HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Houston Dynamo FC (formerly officially, but still commonly, called the Houston Dynamo) is an American professional soccer club based in
Houston Houston (; ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in Texas, the Southern United States#Major cities, most populous city in the Southern United States, the List of United States cities by population, fourth-most pop ...
. The Dynamo compete in
Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Cana ...
(MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. Established on December 15, 2005, the club was founded after their former owners relocated the
San Jose Earthquakes The San Jose Earthquakes are an American professional soccer team based in San Jose, California. The Earthquakes compete as a member club of the Western Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). Originally as the San Jose Clash, the franchis ...
' players and staff to Houston following the 2005 season. For their first six seasons in Houston, the Dynamo were based at Robertson Stadium on the campus of the
University of Houston The University of Houston (UH) is a Public university, public research university in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1927, UH is a member of the University of Houston System and the List of universities in Texas by enrollment, university in Texas ...
. During the 2012 season, the club moved to PNC Stadium, a soccer-specific stadium in East Downtown Houston. The club is majority owned by Ted Segal, who fully controls ownership after buying out his remaining minority partners in August 2022. The Houston Dynamo have been
MLS Cup The MLS Cup is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Cup Playoffs. The game is held in November and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Conference ...
champions twice, winning during their first two seasons in 2006 and
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto ...
. The club has also won the
U.S. Open Cup The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, commonly known as the U.S. Open Cup (USOC), is a Single-elimination tournament, knockout cup competition in men's Soccer in the United States, soccer in the United States of America. It is the oldest ongoing nati ...
once, in 2018. They have been MLS Cup runners-up twice, in 2011 and
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
, and
Supporters' Shield The Supporters' Shield is an annual award given to the Major League Soccer team with the best regular season record, as determined by the MLS points system. The Supporters' Shield has been annually awarded at the MLS Supporters' Summit since 19 ...
runners-up once in
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing ...
. The Dynamo have also reached the final of the now defunct North American SuperLiga, finishing as runners-up following a defeat against the
New England Revolution The New England Revolution is an American professional soccer club based in the Greater Boston area that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), in the Eastern Conference of the league. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having compet ...
.


History


Bringing an MLS club to Space City

MLS Commissioner Don Garber revealed on November 16, 2005, that the league had granted permission to
San Jose Earthquakes The San Jose Earthquakes are an American professional soccer team based in San Jose, California. The Earthquakes compete as a member club of the Western Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). Originally as the San Jose Clash, the franchis ...
' owners
Anschutz Entertainment Group The Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), also known as AEG Worldwide, is an American global sporting and music entertainment presenter and a subsidiary of The Anschutz Corporation. It is the world's largest owner of sports teams and sports even ...
to relocate the team for the 2006 season, giving the entertainment giant 30 days to make a decision. Garber was in Houston and spoke with the media before an international friendly between
Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...
and
Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Mac ...
at Reliant Stadium, citing Houston as a next destination for an MLS club whether the Earthquakes moved or not. On December 15, 2005, Major League Soccer announced that all players and coaches under contract to the Earthquakes would move to Houston. The Earthquakes name, colors and competition records were retained by the league for a possible expansion team. That team would take the field in 2008. As a result, the Earthquakes are now reckoned as having suspended operations in 2006 and 2007, while the Dynamo are reckoned as a 2006 expansion team. A ceremony was held outside Houston City Hall on December 16, 2005, to officially announce the franchise's arrival.
Mayor Bill White William Howard White (born June 16, 1954) is an American attorney, businessman and politician who was the 60th mayor of Houston from 2004 to 2010. He was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Texas in the 2010 election, in which he lost to incu ...
joined city council members, Harris County officials, local soccer organizers and fans in welcoming team coach Dominic Kinnear and players Pat Onstad and Wade Barrett with cowboy boots and hats. It was disclosed that the team would train and play at the
University of Houston The University of Houston (UH) is a Public university, public research university in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1927, UH is a member of the University of Houston System and the List of universities in Texas by enrollment, university in Texas ...
's Robertson Stadium on a three-year lease with the university earning a percentage of the revenues from concessions, parking and other sources. In an immediate effort to plant roots in the community, AEG president and CEO Tim Leiweke announced former
Houston Oilers The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston from its founding in 1960 to 1996 before relocating to Memphis, and later Nashville, Tennessee becoming the Tennessee Titans. The Oilers began play in 1960 a ...
quarterback Oliver Luck as the team's president and general manager. A previous NFL Europe executive, Luck had served as the head of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority since 2001 and was instrumental in pursuing an MLS team for the city while also overseeing the construction of
Minute Maid Park Minute Maid Park is a retractable roof stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. It opened in 2000 as the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Houston Astros. It has a seating capacity of 41,168, which includes 5,197 club seats and 63 lu ...
(home of the Astros), Reliant Stadium (home to the
Texans A Texan is a person associated with Texas, US. Texan may also refer to: Aircraft * T-6 Texan, World War II era training plane * T-6 Texan II, airplane used by the United States Air Force for basic pilot training * Fly Synthesis Texan, an Ita ...
) and the Toyota Center (home to the
Rockets A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to accelerate without using the surrounding air. A rocket engine produces thrust by reaction to exhaust expelled at high speed. Rocket engines work entire ...
) during his tenure.


