of 2027].”
Per SFGate, there’s also still uncertainty around Golden City FC’s place in MLS Next Pro, which has not publicly confirmed the club for the league despite describing discussions as “ongoing and positive” earlier this year.
Meanwhile, supporters of San Francisco City FC — the city’s long-running semi-professional USL League Two club — are bracing for the loss of Kezar Stadium, a beacon of grassroots sports. As KQED reports, SF City FC fans routinely pack Kezar with drums, chants, banners, and supporter groups carrying decades of club history.
While details are still being finalized, SF City FC will likely play most of its home games at Cox Stadium at San Francisco State University next season.
Previously: SF Is Getting a New Pro Soccer Team, and They’ll Play at Kezar Stadium
Image: Ashleigh Nushawg/Flickr
