SAN DIEGO — Ricardo Campos, the president of the San Diego Loyal, is joining the city’s new Major League Soccer expansion franchise.

MLS San Diego announced Friday that Campos would join the club as Executive Vice President, Club Operations with a focus on overseeing brand, community, retail and facility operations.

“I am thrilled to welcome Ricardo [Campos] as our Executive Vice President of Club Operations,” said a quote attributed to San Diego MLS CEO Tom Penn, CEO. “Ricardo’s wealth of experience, strong tie to the San Diego community and leadership qualities make him the ideal choice for this crucial role.”

Campos was the first employee hired by the Loyal after San Diego was awarded a USL Championship franchise in June 2019. He was initially hired as the club’s VP of Operations and General Manager before being announced as Club President in Jan. 2022, the Loyal said.

“Ricardo has been championing the club’s values with us from day one,” said Chairman Andrew Vassiliadis in a news release. “I can’t thank him enough for representing our crest, our organization and this city the right way which he has done beautifully throughout his tenure. I’m thrilled he will continue to consult with us for the remainder of our season.”

Campos will remain with the Loyal as a consultant for the remainder of the season. In August, the Loyal announced that they would shut down following the 2023 season.

“It is an absolute honor to join the team at San Diego MLS,” said Campos. “I’m thankful for the opportunity to join the team and be a part of building a football club that is a reflection of this uniquely diverse community in San Diego. The ability to help shape a club is something very unique, even more once I’ve gotten to know about the club vision and the ownership group. I am excited about the future of football in San Diego and what we will accomplish together.”

The San Diego MLS expansion franchise will begin play in 2025 at Snapdragon Stadium.