Early years (2006–10)

The newly relocated Houston team was named Houston 1836, paying homage to the city's founding date and the logo featured a silhouette of the Statue of Sam Houston, in Hermann Park. Immediate backlash to the 1836 was voiced by the Mexican community claiming that date, the year of the Texas Revolution was not a date that should be celebrated. Ownership, more concerned with the Mexican fans than the native Houstonians, decided to change the name to the Houston Dynamo stripping the franchise of the Sam Houston logo. The Dynamo played their first regular season game on April 2, 2006, at Robertson Stadium in front of a crowd of 25,462. The Dynamo beat
Colorado Rapids The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver metropolitan area. The Rapids compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. Founded in 1995, as part of the Anschutz Corporation, ...
5–2, with Brian Ching scoring four goals, with all four assisted by Dwayne De Rosario. The Dynamo finished their first season with an 11–8–13 record, earning them second place in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, they eliminated both Chivas USA and the Rapids 3–1, in the Western Conference to advance to the MLS Cup. The championship match was scoreless until the second half of extra time, when New England's Taylor Twellman scored. One minute later, Brian Ching headed in the tying goal for Houston. The cup final became the first time in MLS history, that was decided by a penalty shootout. Houston beat the New England Revolution 4–3 on penalty kicks to win the 2006 MLS Cup. Kelly Gray and Stuart Holden scored Houston's first two penalty kicks. Dwayne De Rosario and Brian Ching scored the last two. By winning the 2006 MLS Cup, Houston qualified for the 2007 CONCACAF Champions Cup for the first time in club history.


Back to Back Champions

Houston began the 2007 season by competing in the
2007 CONCACAF Champions' Cup The 2007 CONCACAF Champions' Cup was the 42nd edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CONCACAF region (North America, Central America and the Caribbean), the CONCACAF Champions' Cup. It determined that year's cl ...
. After winning a quarterfinal against Costa Rican team Puntarenas F.C., Houston exited the competition in the semifinals, beating Mexican team
Pachuca Pachuca (; ote, Nju̱nthe), formally known as Pachuca de Soto, is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of Hidalgo. It is located in the south-central part of the state. Pachuca de Soto is also the name of the municipality of whi ...
2–0 in the first leg but losing 5–2 after extra time in the return leg. Houston began its 2007 MLS league season with shutouts against Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA. The team would continue to struggle in the regular season. During the season, Houston made some significant trades. They traded
Kevin Goldthwaite Kevin Goldthwaite (born December 9, 1982) is a former American soccer player who last played as a defender for Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer. Career College After graduating from Christian Brothers High School (Sacramento, California ...
and a first-round pick in the 2008 SuperDraft to
Toronto FC Toronto Football Club (commonly known as Toronto FC or TFC) is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home matches at BM ...
for Richard Mulrooney. The team also traded Alejandro Moreno to
Columbus Crew The Columbus Crew, formerly known as Columbus Crew SC, is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio. The Crew competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference and began play in 1996 as on ...
in exchange for Joseph Ngwenya. And they traded Kelly Gray to Los Angeles Galaxy for Nate Jaqua. After winning against
FC Dallas FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The club competes as a member of the Western Conference in Major League Soccer (MLS). The franchise began play in 1996 as a charter club of the leag ...
, Houston began an unbeaten streak of eleven games and a shutout streak of 726 minutes, an MLS record. Following their comebck, Houston finished as the second seed in the regular season clinching the
2007 MLS Cup Playoffs The 2007 MLS Cup Playoffs was the postseason to Major League Soccer's 2007 season, and it concluded with MLS Cup 2007 on November 18, 2007 at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C. The Houston Dynamo were victorious for the secon ...
. Their first opponent in the playoff were rivals FC Dallas. Dallas won the first leg 1–0, but Houston won the second leg at Robertson Stadium, 4–1 in extra time, to win 4–2 on aggregate. Houston faced the
Kansas City Wizards Sporting Kansas City, often shortened to Sporting KC, is an American men's professional soccer club based in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The administrative offices are located in Downtown Kansas City, Missouri, and the team clubhouse an ...
in the Western Conference final, winning 2–0 to advance to the
MLS Cup The MLS Cup is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Cup Playoffs. The game is held in November and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Conference ...
championship game for the second year in a row. Just like in 2006, Houston faced the
New England Revolution The New England Revolution is an American professional soccer club based in the Greater Boston area that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), in the Eastern Conference of the league. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having compet ...
for the championship. Houston won 2–1 on a game-winning goal by Dwayne De Rosario in the second half, thus winning their second MLS Cup in a row.


Partnership with Golden Boy promotions

Late in 2007,
Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Cana ...
informed Dynamo owners
Anschutz Entertainment Group The Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), also known as AEG Worldwide, is an American global sporting and music entertainment presenter and a subsidiary of The Anschutz Corporation. It is the world's largest owner of sports teams and sports even ...
that they should divest their interest in the Dynamo, as they wanted each ownership group to own only one team. AEG also owns the Los Angeles Galaxy. On November 21, 2007, it was announced that AEG was in negotiations to sell the Dynamo to a partnership of Brener International Group and Golden Boy Promotions, owned by the famed boxer
Oscar De La Hoya Oscar De La Hoya ( , ; born on February 4, 1973) is an American boxing promoter and former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2008. His accolades include winning 11 world titles in six weight classes, including the lineal championsh ...
. On February 26, 2008, Houston Dynamo President Oliver Luck revealed the planned negotiations to the media stating that the Houston Dynamo would be managed in majority by original owners
Anschutz Entertainment Group The Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), also known as AEG Worldwide, is an American global sporting and music entertainment presenter and a subsidiary of The Anschutz Corporation. It is the world's largest owner of sports teams and sports even ...
(who held 50% of ownership) along with newfound partners Gabriel Brener, head of Brener International Group, and multiple World and Olympic
boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermine ...
champion
Oscar De La Hoya Oscar De La Hoya ( , ; born on February 4, 1973) is an American boxing promoter and former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2008. His accolades include winning 11 world titles in six weight classes, including the lineal championsh ...
(each with 25% ownership). De La Hoya has been seen wearing Dynamo colors on his boxing uniform with a small Houston Dynamo logo on his right leg in a fight against boxer
Steve Forbes Malcolm Stevenson Forbes Jr. (; born July 18, 1947) is an American publishing executive and politician who is the editor-in-chief of ''Forbes'', a business magazine. He is the son of longtime ''Forbes'' publisher Malcolm Forbes and the grands ...
. He has also pledged to help find Dynamo a soccer-specific stadium, though he has been too busy with training to participate significantly in Dynamo decision-making. He has said he would become more involved once he retires in 2009, but has yet to do so even ten years later. The Dynamo participated in the inaugural Pan-Pacific Championship debuted on February 20, 2008, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Houston qualified to participate in the tournament via their win as MLS Cup Champions. The Houston Dynamo won their first match against Sydney FC, before finishing second place after their 6–1 loss to
Gamba Osaka is a Japanese professional football club based in Suita, Osaka Prefecture. The club plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country. The club's name ''Gamba'' comes from the Japanese , meaning "to do your best" or "to ...
in the final match. The Dynamo was back on the pitch competing in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup (qualifying as the 2007 MLS Cup Champions). The Dynamo played
Municipal A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...
in the Quarterfinals winning 3–1 on aggregate (0–0, 3–1) at Robertson Stadium. The club lost to Deportivo Saprissa on 3–0 aggregate (0–0, 0–3) at
Estadio Ricardo Saprissa A stadium ( : stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand o ...
. Houston began their regular season home opener in a 3–3 draw with Texas Derby rival,
FC Dallas FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The club competes as a member of the Western Conference in Major League Soccer (MLS). The franchise began play in 1996 as a charter club of the leag ...
, after falling behind twice before a game-tying goal in the 93rd minute. The Dynamo went 0–2–4, before getting their first league win of the season in a 2–1 win over the Colorado Rapids. The Dynamo went on a 5–0–4 run to finish the season 13–5–12, claiming 1st in the Western Conference and 2nd overall (behind the Columbus Crew). The Western Conference Semifinals was played against the New York Red Bulls with the first leg finishing in a 1–1 draw at Giants Stadium, and the second leg moving to Robertson Stadium where the Red Bulls defeated the Dynamo 0–3 in front of more than 30,000 fans. The Dynamo started the new year with a quick exit from the 2008–09
CONCACAF Champions League The CONCACAF Champions League, known officially as the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League for sponsorship reasons, is an annual continental club football competition organized by CONCACAF. The tournament is contested by clubs from North Amer ...
with a 1–4 aggregate loss (1–1, 0–3) to
Atlante Atlante or Atlantes may refer to: * Atlas (architecture), a column in the shape of a man * Atlante San Alejo, a Salvadoran football club * Atlante F.C., a Mexican football club * Atlante (private equity fund) * ''Atlante''-class tugboat * Atlante ...
in the quarterfinals. In the regular season, Houston went on an 11-game unbeaten streak (8–0–3) early in the season before losing to the Los Angeles Galaxy in June. The Dynamo were inconsistent the rest of the season while dealing with international competition, but still finished the season tied for first in the Western Conference with a 13–8–9 record, finishing second in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, Houston beat
Seattle Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...
1–0 on aggregate in extra time. The Dynamo then lost 0–2 in extra time to the Galaxy in the Western Conference final. The Dynamo reached the semifinals of the 2009 U.S. Open Cup before losing to the expansion Seattle Sounders FC 1–2 in extra time, after former Dynamo player Nate Jaqua scored the game-tying goal in the 89th minute. During the 2009–10 offseason, the Dynamo saw the departures of two key players,
Ricardo Clark Ricardo Anthony Clark (born February 10, 1983) is an American retired soccer player who played as a midfielder. He appeared for MetroStars, San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo and Columbus Crew SC in the United States,  Eintracht Frankfurt ...
to
Eintracht Frankfurt Eintracht Frankfurt e.V. () is a professional sports club based in Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany. It is best known for its football club, which was founded on 8 March 1899. The team is currently playing in the Bundesliga, the top tier of the Germa ...
and Stuart Holden to Bolton Wanderers. The 2010 season kicked off with a 1–1 draw against FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park. In the home opener against
Real Salt Lake Real Salt Lake, often shortened to RSL, is an American professional soccer franchise based in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The club competes as a member club of Major League Soccer (MLS) in the Western Conference. RSL began play in ...
saw Brian Ching suffered a hamstring strain, which kept him out for 4–6 weeks. Later in the season, Geoff Cameron was off the roster, after rupturing his
PCL PCL may refer to: Aviation *FAP Captain David Abenzur Rengifo International Airport, near Pucallpa, Peru (IATA code: PCL) *Pilot-controlled lighting, a system by which aircraft pilots can control the lighting of runways and taxiways via radio cont ...
during a game against the Chicago Fire; losing 2–0. Cameron eventually returned in August. The Dynamo finished the season 9–15–6 (7th West, 12th overall), and missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2006 season. The Dynamo finished strong, however, with the club's only winning streak at the end of the season against playoff-bound teams at San Jose (1–0) on October 16 and at home against Seattle (2–1) on October 23. During the 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The club defeated Miami FC, 1–0, on June 29 before losing to Chivas USA, 1–3 in the Quarterfinals on July 6 (both games at Robertson Stadium). The Dynamo also competed in the 2010 North American SuperLiga, winning the group before exiting after a 0–1 loss to
Morelia Morelia (; from 1545 to 1828 known as Valladolid) is a city and municipal seat of the municipality of Morelia in the north-central part of the state of Michoacán in central Mexico. The city is in the Guayangareo Valley and is the capital and larg ...
on August 5 at Robertson Stadium.


