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SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - San Francisco City FC continues its contribution to the growth of Bay Area soccer and will play in the Premier Development League (PDL) in 2016. The club has been awarded a franchise in the Premier Development League for the 2016 season and helps steer the club and its loyal members toward potential professional expansion
"It became clear that joining the PDL was the best next step for the Club to reach the ultimate goal of competing at the professional level," San Francisco City Football Club President Jacques Pelham said in a press release. "The PDL offers the highest level of amateur competition in North America, with a highly successful track record of developing future professional players."
Indeed, the PDL has a history dating back more than two decades that has helped top-level players rise to the professional ranks, with alumni such as U.S. Men's National Team members Brad Guzan, DeAndre Yedlin, Gyasi Zardes, and Geoff Cameron.
Twelve of the PDL's current membership are partnered by an MLS or USL club, including the San Jose Earthquakes U23 affiliate the Burlingame Dragons. SF City FC looks set to face the Dragons in 2016, as they will both compete in the PDL's Western Conference.
The majority of the club's home contests will be played at historic Kezar Stadium, where they recently qualified for the first round of the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, navigating their way through a difficult qualification process past local rivals El Farolito and Davis Legacy. The 4-3 victory over Davis was a thriller in which midfielder, and captain, Johannes Demarzi settled the tie after SF City FC fought from behind three times in the match. Their next round match will be played in the first week of April, with the location and opponent still to be determined.
A celebration of the supporter-owned club's next step toward professional expansion will take place January 23rd, 2016, when SF City FC host a celebration and forum at The Hall SF, located at 1028 Market Street in San Francisco, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. SFCFC invites all members of the community to attend this historic announcement.
