Major League Soccer announced Wednesday that Minnesota United FC will be its newest expansion franchise, beginning play as early as 2017 if stadium plans are in place.

United FC’s bid beat out competition from the Minnesota Vikings and a group from Sacramento, Calif. Those three groups, and another from Las Vegas, met with league leaders in New York in November and continued to court the league into the spring.

But MLS, which is U.S. professional soccer’s top-tier league, wants to be in Minnesota, and United FC is an existing professional team with a long history. United also is showing results from new owner Bill McGuire’s financial commitment, making the playoffs in the second-tier North American Soccer League last season and playing recognizable international teams in England, the United States and this season’s preseason trip to Brazil.

“We always felt good about the fact of who we were and what we were doing,” McGuire told the Pioneer Press. “We (already) had a soccer team, and we are playing at an increasingly high level and recognized around the country, and, frankly, in other parts of the world, as being a up-and-coming franchise.”

Hundreds of fans turned out for the introductory news conference Wednesday at Target Field. On both sides of the stage, members of United’s Dark Clouds supporters group sang songs, one including the refrain, “The team that nobody wanted is going to MLS!”

That’s in reference to Minnesota Stars club that operated under North American Soccer League ownership in 2012. McGuire purchased it the club and rebranded it as United in 2013.

“I have no doubt that this will be a monster of a soccer market,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. “This could be the biggest event we’ve had in a team launch ever.”

U.S. and MLS star Landon Donovan played with MLS’ San Jose Earthquakes against the Stars in Blaine in 2004 and was surprised by the support on a return visit Wednesday.

“There are three, four, five hundred people here, you realize how special it is,” Donovan said. “They obviously have an incredible ownership group. I got to meet Bill today and some of the other owners; you can tell they are passionate and committed, and it’s hard to think they won’t be successful.”

Garber said McGuire initiated the expansion process about two years ago.

“Bill basically saw what was going on with Major League Soccer, with our new TV deals, and saw that this would be something that made sense and put together a great plan and an unbelievable ownership group,” Garber said. “And made some big commitments on the facility, and that — in a competitive environment — won the day.”

Garber also praised the Vikings’ bid.

“We have a lot of respect for the Wilfs,” he said. “They are great NFL owners and are going to be building one of the great football stadiums anywhere.”

And that was the crux of MLS’ decision: a massive football stadium or a smaller, soccer-specific stadium?

“”It was very much about when you can, in a competitive environment, choose an outdoor, grass, soccer-specific stadium, that trumps the day,” Garber said. “And we believe our league is going to be built, and ultimately be more successful, if we can play in stadiums that are our own.”

Although it’s a few years away, United’s star striker Christian Ramirez said it’s a dream come true to have the opportunity to play in MLS. He heard about a possible announcement a few weeks ago.

“I’ve been biting my tongue a little bit to even tell my parents or anything like that, but it’s exciting,” Ramirez said. “It’s a real testament to the loyalty that Minnesota has showed the team through the various owners, (team) names and now the name is out there that there is a pro team here.”

Follow Andy Greder at twitter.com/andygreder.