Competing in the Eastern Conference (2011–14)

The Dynamo switched to the Eastern Conference for the 2011 season, after teams were added in
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. Th ...
and
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
. The team ended the regular season in second place in the Eastern Conference with a record of twelve wins, nine losses, and thirteen draws for 49 points. This record was fueled by MVP candidate Brad Davis's league-leading 16 assists. In the Eastern Conference semi-finals, the Dynamo were matched up in a series against the
Philadelphia Union The Philadelphia Union are an American professional soccer club based in Chester, Pennsylvania. The Union compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Founded on February 28, 2008, the club began playing in 2010 ...
, which the Dynamo won 3–1 in the home and home series. For the Eastern Conference Final, the Dynamo traveled to Kansas City. Brad Davis was injured in the first half, but despite this blow, the Dynamo scored twice to earn their ticket to the MLS Final and a chance to face the Los Angeles Galaxy. Los Angeles's Home Depot Center had been selected to host the 2011 MLS Final. Two seasons prior, the Dynamo faced the Galaxy there in the Western Conference Final, during which several blackouts occurred. The Dynamo were not able to power through the game, surrendering a goal to
Landon Donovan Landon Timothy Donovan (born March 4, 1982) is an American former professional soccer player. Donovan is also the co-founder and vice-president of soccer operations for USL Championship side San Diego Loyal SC, and serves as strategic advisor fo ...
in the 72nd minute. After completion of their new stadium, the Dynamo made a victorious home debut on May 12, 2012, vs. D.C. United thanks to a Brad Davis strike in front of a capacity crowd of 22,039 that would mark the beginning of what would be an unbeaten year for the Dynamo at home, posting a year-end home record of 11–0–6. In the playoffs, the Dynamo traveled to Chicago to face the Chicago Fire. Buoyed by two goals by Will Bruin, the Dynamo held on to a 2–1 victory in Chicago. The Dynamo then faced the top seed in the Eastern Conference,
Sporting Kansas City Sporting Kansas City, often shortened to Sporting KC, is an American men's professional soccer club based in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The administrative offices are located in Downtown Kansas City, Missouri, and the team clubhouse an ...
in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, played over two legs. Behind goals from Adam Moffat and Will Bruin. In front of a crowd of 20,894, Kansas City defeated the Dynamo 1–0, but the Dynamo survived 2–1 on aggregate.


Cup Final rematch

The Dynamo advanced to face D.C. United in the Eastern Conference Finals, with the first leg being played in Houston. Houston won the first leg 3–1, behind goals from Andre Hainault, Will Bruin, and Kofi Sarkodie in front of 22,101. In the second leg, a 33rd-minute goal from
Oscar Boniek García Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology), ...
gave the Dynamo a 1–1 draw, and the Dynamo held on for a 4–2 aggregate win and advanced to their second straight MLS Cup, in a rematch to face the Los Angeles Galaxy. MLS Cup 2012 was hosted by L.A. with a sellout crowd of 30,510. After getting a goal from Calen Carr in the 44th minute, he would get injured later in the Cup match. One minute after this injury, the Galaxy equalized through Omar Gonzalez's header. Five minutes later,
Landon Donovan Landon Timothy Donovan (born March 4, 1982) is an American former professional soccer player. Donovan is also the co-founder and vice-president of soccer operations for USL Championship side San Diego Loyal SC, and serves as strategic advisor fo ...
sealed the Dynamo's fate just as he had the year before with a penalty after
Ricardo Clark Ricardo Anthony Clark (born February 10, 1983) is an American retired soccer player who played as a midfielder. He appeared for MetroStars, San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo and Columbus Crew SC in the United States,  Eintracht Frankfurt ...
handled the ball in the area. Robbie Keane added a third goal for LA, who would win their fourth MLS Cup. During the 2012 season, the Dynamo were undefeated at home, part of what would eventually become a 36-match unbeaten streak in all competitions. Will Bruin emerged in his 2nd year with the team as their leading goal-scorer. The Dynamo topped their group in the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League, where they moved on to face Santos Laguna in the round of 16 of the competition to be played March 5, 2013. By finishing as runners-up in MLS Cup, they were awarded a berth in the 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League as well. The 2013 Dynamo season saw the men in orange continue their home dominance with a 9–4–4 record. Their 36 consecutive game home-win streak ended by
Sporting Kansas City Sporting Kansas City, often shortened to Sporting KC, is an American men's professional soccer club based in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The administrative offices are located in Downtown Kansas City, Missouri, and the team clubhouse an ...
on May 12, 2013, in a 0–1 loss, from Aurelien Collin heading home the winner. Nevertheless, the Dynamo clinched a playoff berth yet again as a 4-seed with a 14–11–9 overall record. Houston faced Montreal in a heated contest for the MLS Wildcard Match to open the postseason at BBVA Stadium. Will Bruin continued his torrid postseason run of goals with a brace in a 3–0 rout against Le Impact. The Dynamo then had to face
New York Red Bulls The New York Red Bulls are an American professional soccer club based in the New York metropolitan area. The Red Bulls compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The club was established in October 1994 and be ...
who had bested them during the regular season in all three meetings, and it looked like they would thrash the Dynamo in the playoffs as well after the Red Bulls jumped out to a 2–0 lead during the first leg in Houston.
Ricardo Clark Ricardo Anthony Clark (born February 10, 1983) is an American retired soccer player who played as a midfielder. He appeared for MetroStars, San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo and Columbus Crew SC in the United States,  Eintracht Frankfurt ...
was able to get on the board at the 50', and Omar Cummings, recently returned to full form, scored in stoppage time to complete the Dynamo exciting comeback. The 2nd leg in New York proved to be just as exciting. Bradley Wright-Phillips put the Red Bulls in the series lead again in the 23', but Brad Davis punished a mistake from the Red Bull defense to level the score before the half. Enter Omar Cummings for the second time, and for a second time, he scored a thrilling stoppage-time goal to put the Houston Dynamo into the Conference Championship for the 3rd consecutive year. Unfortunately for the Dynamo, that would be as far as they would go. After an uninspired draw at home against
Sporting Kansas City Sporting Kansas City, often shortened to Sporting KC, is an American men's professional soccer club based in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The administrative offices are located in Downtown Kansas City, Missouri, and the team clubhouse an ...
, the future champions, the Dynamo would fall 2–1 to Sporting on the return leg in Kansas. However, 2013 would still be considered another in a long line of successes for the Dynamo, and the team had their core players all locked into long-term contracts for the future. On July 1, 2014, following two years without jersey sponsorship, the Houston Dynamo announced a multi-year jersey sponsorship with BHP Billiton. Dominic Kinnear was the head coach. Brad Davis was the team captain. On July 23, 2014, the Dynamo signed DeMarcus Beasley from Puebla. The team finished 8th in the Eastern Conference, having the 14th most points in the nineteen-team league, and did not make the playoffs for only the second time ever.


