SAN DIEGO — After months of speculation, it appears to be happening: Major League Soccer is expected to announce San Diego as the site for its new expansion team on Thursday.

The announcement is believed to be coming during a news conference Thursday morning at Snapdragon Stadium — the prospective home of the league’s 30th franchise — with the MLS commissioner, members from the team’s ownership group and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria.

In a release to local media, the nature of the conference was to “make a significant announcement about the future of soccer in San Diego.”

The expansion franchise would begin play in February 2025 at the 35,000-capacity Mission Valley stadium, the San Diego Union Tribune reported.

The new team’s ownership group will be led by the local Sycuan band of the Kumeyaay Nation, as well as the London-based Mansour Group.

With over a year until the team’s opening draft, details about what the team itself — include name, crest and location of a proposed “youth academy” — are not expected to be released in the coming months.

A new MLS team will be the seventh addition to Snapdragon Stadium’s event repertoire, joining other sports teams like Aztecs’ football, the San Diego Wave of the National Women’s Soccer League and the professional rugby team, San Diego Legion.

It is not known at this time how the MLS announcement might impact the USL Championship men’s soccer team, the San Diego Loyal.

In a statement, Loyal owner Andrew Vassiliadis said that they are aware of the intention to launch another soccer club in San Diego, but had no intention to relocate amid the news.

“Our unwavering commitment is to the vision of growing soccer in this city, and we want to make that abundantly clear,” Vassiliadis said. “San Diego, we are one with you. Our love for this city runs deep. This is our home, and we are proud to be part of its rich and diverse fabric. Our plan is simple. We aren’t going anywhere.”