The San Francisco Soccer Football League or SFSFL, established in 1902, is "the oldest American soccer league in continuous existence."
The SFSFL is a men's semi-professional and amateur soccer league consisting of teams from San Francisco, California and surrounding cities in the Bay Area. The SFSFL is affiliated with the United States Adult Soccer Association region IV California Soccer Association-North and regularly sends teams to the National Amateur Cup. SFSFL teams have won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup four times.
History Established in 1902 as the California Football Association, the SFSFL is the oldest soccer league continuously operating in the United States, pre-dating even the 1913 foundation of the United States Soccer Federation. The next-oldest U.S. leagues, the Cosmopolitan Soccer League of New York City and the National Soccer League of Chicago, were formed in 1923 and 1938, respectively. With several community leaders and soccer enthusiasts, alike, they created football (soccer) clubs, such as: Pickwicks, Pastimes, Barbarians, Hornets, Vampires, American Rifles, Independents, Albion Rovers and the Thistles FC. These clubs help lay the foundation for organized adult soccer which led to the inception of the SFSFL. Teams played soccer matches on Sundays, competing with teams as far north as Sacramento when transportation was only by ferry-boat. Over time, the SFSFL helped launch the California Soccer Association and would compete in the first California State Cup in 1904. Dominating the national soccer scene from the earliest days, SFSFL teams have won four Lamar Hunt US Open Cup and numerous state and national titles, and hosted and played international. The SFSFL would be known across the country, producing memorable clubs, players, personalities, all-star games and national champions. SFSFL members have been inducted into both the US Soccer and CSAN Halls of Fame for contributing to the game.
Some of the league's earliest teams still in operation are: Olympic Club (1916) SFIAC (1917) SF Vikings SC (1922) Club Peru (1926)
Organization
The league currently has three divisions, playing from March through November. Premier Division games are played at Boxer Stadium. Other divisions split games between Crocker Amazon Park, West Sunset, Beach Chalet, and the Polo Fields in Golden Gate Park.
Each team is individually owned and team owners approve new team membership. Annual divisional promotion and relegation occur keeping teams competitive. Division winners are awarded a permanent trophy with teams' names placed on the century-old trophy as well as awarded prize money. Players are granted amateur status preserving NCAA eligibility. Standard FIFA games laws are used. Teams are allowed 22 roster players, of whom 17 can play on game day. A three-referee crew are assigned to each match. Elite officials from FIFA to the state level travel across California to officiate in the SFSFL.
2026 team list This is a list of the participants in the 2026 season:
Premier Division
Club Marin International San Francisco Lands End FC Olympic Club Mexicali San Francisco Celtic San Francisco City San Francisco Elite SC San Francisco Glens San Francisco Hibernian FC San Francisco Italian AC San Francisco Vikings SC
Majors Division
Azteca FC CD San Nicolás Club Tepa Deportivo Cometa Indy Athletic FC Inter San Francisco FC Jabronis Oakland SC San Francisco Corinthians San Francisco Glens SF Young Boys Valencia Street Rovers
First Division
7x7 Club Deportivo Berenice SC Bluff City FC C.A. San Francisco El Farolito FC Jabronis Inter San Francisco Kopê FC Norcal Shockwaves FC Peninsula FC Persepolis SF San Francisco Glens (u-23)
Former clubs
DZ United Juventus F.C. San Francisco Fog Sport Alianza FC Tornado Sport & Social Club United SC Club Marin FC Dirty Birds Innisfree FC MCFC Melchester Rovers FC Oakland Leopards FC Olympic Club San Francisco Battery FC Total Football FC Cobras FC Oakland SC
Notes
Champions SeasonPremier ChampionMajors Division ChampionFirst Division Champion1953Greek-American A.C.1958Greek-American A.C.1961Greek-American A.C.1967Greek-American A.C.1969Greek-American A.C.1970Greek-American A.C.1971Greek-American A.C.1973Greek-American A.C.1978Greek-American A.C.San Francisco Glens1979San Francisco Glens1981Greek-American A.C.1983Greek-American A.C.1984San Francisco Glens1985Greek-American A.C.1986Greek-American A.C.1987Greek-American A.C.1988Greek-American A.C.1989Greek-American A.C.1990San Francisco Glens1991Greek-American A.C.1992El Farolito Soccer Club1993El Farolito Soccer Club1994Greek-American A.C.1995Greek-American A.C.1996El Farolito Soccer Club1999El Farolito Soccer Club2001El Farolito Soccer ClubSan Francisco Glens2003El Farolito Soccer Club2011Deportivo GIMSSF CelticSF City FC2012Mezcala SCTyneside FCBerenice Reserves2013Mezcala SCBay City RoversKezar FC2014Olympic ClubOlympic Club ReservesSF Battery2015El FarolitoSF City FC BlackPrimero de Mayo2016Olympic ClubBereniceTotal Football FC2017El Farolito Soccer ClubSF Celtic SCInnisfree FC2018Olympic ClubSF Battery FCSF Metropolitan FC2019Olympic ClubSF Metropolitan FCCantalao-Peru2020El Farolito Soccer ClubSF Celtic SCInnisfree FC2021SF VikingsSan Francisco Glens2022SF Italian Athletic ClubInternational San FranciscoSF Young Boys2023Olympic ClubSF Metro Elite FCOakland SC Dev2024SFIACSF Young BoysSF Glens SC U232025Olympic ClubMexicali FCValencia Street Rovers
Notable Members Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Champions: 1976 San Francisco Italian Athletic Club 1985 Greek-American AC 1993 El Farolito Soccer Club 1994 Greek-American AC National Amateur Cup Finalists: 1979 San Francisco Glens 1990 San Francisco Glens 1991 El Farolito Soccer Club National Soccer Hall of Fame members: Matthew Boxer (1961) Ernie Feibusch (1984) Stephen Negoesco (2003)
United States men's national soccer team coach Lothar Osiander
United States men's national soccer team capped players: Alexi Lalas John Doyle C.J.Brown Troy Dayak Peter Woodring Christopher Sullivan Alberto Cruz Major League Soccer players: John Doyle Troy Dayak C.J.Brown Peter Woodring Johnny Moore Christopher Sullivan Marquis White
References
External links