2015–present

Along with
Sporting Kansas City Sporting Kansas City, often shortened to Sporting KC, is an American men's professional soccer club based in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The administrative offices are located in Downtown Kansas City, Missouri, and the team clubhouse an ...
, The Dynamo moved to the Western Conference before the start of the 2015 season.
Owen Coyle Owen Columba Coyle (born 14 July 1966) is a professional football manager and former player who is currently the manager of Scottish Championship club Queen's Park. He played as a striker for several clubs in England and Scotland, and made on ...
was named the new head coach, and Brad Davis continued as captain. Houston once again finished eighth in the Western Conference, and finished fifteenth in the twenty-team league, again failing to make the playoffs. At the end of the 2015 season, the team announced that Brener had bought out AEG's remaining stake and was now the majority owner. On May 25, 2016, the Houston Dynamo announced that they were parting ways with head coach Owen Coyle, by mutual agreement. On June 7, Wade Barrett took over as head coach. That season they went on to finish tenth and last in the West on thirty-four points with an average attendance of approximately 20,000. Wilmer Cabrera was named the new head coach on October 28, 2016, replacing Wade Barrett. For the 2017 season the team finished 4th in the West. This saw them clinch their first playoff berth since 2013. They made a deep run in the post season, but lost to
Seattle Sounders FC Seattle Sounders Football Club is an American professional men's soccer club based in Seattle. The Sounders compete as a member of the Western Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). The club was established on November 13, 2007, and began ...
in the MLS Western Conference Finals. The 2018 season saw the first
U.S. Open Cup The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, commonly known as the U.S. Open Cup (USOC), is a Single-elimination tournament, knockout cup competition in men's Soccer in the United States, soccer in the United States of America. It is the oldest ongoing nati ...
title in franchise history when the team beat the
Philadelphia Union The Philadelphia Union are an American professional soccer club based in Chester, Pennsylvania. The Union compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Founded on February 28, 2008, the club began playing in 2010 ...
3–0 in the final. This qualified the Dynamo for the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League, their first appearance in the competition since 2013. However the team once again failed to qualify for the playoffs, prompting calls for new ownership as Brener and De La Hoya remained quiet about the team's woes. The Dynamo started the 2019 season by competing in the CONCACAF Champions League and defeating C.D. Guastatoya in both legs of the first round. They then lost to
Tigres UANL Club de Fútbol Tigres de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, simply known as Tigres UANL or Tigres, is a Mexican professional football club based in San Nicolás de los Garza, a city in the Monterrey metropolitan area, Nuevo León. Fou ...
by an aggregate score of 3–0 in the quarterfinals. Houston participated in the inaugural Leagues Cup but were eliminated via penalties in the first round by Club America. After going through a 2–11–1 stretch during the summer, the Dynamo fired head coach Wilmer Cabrera. They were also unable to qualify for the MLS playoffs for the second consecutive year. For the 2020 season, the Dynamo hired former U.S. men's national team player Tab Ramos as head coach, traded for former Minnesota United attacker
Darwin Quintero Carlos Darwin Quintero Villalba (born 19 September 1987) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Categoría Primera A club América de Cali. Quintero is also known by his nickname of ''El Científico del G ...
and signed Croatian goalkeeper Marko Maric. However, they would go on to miss the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years, finishing at the bottom of the Western Conference during the shortened season. After the 2021 season the Houston Dynamo chose not to extend Tab Ramos's expiring contact after finishing bottom of the Western Conference for the second season in a row. On 2 March 2022, The Houston Dynamo made their biggest signing in club history when they announced Héctor Herrera on a pre-contract agreement through the 2024 MLS season. He signed as a designated player.


