Long before Sacramento Republic FC ever had a pitch, a player, a name or a crest, the Indomitable City had a long, rich—if slightly unknown—soccer history whose roots run deep throughout the Sacramento region.
As the most diverse city in the United States, it’s no secret that Sacramento—a city known for its entrepreneurial spirit and diverse population—quickly fell in love with the beautiful game in the city’s earliest days of history.
Soccer in Sacramento and the Northern California region first kicked off in the latter half of the 19th century, with a the start of various leagues such as the California Foot Ball League and Western League leading to the formation of the California State Football Association in 1902.
In 1904, one of the oldest state tournaments in United States history—the California State Senior Challenge Cup (later renamed the State Cup)—and the John O. Belis Perpetual Trophy was established by the Association to further grow the sport through the Central Valley, Northern California and the state as a whole.
In the early 20th century, clubs such as the Rovers were regular contenders for the Sacramento Soccer League title. Additionally, McKinley Park of Sacramento went on to win the California State Senior Challenge Cup in 1922 and 1924.
Long before Sacramento Republic FC ever had a pitch, a player, a name or a crest, the Indomitable City had a long, rich—if slightly unknown—soccer history whose roots run deep throughout the Sacramento region.
As the most diverse city in the United States, it’s no secret that Sacramento—a city known for its entrepreneurial spirit and diverse population—quickly fell in love with the beautiful game in the city’s earliest days of history.
Soccer in Sacramento and the Northern California region first kicked off in the latter half of the 19th century, with a the start of various leagues such as the California Foot Ball League and Western League leading to the formation of the California State Football Association in 1902.
In 1904, one of the oldest state tournaments in United States history—the California State Senior Challenge Cup (later renamed the State Cup)—and the John O. Belis Perpetual Trophy was established by the Association to further grow the sport through the Central Valley, Northern California and the state as a whole.
In the early 20th century, clubs such as the Rovers were regular contenders for the Sacramento Soccer League title. Additionally, McKinley Park of Sacramento went on to win the California State Senior Challenge Cup in 1922 and 1924.
The 1920s and 1930s also saw the likes of the Celtics, Garibaldis and Acorns of Sacramento’s Municipal Soccer League. The teams played on Western Pacific Field, located near present-day Sutterville Road in Curtis Park. The ten teams that participated included a diverse representation of immigrants from Europe, South America and parts of North America.
As the beautiful game continued to grow throughout Northern California and the United States, Sacramento’s soccer culture and history also continued to flourish.
In 1976, the Sacramento Gold (who the modern NPSL club Sacramento Gold FC is named after) joined the second reiteration of the American Soccer League, which was active from 1933 to 1983.
Through the Gold’s short history (1976-1980), the club made three national championship appearances, winning one title, in addition to also earning one Western Conference championship and one regular season title. Additionally, head coach Bob Ridley was named ASL Coach of the Year in 1977, while Daniel Mammana, Mickey Brown, Ian Filby and Raul Carrizo were all named to the ASL All-Star Team.
After the ASL and North American Soccer League folded in the 1980s, it wasn’t until the early 1990s that the beautiful game would begin to see a serious resurgence of the sport in Sacramento as well as the country although amateur teams continued to regularly compete in the U.S. Open Cup.
In the early 1990s, Sacramento saw a boom of semi-professional and professional soccer teams with the Sacramento Knights, Sacramento Geckos, Sacramento Scorpions and the Sacramento Senators. Additionally, with the rise of women’s soccer, semi-professional teams such as the Elk Grove Pride and the California Storm also started playing in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
During the 1990s, the Sacramento Knights set major indoor soccer attendance records with an average of more than 6,000 fans per match, and the outdoor game saw the likes of Sacramento area natives Brian Johnson, Tayt Ianni and Guillermo Jara (Sacramento) among the inaugural class of Major League Soccer players. Midfielder Sasha Victorine also became the first modern-era player from Sacramento to receive a U.S. Men’s National Team call-up in 2000.
The soccer scene and history in Sacramento has only continued to rapidly grow since the 2000s, with more than 50 Sacramento region players to-date who have played professionally in the United States League (USL), Northern American Soccer League (NASL), Major League Soccer (MLS) and the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
Additionally, since the Sacramento Knights won ARCO Arena’s first professional sports title in 1999 and set numerous indoor soccer attendance records, the beautiful game has only continued to bring more title and honors to the Indomitable City and region. Sacramento State Women’s Soccer has won two Big Sky Conference titles, while UC Davis Men’s Soccer most recently won the Big Sky Conference title in 2012.
As evident by Sacramento Republic FC’s USL Championship in 2014, Sacramento will continue to add chapters to its rich soccer history for decades.
The 1920s and 1930s also saw the likes of the Celtics, Garibaldis and Acorns of Sacramento’s Municipal Soccer League. The teams played on Western Pacific Field, located near present-day Sutterville Road in Curtis Park. The ten teams that participated included a diverse representation of immigrants from Europe, South America and parts of North America.
As the beautiful game continued to grow throughout Northern California and the United States, Sacramento’s soccer culture and history also continued to flourish.
In 1976, the Sacramento Gold (who the modern NPSL club Sacramento Gold FC is named after) joined the second reiteration of the American Soccer League, which was active from 1933 to 1983.
Through the Gold’s short history (1976-1980), the club made three national championship appearances, winning one title, in addition to also earning one Western Conference championship and one regular season title. Additionally, head coach Bob Ridley was named ASL Coach of the Year in 1977, while Daniel Mammana, Mickey Brown, Ian Filby and Raul Carrizo were all named to the ASL All-Star Team.
After the ASL and North American Soccer League folded in the 1980s, it wasn’t until the early 1990s that the beautiful game would begin to see a serious resurgence of the sport in Sacramento as well as the country although amateur teams continued to regularly compete in the U.S. Open Cup.
In the early 1990s, Sacramento saw a boom of semi-professional and professional soccer teams with the Sacramento Knights, Sacramento Geckos, Sacramento Scorpions and the Sacramento Senators. Additionally, with the rise of women’s soccer, semi-professional teams such as the Elk Grove Pride and the California Storm also started playing in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
During the 1990s, the Sacramento Knights set major indoor soccer attendance records with an average of more than 6,000 fans per match, and the outdoor game saw the likes of Sacramento area natives Brian Johnson, Tayt Ianni and Guillermo Jara (Sacramento) among the inaugural class of Major League Soccer players. Midfielder Sasha Victorine also became the first modern-era player from Sacramento to receive a U.S. Men’s National Team call-up in 2000.
The soccer scene and history in Sacramento has only continued to rapidly grow since the 2000s, with more than 50 Sacramento region players to-date who have played professionally in the United States League (USL), Northern American Soccer League (NASL), Major League Soccer (MLS) and the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
Additionally, since the Sacramento Knights won ARCO Arena’s first professional sports title in 1999 and set numerous indoor soccer attendance records, the beautiful game has only continued to bring more title and honors to the Indomitable City and region. Sacramento State Women’s Soccer has won two Big Sky Conference titles, while UC Davis Men’s Soccer most recently won the Big Sky Conference title in 2012.
As evident by Sacramento Republic FC’s USL Championship in 2014, Sacramento will continue to add chapters to its rich soccer history for decades.
