The idea was a novel one: An experienced local ownership group in one of the fastest-growing regions in the country partners with an established MLS club to form an organization that will both put a high-quality product on the field and have energized local fan and business support.

In 2016, Rio Grande Valley FC took to the field for the first time, and quickly became the success those within both the local ownership group led by Alonzo Cantu, the Houston Dynamo organization and the USL’s management believed it would be.

With strong crowds in attendance at Toro Stadium, as the club’s state-of-the-art H-E-B Park was constructed, the team put in an excellent inaugural season. RGV finished second in the USL’s Western Conference with an exciting brand of soccer led by Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera.