Houston Dynamo at PNC Stadium
Dynamo is the perfect name for this Houston soccer team, one that exploded from the residue of a tumultuous move and became a great U.S. soccer club, winning multiple championships in its few short years of existence.
Based in Houston, Texas, the Dynamo compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the Western Conference. The team was established in 2005 when the Anschutz Entertainment Group — owners of the San Jose Earthquakes — moved the team to Houston after failing to find a new stadium in San Jose. Set up as an expansion team in MLS, the Dynamo began playing in 2006. They are owned by a group comprising Gabriel Brener, Jake Silverstein, Ben Guill, and world boxing champion Oscar de la Hoya.
Houston Dynamo History
The Dynamo's first home games were played at Robertson Stadium at the University of Houston from 2006 to 2011. During that time, they won the MLS Cup in 2006 and 2007, their first two seasons. They would be runners-up in 2011 and 2012. They were also Supporters' Shield runners-up in 2008.
In 2012, the Dynamo started playing at BBVA Stadium, a Houston arena shared with the Houston Dash of the National Women's Soccer League and Texas Southern University football. The Dynamo won the U.S. Open Cup in 2018 and also became the first American club to play in Mexico at the CONCACAF, a championship spanning North and Central America and the Caribbean.
The Dynamo's main rival is FC Dallas, who they play in the Texas Derby, which was established in 2006. Each game, the winner of the Derby gets "El Capitán," a replica 18th-century cannon. The Dynamo are also intra-league rivals with Sporting Kansas City.
Dominic Kinnear was the Dynamo's first head coach and led them from 2005 until 2014, bringing them their two championships. They are currently coached by Ben Olsen.