San Diego 1904 FC kicked off its first professional season in September in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA), the third tier in U.S. soccer's club pyramid behind Major League Soccer (MLS) and the revamped United Soccer League (USL).
Led by founders and investors including Demba Ba and Real Madrid star Eden Hazard, 1904 has remained afloat after navigating the unpredictable waters of American lower league soccer.
The team began its inaugural season on Sept. 7 with a 2-0 away loss to the Los Angeles Force in NISA's inaugural Challenge Cup. With a youthful roster and scheduled home matches at the 70,561-seat SDCCU Stadium, the former home of the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers, the club is optimistic that their project will succeed in one of America's soccer hotbeds.