Colors and badge

The official colors of the Dynamo crest are Wildcatter orange, Space City blue, and Raven black. The star on the original crest is an ''ad hoc'' adoption, likely a nod to the Houston, Texas Flag or the "Houston 1836" crest concept. It also retains the soccer ball with the star in the middle from the "1836" logo, though the shadow is changed to Space City blue. With the 2006 MLS Cup win, a sanctioned star was added above the shield in 2008, after wearing the ''scudetto'' in 2007. Since they won the MLS Cup again in 2007. they wore the ''scudetto'' for the second consecutive year in 2008. Consequently, a sanctioned star was added to the logo in 2009 for their win at MLS Cup 2007. In 2020, the club rebranded as Houston Dynamo FC with a new logo. The new logo features a hexagonal shape to whose six sides represent the Dynamo's founding in 2006 and to reference the six wards that made up the original layout of the city. The crest also references Houston's bayou system with the channels within the interlocking monogram to represent Bayou City's waterways.


Name

Houston announced the name "Dynamo", on March 6, 2006, which refers to Houston's energy-based industrial economy, as well as a previous Houston soccer team, the Houston Dynamos who played in the Lone Star Soccer Alliance and
United Soccer League United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as United Soccer Leagues, is a soccer league in the United States and Canada. It organizes several men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Men's leagues currently organized are the ...
. The official reason for the name is that "Dynamo is a word to describe someone who never fatigues, never gives up. The name is symbolic of Houston as an energetic, hard-working, risk-taking kind of town." The name "Dynamo" is also an homage to teams based out in the former Soviet Union republics and satellite states, such as
Dynamo Moscow MGO VFSO "Dynamo" (russian: МГО ВФСО «Динамо»), commonly known as Dynamo Moscow (russian: Динамо Москва) is a Russian sports club based in Moscow. Founded by Felix Dzerzhinsky on 18 April 1923, Dynamo Moscow was the first ...
, Berliner FC Dynamo, Dynamo Dresden, FK Dinamo Tirana,
Dynamo Kyiv Football Club Dynamo Kyiv (, ) is a Ukrainian professional football club based in Kyiv. Founded in 1927 as a Kyivan football team of republican branch of the bigger Soviet Dynamo Sports Society, the club as a separate business entity was offic ...
, Dinamo Tbilisi, Dinamo București and
Dinamo Zagreb Građanski nogometni klub Dinamo Zagreb ( en, Dinamo Zagreb Citizens' Football Club, link=yes, italics=yes), commonly referred to as GNK Dinamo Zagreb or simply Dinamo Zagreb (), is a Croatian professional football club based in Zagreb. Dinam ...
. The team colors are orange, white, and "Space City" blue or "Luv Ya Blue" (light blue), meant as a symbol of the city of Houston flag which is light blue and of yet another team in Houston's sports history – the NFL's
Houston Oilers The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston from its founding in 1960 to 1996 before relocating to Memphis, and later Nashville, Tennessee becoming the Tennessee Titans. The Oilers began play in 1960 a ...
. Originally, on January 25, 2006, the team had announced that Houston 1836 would be the team name. This followed an online survey for the fans to provide suggestions for the name. According to MLS & AEG, who chose the name, the 1836 name referred to the year that the city of Houston was founded by brothers
Augustus Chapman Allen Augustus Chapman Allen (July 4, 1806 – January 11, 1864), along with his younger brother, John Kirby Allen, founded the City of Houston in the U.S. state of Texas. He was born on July 4, 1806, in Canaseraga Village, New York (the present day h ...
and John Kirby Allen. The name had perceived ambiguity, however, as it is also the year of Texan independence from
Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...
. Houston 1836's logo featured a silhouette of General Sam Houston, one of Houston's and Texas' most famous historical figures. The choice of Houston 1836 soon became a political issue. It raised a furor among some locals of Hispanic descent, a major target audience, who related 1836 with the war for Texas independence. Owing to protests from Hispanic fans, the name was changed to the Dynamo. MLS has since not allowed any online surveys to name expansion teams.


Stadiums


PNC Stadium

On December 2, 2010, Harris County and the Houston Sports Authority reached an agreement for the 20,000–22,000-seat soccer-specific stadium in Downtown Houston east of
Minute Maid Park Minute Maid Park is a retractable roof stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. It opened in 2000 as the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Houston Astros. It has a seating capacity of 41,168, which includes 5,197 club seats and 63 lu ...
, across Highway 59 which would be the third sporting facility for Downtown Houston. The venue, then under the name of 'BBVA Compass Stadium' for sponsorship reasons, opened on May 12, 2012, with a game against D.C. United. On February 5, 2011, Houston Dynamo players, accompanied by Dynamo owner Philip Anschutz and Equity Partners Oscar De La Hoya and Gabriel Brener, Houston Mayor Annise Parker, Harris County Judge Ed Emmitt, Houston Dynamo President Chris Canetti, amongst others, participated in the groundbreaking of the Dynamo's new stadium in front of a few thousand fans. Construction began later that month. Spectators will be able to experience unobstructed views from both the lower and upper seating bowls, which are supported by a single concourse. The concourse provides full access around the stadium with easy access to concession and toilet facilities. The fan experience will be enhanced by modern sound and video elements throughout the stadium. Fully integrated broadcast facilities will allow viewers and listeners to feel part of the atmosphere. Aside from Major League Soccer and international soccer matches, the new Dynamo stadium also hosts Texas Southern University football, concerts, boxing matches, and much more. With its downtown location, the new stadium is now a part of a true Stadium District, which already features
Minute Maid Park Minute Maid Park is a retractable roof stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. It opened in 2000 as the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Houston Astros. It has a seating capacity of 41,168, which includes 5,197 club seats and 63 lu ...
and Toyota Center, as well as other amenities and attractions such as the
George R. Brown Convention Center The George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB), opened on September 26, 1987, is located on the east side of Downtown Houston, Texas, United States. The center was named for internationally recognized entrepreneur, engineer, civic leader, philan ...
, the Hilton Americas, Discovery Green, and Houston Pavilions. On June 13, 2019, it was announced that BBVA Compass Stadium was changing its name to BBVA Stadium. During the second half of the 2021 season, BBVA Stadium was rebranded as PNC Stadium following PNC Financial Services' acquisition of BBVA USA in June 2021.


