It’s the news that all soccer fans in San Diego have been waiting to hear and was finally made official when it was announced that Albion San Diego Professional SC will play San Diego Loyal in the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on April 6 at Canyon Crest Academy Stadium. This will be the first time both sides square off as part of an official tournament in what is already being dubbed the “San Diego Derby.”

This will also be Albion San Diego’s first season as part of the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) having previously competed for their entire history in the National Premier Soccer League with their home games being at Mission Bay High School.

On the flip side, San Diego Loyal will be entering its third season as part of USL Championship with soccer legend Landon Donovan as head coach has taken the team to the first round of the playoffs last year.

“We are excited to play in the U.S. Open Cup as it’s a great competition that unfortunately we didn’t get to see the past two seasons,” said San Diego Loyal president Ricardo  Campos. “Should be a fun game for San Diego soccer fans.”

Canyon Crest Academy has a maximum capacity of 5,000 fans with the site expected to undergo additions to seating capacity in order to accommodate the large contingent of fans expected for the match.

“This is a game we have wanted for the last year and excited to see the matchup set,” said Albion San Diego CEO and executive director Noah Gins. “We know who we are, rooted deeply in San Diego, we are excited to play in the U.S. Open Cup before what should be an incredible San Diego fan base.”

Canyon Crest Academy Stadium was most recently home to 1904 FC during the 2021 NISA fall season before the team’s merger with Albion San Diego was announced last December.

“We’ve been looking forward to a San Diego Derby since 2019 when a USL team in San Diego was a possibility,” said Albion co-owner and CFO Paul Redfern. “There is a lot of excitement around the game, our fans, and certainly the large San Diego Loyal following who want to be at the match. We are looking at a number of ways to increase the excitement, energy, and enjoyment for those that will attend.”

Jeff “Ziggy” Korytoski, who led the team for several seasons before moving on to coach Antigua GFC in Guatemala, is coming back to lead Albion San Diego again in 2022. In his final full season as head coach in 2019, they were crowned NPSL West Region champions earning a trip to the national semifinal.

“I don’t think this will be a team that backs down from anybody,” he said. “We want to build a culture of excellence, a culture that wants to win and a culture that understands the responsibility when they step on the field.”