Our Club

California Rugby Unites

San Diego Legion and Rugby Football Club Los Angeles (RFCLA) united on July 30, 2025, to create The California Legion, a newly formed professional rugby entity set to compete in the 2026 Major League Rugby (MLR) season.

The California Legion maintains a strong presence in Southern California, featuring matches across San Diego, Los Angeles, and Orange County, solidifying the new club’s vision of becoming a true representative of professional rugby in California.

The unveiling of the new franchise marks the beginning of a long-term strategy to create alignment across all levels of the sport within the state.

The unification that formed the California Legion also saw the expansion of The Legion Community Foundation.

The Foundation will expand its tactical initiatives, which include establishing Flag Rugby leagues in regions where school leadership supports CIF-sanctioned play—designed not only to grow participation but also to build sustainable pathways for young players into high school, collegiate rugby, MLR, the USA Eagles, and beyond.

It will transition from a general community engagement model to a targeted, impact-driven strategy. Its focus will include expanding boys’ and girls’ high school rugby, advancing men’s and women’s community college rugby, supporting the elevation of women’s rugby to NCAA Championship status, and launching an annual California Youth Rugby Summit beginning in 2026—all guided by a statewide development agenda aimed at achieving long-term structural change in youth and collegiate rugby.

San Diego Legion History

The San Diego Legion was a professional rugby team that proudly represented the vibrant city of San Diego in Major League Rugby (MLR) until 2025.

Established in 2017, the Legion became a cornerstone of San Diego’s sports scene, drawing crowds of passionate supporters. As ambassadors of the sport in Southern California, the Legion embraced its role in fostering community engagement and spreading the love of rugby throughout the region.

Driven by a central mission to provide an electrifying and family-friendly game-day experience, the San Diego Legion united fans of all ages and backgrounds in celebration of the sport. Through dedicated community outreach initiatives, the Legion embodied the values of tradition, respect, and camaraderie—both on and off the pitch.

A truly global brand, the SD Legion attracted some of the sport’s biggest names, including England captain Chris Robshaw, All Blacks legend Ma'a Nonu, Wallabies great Matt Giteau, and a host of USA Eagles test players.

The Legion were runners-up in the 2019 and 2023 season championships.

In July 2025, it was announced that the San Diego Legion and Rugby Football Club Los Angeles would merge to form a single, statewide rugby franchise: The California Legion.

Rugby Football Club Los Angeles History

Rugby Football Club Los Angeles (RFCLA) was founded in 2023 and made its official Major League Rugby debut in the 2024 season. Representing the heart of Southern California’s sporting scene, RFCLA proudly called two iconic venues home during its two seasons: AEG’s state-of-the-art Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA, and the intimate, energetic Wallis Annenberg Stadium on the UCLA campus. These venues offered a perfect blend of professional-grade infrastructure and community atmosphere, helping RFCLA make an immediate impact both on and off the field.

The club’s origins trace back to Atlanta, Georgia. Following the 2023 MLR season, a transformative chapter began when the team was acquired by a new Los Angeles-based ownership group composed of seasoned leaders from the sports and entertainment industries. With strong ties to the region and a shared vision for innovation and community engagement, the group saw a unique opportunity to grow the game of rugby in one of the most dynamic and diverse sports markets in the world.

RFCLA’s visual identity reflected a passionate direction rooted in legacy but reimagined for the future. The team’s logo paid homage to the iconic Art Deco aesthetic that defines much of Los Angeles’ architectural and cultural history. Framed by the outline of an acorn—a symbol of strength, resilience, and growth—the design also referenced the mighty oak, speaking to the foundational strength the organization brought to the MLR landscape.

The club’s second season proved to be a breakout year in every sense. On the field, RFCLA delivered thrilling performances and climbed the standings, ultimately earning a coveted spot in the MLR conference semi-finals. While the team fell just short in a hard-fought match against the Houston SaberCats, their playoff appearance marked a significant milestone in the franchise’s young history and laid the groundwork for a strong rugby fanbase in Southern California.

Off the field, RFCLA quickly established itself as one of the most exciting and fast-growing brands in Major League Rugby. The 2024 season saw record-breaking attendance at several home games, a sharp rise in membership engagement, and a growing community of passionate supporters across Southern California. Through youth engagement initiatives, grassroots partnerships, and bold fan experiences, the club set a new standard for professional rugby in the U.S.

LA Giltinis

RFCLA was the second MLR team to occupy the Greater Los Angeles area, following the LA Giltinis, who dominated in 2021 and 2022, becoming the first professional sports team in North America to win a championship in its inaugural season (2021).

The Giltinis were disqualified in 2022 for breaching league competition rules, and no professional rugby was played in Los Angeles that following season.