Houston Sports Park

The training facility for the Dynamo FC first team and academy teams is located at the
Houston Sports Park Houston Sports Park is an urban park that serves as a multi-purpose sports and entertainment facility in the Five Corners District of Houston near the neighborhood of City Park. Houston Sports Park (HSP) houses Aveva Stadium, which is the home ...
(HSP). Opened in 2011, the complex features seven soccer fields, field lighting, and parking. All of the fields feature Bermuda grass, except one that contains FieldTurf. One of the fields, entitled the Methodist Champions Field, is reserved exclusively for use by Houston Dynamo FC and visiting professional teams. The remaining fields are available for public rental. The training facility includes a Methodist Hospital physical therapy center and Athlete Training + Health Performance facility. The complex, located 10 miles south of PNC Stadium, was built through a partnership with the City of Houston.


Club culture


Supporters

Houston Dynamo FC enjoyed good fan support in its first season. Their first ever match attracted 25,462 fans against Colorado Rapids on April 2, 2006. Attendance gradually declined throughout the remainder of the spring and summer months. During July and August, they played five matches at Robertson Stadium, and the average attendance for those matches was 10,348. The team's attendance figures received a boost on August 9 when they played a game against Los Angeles Galaxy in Houston's Reliant Stadium as part of a double-header, with the other game being an exhibition match between
FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona (), commonly referred to as Barcelona and colloquially known as Barça (), is a professional Football team, football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of Spanish footb ...
and Mexican side
Club América Club de Fútbol América S.A. de C.V., commonly known as Club América or simply América, is a professional football club based in Mexico City. Nicknamed ''Las Águilas'' (The Eagles), it competes in Liga MX, the top tier of Mexican football. ...
, which attracted a crowd of 70,550. Home attendance began to rise again as the weather cooled and the playoffs approached. For the 2006 season, they averaged 18,935 over the 16 regular season home games. Attendance remained high during their playoff run, where home attendance was 17,440 and 23,107 in games against Chivas USA and Colorado Rapids. Dynamo FC fans contributed greatly to the sell-out crowd of 22,427 in the
2006 MLS Cup MLS Cup 2006 was the 11th edition of the MLS Cup, the championship match of Major League Soccer (MLS), and took place on November 12, 2006. It was contested between the New England Revolution and the Houston Dynamo to decide the champion of th ...
, which was played about 275 miles (450 km) from Houston, in Frisco. There are currently three officially recognized supporter groups, ''El Batallón''. ''La Bateria and'' ''Brickwall Firm'' ''are former supporter groups.''


Mascot

In 2007, Houston started a search for a mascot by asking members of the
Art Institute of Houston The Art Institute of Houston was a private for-profit art school in Houston, Texas. It is owned by Education Principle Foundation. Founded in 1965 as the Houston School of Commercial Art, the school joined The Art Institutes system of schools ...
to submit drawings, from which several finalists were selected and an official mascot would be decided through an online poll, both for the mascot design and name. The winning design, by Eric Hulsey and Leslie Lopez, was of an orange-haired fox and named ''Dynamo Diesel''. He was unveiled at Houston Zoo on April 3, 2007. Dynamo Diesel began working alongside the Houston Dynamo marketing and community outreach programs. He is not only present at games, cheering on the team, but also joins the Houston dancers, the ''Dynamo Girls'' helping to promote the Dynamo in Houston.


Rivalries

The Houston Dynamo's main rival is
FC Dallas FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The club competes as a member of the Western Conference in Major League Soccer (MLS). The franchise began play in 1996 as a charter club of the leag ...
, who they play in the
Texas Derby The Texas derby is a soccer rivalry (derby) between the Houston Dynamo FC and FC Dallas, recognizing the best club in the state for the season until 2021 when Austin FC joined MLS. The two squads play a series of games with the series winner ...
. Since the introduction of Austin FC in 2021, the three teams compete for the Copa Tejas, a trophy handed out to the best MLS team in the state. The Dynamo have also developed a rivalry with
Sporting Kansas City Sporting Kansas City, often shortened to Sporting KC, is an American men's professional soccer club based in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The administrative offices are located in Downtown Kansas City, Missouri, and the team clubhouse an ...
after facing each other in the playoffs and the US Open Cup multiple times.


