Your Guide to Watching Pro Soccer in California

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If you think California is just an NFL and baseball state, you have not been paying attention. 

From Los Angeles to the Bay Area to Monterey, there is a professional soccer match happening somewhere in this state almost every weekend. Ten teams across three leagues, playing real competitive soccer in front of passionate crowds. Whether you just discovered the sport or have been watching for years, the scene rewards anyone willing to show up. 

The leagues, the stadiums, how to watch, how to get tickets. Consider this your starting point. 

MLS: The Top Flight, the Big Names, the Biggest Matchdays 

If you are going to follow one league, start here. Major League Soccer is the highest level of professional soccer in the United States, and California has four clubs competing in it: the LA Galaxy, Los Angeles FC, the San Jose Earthquakes, and San Diego FC.  

No other state has more MLS teams, and the quality matches the quantity. California's clubs have made a habit of pulling in serious designated players like LAFC's Denis Bouanga and the Galaxy's Riqui Puig, and the homegrown pipeline keeps getting stronger. 

On the matchday side, California delivers. El Tráfico between the Galaxy and LAFC is one of the loudest atmospheres in American sports. The California Clasico between the Galaxy and San Jose has drawn crowds north of 40,000. Big matches sell out fast. 

NWSL: The Women's Game Is Electric — and It's Right in Your Backyard 

The men's game is not the only show in town. The National Women's Soccer League is the top professional women's soccer league in the country, and California has two of its strongest clubs: Angel City FC in Los Angeles and Bay FC in the San Jose Bay Area. 

Both teams have built genuine fan bases fast. In 2025, Bay FC drew 40,091 fans to a single game at Oracle Park, the highest attendance in NWSL history. Angel City regularly sells out in LA. Games are really fun to attend, often with better ticket availability and lower prices than the men's game. 

USL Championship: More Teams, More Cities, More Soccer 

Between MLS and the NWSL, California already has a full soccer calendar. Then there is the USL Championship. 

The second division of American soccer, the USL Championship runs its own full professional season, and California has four clubs: Sacramento Republic, Oakland Roots, Orange County SC, and Monterey Bay FC. That covers the state from the Bay Area to NorCal to the Central Coast to Southern California. 

The matches are competitive, the stadiums are intimate, and the tickets are among the most affordable in professional sports. For fans who want more soccer on the calendar, or want to see the game up close without the MLS price tag, the USL is worth knowing about. 

Where the Games Happen: California's Best Soccer Venues 

So where does all the action happen?  

California's soccer stadiums range from intimate to massive, and each one has its own personality. 

In Southern California, LAFC and Angel City FC share BMO Stadium, a 22,000-seat soccer-specific venue in downtown Los Angeles. The Galaxy play at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, holding 27,000 fans, while San Diego FC call Snapdragon Stadium home, a 32,250-seat ground purpose-built for soccer. 

Up north, both the San Jose Earthquakes and Bay FC share PayPal Park in San Jose, one of the few venues in the country hosting both an MLS and NWSL club. For the biggest rivalry matches, teams move to NFL venues like Levi's Stadium, where crowds regularly exceed 50,000. 

Get Your Tickets: The Easiest Way to Get Through the Gate 

Every California soccer team sells tickets directly through their official website, which is always the safest and most straightforward option. Most MLS clubs use Ticketmaster as their ticketing platform.  

You can buy directly from LA Galaxy, LAFC, San Jose Earthquakes, and San Diego FC. For NWSL, head to Angel City FC and Bay FC. For resale, SeatGeek and StubHub are the most reliable secondary market options if a game is sold out or you want to compare prices. 

USL Championship matches are the most affordable entry point in professional soccer, with tickets often available at the gate. 

Watch from Home: Streaming and TV Options That Actually Make Sense 

Watching from home is easier than ever, but each league lives on different platforms, so it helps to know where to look before kickoff. 

MLS is the simplest. Everything is on Apple TV — every regular-season match, playoff game, and tournament, included with a subscription at $12.99 a month or $99 a year, no blackouts. A handful of matches also air on Fox and FS1 if you prefer traditional TV.  

The NWSL is more spread out, but a lot of it is free. Games land on ABC, CBS, ESPN, and Prime Video, with free streaming options on Victory+ and NWSL+. Chances are you already have access to most of it.  

USL Championship games air on CBS Sports Network and ESPN2, with additional matches streaming on CBS Sports Golazo Network and ESPN+.  

You've got the leagues, the stadiums, the tickets, and the streams. California soccer does the rest.