San Diego FC Advances Past Pumas in CONCACAF Champions Cup

U.S. U-17 team qualifies for World Cup, Tyler Adams returns, and Pellegrino Matarazzo's remarkable run with Real Sociedad

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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San Diego FC was the first MLS team to play official games in 2026, defeating Pumas over two legs in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. In Europe, there was good news and bad news to report on players and coaches, including Tyler Adams' return to the Bournemouth squad and Pellegrino Matarazzo's undefeated start with Real Sociedad. The U.S. U-17 team also qualified for the 2026 U-17 World Cup.

Why it matters

The CONCACAF Champions Cup is a key tournament for MLS teams to test themselves against their Liga MX counterparts, and San Diego FC's victory over Pumas is an encouraging sign for the league. The performances of young American players like Luca Bombino and the continued success of coaches like Pellegrino Matarazzo are also important developments for the U.S. national team program. The U-17 team's World Cup qualification is a positive step for the future of American soccer.

The details

San Diego FC lost the second leg 1-0 in Mexico City but prevailed 4-2 on aggregate, with goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega making several key saves. In the first leg, San Diego's young players like Luca Bombino, Alex Mighten, David Vazquez, and Manu Duah scored the goals. Tyler Adams made his return to the Bournemouth squad after recovering from an MCL injury, while Pellegrino Matarazzo's undefeated start with Real Sociedad continued with a 1-0 win over Athletic Club in the Copa del Rey semifinals. The U.S. U-17 team qualified for the 2026 World Cup with a 1-1 draw against the Dominican Republic.

  • On February 11, 2026, San Diego FC lost 1-0 to Pumas in Mexico City but advanced 4-2 on aggregate.
  • On February 12, 2026, Tyler Adams made his return to the Bournemouth matchday squad in a 2-1 win over Everton.
  • On February 11, 2026, the U.S. U-17 team qualified for the 2026 U-17 World Cup with a 1-1 draw against the Dominican Republic.

The players

Luca Bombino

A left back for San Diego FC and a member of the 2025 U.S. U-20 World Cup team, Bombino is eligible to play for the U.S. Olympic team in 2028.

Mikey Varas

The head coach of San Diego FC, who guided the team to the top seed in the Western Conference playoffs last year and is now looking to make a run in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Tyler Adams

The 2022 U.S. World Cup captain, who returned to the Bournemouth matchday squad after recovering from an MCL injury.

Pellegrino Matarazzo

The American manager of Real Sociedad, who has led the team to an undefeated start in his first nine games, including a win over Athletic Club in the Copa del Rey semifinals.

Malik Jakupovic

The Philadelphia Union player who scored the lone goal for the U.S. U-17 team in their 1-1 draw against the Dominican Republic, helping the team qualify for the 2026 U-17 World Cup.

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What they’re saying

“We didn't defend well. It's just not acceptable how we defended as a team – just jogging around, not in the duels, not in the second balls.”

— Oliver Glasner, Crystal Palace manager (TNT)

What’s next

San Diego FC will face Toluca of Mexico in the next round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, with the first leg taking place on March 11 in California and the return leg on March 18 in Mexico at the high-altitude Estadio Nemesio Díez.

The takeaway

San Diego FC's victory over Pumas in the CONCACAF Champions Cup is an encouraging sign for MLS, as the league looks to make inroads against its Liga MX counterparts. The performances of young American players like Luca Bombino and the continued success of coaches like Pellegrino Matarazzo also bode well for the future of the U.S. national team program. The U-17 team's World Cup qualification is another positive step in the development of American soccer.