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San Diego FC did not waste any time securing the architect behind its early success.
The club announced Tuesday that Sporting Director Tyler Heaps has signed a multi-year contract extension, a move that signals stability and belief in the long-term project after a record-setting inaugural MLS campaign.
“Tyler’s vision and leadership have been instrumental in shaping the foundation of this Club,” said SDFC CEO Tom Penn. “His commitment to building the right culture and setting a clear direction has positioned SDFC for long-term success. What we’ve accomplished so far is only the beginning, and I believe that under his leadership the Club will continue to grow and achieve lasting success in the years to come.”
From day one, Heaps has been at the center of building this club from the ground up. Appointed in August 2024 as SDFC’s first-ever Sporting Director and GM, he was tasked with constructing the entire soccer side of the organization — from hiring the club’s first head coach and technical staff to assembling a 25-player roster for the debut season.
The results speak for themselves.
The club set MLS expansion records with 19 wins and 63 points, earned the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, and advanced all the way to the Western Conference Final. Only one other expansion side in league history — the 1998 Chicago Fire — has reached that stage in its first season.
Before arriving in San Diego, Heaps built a strong reputation within the global Right to Dream network, serving as Group Head of Recruitment and Insights. In that role, he helped shape recruitment strategy for both FC Nordsjælland and SDFC while integrating data and analytics systems to modernize player evaluation and long-term planning.
Prior to Right to Dream, Heaps worked at AS Monaco as Head of Analysis and Insights, contributing to recruitment and performance strategy during a period that saw the club qualify twice for the UEFA Europa League and secure a third-place Ligue 1 finish.
His background also includes six years with U.S. Soccer, where he built and led the federation’s analytics department across senior and youth national teams. He was part of the staff that supported the U.S. Women’s National Team’s 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup triumph.
A Minnesota native with a degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from Augsburg College, Heaps’ path into soccer leadership began in analytics and finance before transitioning full-time into the sporting world — blending data-driven insight with long-term strategic planning.
“From the very beginning, our goal was to build something meaningful for this city and to lay the right foundation for long-term success,” said SDFC Sporting Director and General Manager Tyler Heaps. “I’m incredibly proud of the work that has gone into building this Club from its inception through our first season – from assembling our staff and roster to seeing the connection grow between the team and our supporters. The way San Diego has embraced this Club has been truly special, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue building on that momentum as we push this project forward.”
Now, with his extension secured, SDFC enters 2026 with continuity at the top and momentum on the field — a combination that should excite everyone at SDFC Nation.
