Houston Dynamo FC have one of the strangest origin stories in MLS.
When most clubs are founded they begin with an ownership group who have an idea, go through years of planning, then launch with a shiny new badge and a brand new squad of players. Houston Dynamo launched as a fully formed team with players and staff who had been working together for years.
The club has a unique place in MLS history, starting as one of the league’s founding members, before relocating, completely changing their identity, and starting again.
One of the more dominant teams of the late 2000s, Houston Dynamo have a reputation for resilience, toughness, and doing well in knockout competitions, and although they are not one of Major League Soccer’s flashier teams, they are one of its most successful.
Club Statistics and Key Info
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Date founded | December 15, 2005 |
| First Game | Houston Dynamo 5–2 Colorado Rapids, April 2, 2006 |
| Stadium | Shell Energy Stadium |
| Capacity | 20,656 |
| Nicknames | The Orange; La Naranja |
| Rivals | FC Dallas, Austin FC |
| Biggest Win | Houston Dynamo 5–0 FC Dallas, March 12, 2016; matched by Houston Dynamo 5–0 Portland Timbers, August 20, 2023 |
| Biggest Loss | Philadelphia Union 6–0 Houston Dynamo FC, July 30, 2022 |
| Player With Most Appearances | Brad Davis (328) |
| Top Goal Scorer | Brian Ching (69) |
Most Notable Players
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Pat Onstad (2006–2010), Tally Hall (2009–2014) |
| Defenders | Eddie Robinson (2006–2011), Bobby Boswell (2008–2013), Geoff Cameron (2008–2012), DaMarcus Beasley (2014–2019) |
| Midfielders | Brad Davis (2006–2015), Dwayne De Rosario (2006–2008), Ricardo Clark (2006–2009; 2012–2017), Stuart Holden (2006–2009), Boniek García (2012–2021), Héctor Herrera (2022–2024; 2026–), Adalberto Carrasquilla (2022–2024) |
| Forwards | Brian Ching (2006–2013), Will Bruin (2011–2016), Mauro Manotas (2015–2020), Alberth Elis (2017–2020) |
Trophies Won
| Trophy | Years Won |
|---|---|
| MLS Cup | 2006, 2007 |
| Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup | 2018, 2023 |
Why San Jose Earthquakes Became Houston Dynamo
To understand Houston Dynamo, you first have to understand the San Jose Earthquakes. Why? Because the Houston Dynamo used to be the San Jose Earthquakes.
In the early 2000s, San Jose Earthquakes were one of the strongest teams in MLS. They had already won two MLS Cups with Frank Yallop, and added a Supporter’s Shield in 2005 with new head coach, Dominic Kinnear, at the helm. But off the field, the situation was far less rosy.
The club were in serious financial difficulty, not helped by the frequency with which it was changing hands between 1996 and 2002, when AEG took ownership. AEG had only ever seen themselves as temporary owners, holding the fort until a local investor could be found. However, no one was interested, because the club was losing so much money.
The stadium was part of the problem. They played at the ageing Spartan Stadium, a college venue that couldn’t generate much money, and finding a more suitable home was proving next to impossible. This made the club an unattractive investment opportunity, but they needed that investment in order to build a better stadium. It was catch 22.
With no answer on the horizon in California, AEG decided the only solution was to pick the franchise up and drop it down somewhere else entirely. Houston was chosen because it had stronger prospects in terms of local investors, a larger market (more potential fans), and more stadium options. So MLS agreed that the franchise including all staff and players could be moved, but that the history and brand of the San Jose Earthquakes would remain where it was, lying dormant until they could find someone to bring it back to life.
Thus, the San Jose Earthquakes became the Houston Dynamo. Same players, same head coach and staff, same owners, but a completely different brand and location. Houston Dynamo were officially a brand new club, but everything contained within the wrapper was pre-existing.
How They Got their Name
One interesting thing to know about Houston Dynamo is how they got their name. They were actually named twice.
