Through a quirk in geography, San Diego FC is the only MLS franchise allowed to claim “homegrown players” from another country.
The new club, which begins play next year, is just a few miles from the border. It can claim players from Mexico within 99.9 kilometers (62.1 miles) from their training facility.
But it’s no quirk where those players — and more from their homegrown territory in California, and others around the world who are not part of any other MLS team’s radius (usually 75 miles) — will end up.
They’ll be part of San Diego’s FC “Right to Dream” Academy. Though the new club is nearly a year away from its first MLS match, it has ambitious plans for what could be the most all-encompassing, far-reaching academy program in the entire league.
San Diego’s academy — MLS’s first privately operated residential school for grades 6 through 12 — will be part of a 125,000-square foot building on 28 acres. The first team and academy players will share training and dining facilities. Up to 100 athletes, ages 13 to 18, will eventually live there, from August to June.
The land is owned by the Sycuan indigenous tribe, which is part owner of the club. San Diego FC is also owned by the Mansour Group. The Egyptian conglomerate bought the Right to Dream Academy in 2021.
The Right to Dream Academy was founded in 1999 by Tom Vernon, Manchester United’s former head African scout, as a way to provide soccer and academic opportunities to promising young players, who otherwise could not afford training and education. Five years later, it began sending players to American boarding schools and colleges. The Right to Dream Academy now encompasses facilities in Ghana, Egypt and Denmark.
Mansour did not have to look far for the person to build its San Diego academy. Joaquin Escoto has known Vernon for many years. As the former co-owner of Alianza de Futbol, he helped create a free, national scouting program that connected top young Latino players, who traditionally often lacked avenues for exposure to scouts, with pro clubs (many in Liga MX) and college programs.
The chance to continue that work with a true residency program appealed to the Guadalajara native, who had been recruited to play college soccer at a small San Diego school. He continued his education at Holy Names University in Oakland and Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, where he studied international business. His business acumen led to a partnership with Brad Rothenberg and Richard Copeland, at Alianza de Futbol.
Escoto did not dream of working for an MLS club. But he liked Mansour’s philosophy. And the chance to expand his work with underserved players — backed by the financial power of a professional team — lured him from Northern to Southern California.
Escoto’s challenge now is to build San Diego’s academy from the ground up. They’ll start with U-13 and U-14 players, gradually increasing to full U-18 capacity over three to four years. MLS’s first free girls academy (non-residential) will be added in 2026.
San Diego’s academy will be part of Right to Dream’s worldwide network. In addition to training and school at the new facility, they’ll be able to participate in Right to Dream tournaments around the globe.
Unlike many cutthroat academy programs, Right to Dream does not drop players if their performances falter. “Unless there’s a disciplinary problem, once you’re in, you’re in,” Escoto says. “So we really need to get this first generation right.”
Right to Dream knows that not every player in its program will become a professional. Some choose college pathways. Right to Dream’s website says, “we are as thrilled when someone wins a robotics championship or gets a scholarship to a good school as we are when they score a goal or get a contract” with a soccer club.
Escoto will have other duties as executive vice president of San Diego FC. Beyond building the facility and complex, hiring scouts and developing a middle and high school, he’ll be helping launch an expansion Major League Soccer club.
“It’s a startup. A lot of people are doing a lot of different things,” he notes.
But just as Right to Dream has been focused on long-term results, Escoto says that San Diego FC’s owners have a vision measured in a decade or more. They’re getting ready to field a team next year, and also develop an academy program that will bear fruit for many years to come.
Meanwhile, he is working to get the word out about the Right to Dream Academy: to players within San Diego’s homegrown territory in two countries, and others far away who are not within any other MLS team’s radius.
“We know the talent pool is there,” says Escoto. “We’re looking to bring them in, and give them the opportunity.” In other words: give them the right to dream.
Wish these folks best of luck, even though, I do not understand the obsession with residential academies. Most great soccer players don’t come from academies. Some do – most don’t. The basic player – lives at home – attends academy – local school – even trains some on his/her own. This is a fact.
Having residency is a nice bonus – but not necessary – not cure-all – the answer for some – few – but not all. Good luck in the endeavor!