The United Soccer League wants to build a stadium to accommodate 5,000 spectators.
Professional soccer is eyeing the Sonoma County Fairgrounds as a potential site for matches and events.
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors this week approved a Letter of Intent with the United Soccer League—the largest professional soccer organization in the U.S.—launching a process to evaluate the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, and other county-owned properties in Santa Rosa, for a potential new multi-purpose stadium and mixed-use entertainment district, county officials announced this week. The City of Santa Rosa has a similar agreement with USL.
USL has expressed interest in Santa Rosa as a potential expansion market for professional men’s and women’s soccer—and the county-owned fairgrounds has emerged as a potential location. The league is looking to build a stadium that would host at least 5,000 spectators. To finance the project, the county anticipates the league will propose a mixed-use entertainment district that would include housing, retail and other uses.
The agreement doesn’t commit the county to any funding or proposal agreement but allows the soccer league to study the fairgrounds for consideration of design ideas and financing. The negotiating period runs through Sept. 17, 2026.
Board of Supervisors Chair Lynda Hopkins said she’s excited by the possibilities. “Professional soccer has the potential to bring new energy and activity to the site, and we’re committed to working closely with the community as we explore what this could look like,” Hopkins said in a statement from the county announcing the agreement.
The board allocated $30,000 for public engagement and legal review, and also agreed to form an ad hoc committee, led by Supervisors Rebecca Hermosillo and Chris Coursey, which will guide staff as the County evaluates a potential public-private partnership with USL to develop a professional soccer stadium at the fairgrounds. A series of public meetings will take place in early 2026 to gather public input on the potential for sports complex.