In January 2006, the club announced that they would enter the league as Houston 1836. This was in reference to the year the city of Houston was founded. The issue that quickly became apparent, was that this name would have strong associations with the Texas Revolution and the end of Mexican rule in Texas, which wouldn’t go down well with the large Hispanic community in the area.
By March 2006, the original name was gone and replaced with Houston Dynamo.
The new name was a node to Houston’s energy industry, and their city’s reputation for hard work. It also harked back to another soccer club that had previously played in the area under the same name. An attempt to create a sense of history, perhaps.
The badge has been updated since then and the words ‘Football Club’ added to the name, both to make the club feel more modern, but otherwise, the Houston Dynamo name has served them well.
The Perfect Start: Winning The MLS Cup
Technically, in 2006 Houston Dynamo were a brand new franchise taking part in their inaugural season. But anyone watching them could see that wasn’t really the case.
The team was already a well oiled machine, the only difference was that they now called Texas home. This is why, when they won the MLS Cup in their first season of existence, many soccer fans found it controversial.
Nevertheless, Houston Dynamo had got off to the perfect start.
Kinnear’s system was working brilliantly with players he knew and trusted. Players like Brian Ching, Pat Onstad, Dwayne De Rosario, Ricardo Clark, and Brad Davis made up the spine of the team, creating instant success.
Then they won it again in 2007, making it two for two.
On both occasions they had finished second in their conference, and 3rd and 5th respectively in the overall standings, but their knack for knockout rounds saw them either dominate or grind out wins to bat away their opponents.
The club was instantly established as Major League Soccer’s new powerhouse, validating their relocation from a sporting and business perspective, and also speeding up the process of setting down roots by attracting swathes of new fans who happily adopted the Dynamo as their own, despite where they had come from.
Finding a Permanent Home: Shell Energy Stadium
Although the move to Texas had gone well, Houston Dynamo were still playing at a stadium that was not their own.
The Robertson Stadium on the campus of the University of Houston served as ‘home’ while the club were getting established, but it was only ever supposed to be temporary. A soccer specific stadium that belonged to the club would be essential for long term growth.
That stadium opened for business in 2012, six years after the Dynamo entered MLS.
Located in East Downtown Houston, the Shell Energy Stadium transformed the club’s presence in the city. It was a more central location for a start, it was soccer specific, it was state of the art, at it was a true home for the club, creating one of the league’s most distinctive match day environments thanks to a combination of the intense crowd and the Texas heat. Summer matches in Houston can be brutal, and visiting teams view away matches there as some of the most physically demanding in MLS. The Dynamo players are used to it of course, which can give them a significant home advantage.
Gradual Decline
There were no more trophies in Houston Dynamo’s immediate future, but the team did make it to the MLS Cup final in 2011 and 2012. Dominic Kinnear was still running the team, and their ability to come through knockout competitions was still serving them well. They lost both games to LA Galaxy, but it reminded people how dangerous an opponent they could be.
Sadly for them, this reputation didn’t last much longer.
After a few average seasons they failed to qualify for the playoffs at all in 2014, leading to long time head coach Dominic Kinnear finally departing. Ironically, his next job was head coach of the revived San Jose Earthquakes, so it was a full circle moment for him.
AEG sold the franchise to a group led by Gabriel Brener in 2015, and things went from bad to worse. Houston Dynamo weren’t just failing to qualify for the playoffs, they were finishing close to the bottom of the table, and even won the Wooden Spoon on a number of occasions. Despite this, a few U.S. Open Cup wins in 2018 and 2023 reminded people of their effectiveness in knockout competitions, and added some much needed moments of joy for fans who had begun to get used to suffering nothing but disappointment.
Another change of ownership took place in 2021 when Ted Segal bought a majority stake in the club, and things did briefly improve for a few seasons. So who knows, perhaps Houston Dynamo can relive the glory days in the not to distant future. For now though, theirs is a story of unusual beginnings, remarkable early success, and a painful decline.