Revenue and profitability

The Dynamo's revenues increased significantly when they moved to BBVA Stadium in 2012, propelling the team into profitability and doubling season ticket sales – according to club President Chris Canetti. A 2015 study by
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
listed the Dynamo as the third-most valuable franchise ($200 million) based on financial data – including estimates of revenue ($26 million, 6th) and operating income ($5 million, 3rd) – from the 2014 season. In a 2016 ranking by Forbes Mexico, the Houston Dynamo were valued at $215 million – the tenth-best among soccer clubs of the Americas. The latest Forbes valuation has the club valued at $280 million


Broadcasting


Radio

In February 2016, the Dynamo announced the start of a new multiyear deal with CBS Radio Houston. CBS Sports Radio 650 will serve as the home of the Dynamo with specific games airing on SportsRadio 610. CBS Sports Radio 650 will also broadcast a half-hour pregame and ancillary programming such as The Players Show and The Coaches Show, both of which will also be broadcast on KKHH 95.7 HD-3 as well as streaming online at www.houston.cbslocal.com, and via the Radio.com app. Promotional partnerships will extend across the FM brands with on-air features and programming airing on their sister radio stations.


Players and staff


Current roster


Head coaches

*''Note: Record for MLS Regular season games only''. ''As of November 8, 2022''.


General managers


Staff

:


Affiliates and club academy

The Dynamo Academy was created in 2007 and led by Director of Youth Development James Clarkson. On February 27, 2009, the Dynamo signed Tyler Deric, their first homegrown player in club history. The following season Francisco Navas Cobo became the second HGP in Dynamo history. On April 17, 2010, Navas Cobo became the first academy alum to appear in an MLS game for the Dynamo. Alex Dixon became the first academy alum to score a goal with his stoppage time winner against
Real Salt Lake Real Salt Lake, often shortened to RSL, is an American professional soccer franchise based in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The club competes as a member club of Major League Soccer (MLS) in the Western Conference. RSL began play in ...
on August 20, 2011. The Dynamo Academy has trained and played their games at
Houston Sports Park Houston Sports Park is an urban park that serves as a multi-purpose sports and entertainment facility in the Five Corners District of Houston near the neighborhood of City Park. Houston Sports Park (HSP) houses Aveva Stadium, which is the home ...
since it opened in 2011. Prior to that, they used multiple fields around the city. The Dynamo Academy is currently run by Academy Director Paul Holocher. For 2014 and 2015, USL-Pro team Charleston Battery was an affiliate with the Dynamo, letting Houston send players there on loan. In late 2014, the Dynamo met with USL officials about creating a USL team.
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros Rio Grande Valley FC, also known as RGVFC or Rio Grande Valley FC Toros, is an American semi-professional soccer team based in Edinburg, Texas operated by Lone Star, LLC. They joined the USL Championship in the 2016 season. The team served as a ...
replaced Charleston as the Dynamo's USL affiliate for the 2016 season. The Dynamo ran all soccer operations for the club, sending academy players as well as fringe first team players and players rehabbing from injury to train and play with the Toros throughout the year. In December 2020, RGVFC and the Dynamo restructured the relationship, giving the Toros control over all aspects of their soccer operations. Following the 2021 season, the agreement ended, allowing Rio Grande Valley FC to become an independent club. Brazos Valley Cavalry has served as the Dynamo's USL League Two affiliate since 2017. On December 6, 2021, it was announced that the Dynamo would field a team,
Houston Dynamo 2 Houston Dynamo 2 is an American professional soccer team that is located in Houston, Texas. It is the reserve team of Houston Dynamo FC and participates in MLS Next Pro. History On December 6, 2021, Houston Dynamo FC were named as one of 21 ...
, in the inaugural season of
MLS Next Pro MLS Next Pro is a men's professional soccer league in the United States and Canada that is affiliated with Major League Soccer. It launched in 2022 with 21 teams and will expand to 28 in 2023. The league comprises 27 reserve sides for MLS club ...
in 2022. The team plays their games at
Aveva Stadium Aveva Stadium is a rugby union stadium in Houston, Texas, United States as part of Houston Sports Park and is the home of the Houston SaberCats of Major League Rugby. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on July 24, 2018. Naming rights for t ...
, part of Houston Sports Park. The Dynamo also own the Houston Dash of the NWSL.


Honors


Domestic

League *
MLS Cup The MLS Cup is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Cup Playoffs. The game is held in November and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Conference ...
**Champions (2): 2006,
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto ...
Cups *
U.S. Open Cup The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, commonly known as the U.S. Open Cup (USOC), is a Single-elimination tournament, knockout cup competition in men's Soccer in the United States, soccer in the United States of America. It is the oldest ongoing nati ...
**Champions (1): 2018


Seasons

This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Dynamo. For the full season-by-season history, see
List of Houston Dynamo seasons This is a list of seasons played by Houston Dynamo FC in American (Major League Soccer) and CONCACAF football, from 2006 (when the San Jose Earthquakes players and coaches were relocated to Houston) to the most recent completed season. It details ...
. 1. Avg. Attendance include statistics from league matches only.
2. Top Goalscorer(s) includes all goals scored in League, MLS Cup Playoffs,
U.S. Open Cup The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, commonly known as the U.S. Open Cup (USOC), is a Single-elimination tournament, knockout cup competition in men's Soccer in the United States, soccer in the United States of America. It is the oldest ongoing nati ...
, MLS is Back Tournament,
CONCACAF Champions League The CONCACAF Champions League, known officially as the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League for sponsorship reasons, is an annual continental club football competition organized by CONCACAF. The tournament is contested by clubs from North Amer ...
,
FIFA Club World Cup The FIFA Club World Cup is an international men's association football competition organised by the ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' ( FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The competition was first contested in 200 ...
, and other competitive continental matches.


Team records


International tournaments

By virtue of their MLS Cup victories, the Dynamo entered the CONCACAF Champions Cup and the North American SuperLiga. During the 2008 season, the Dynamo participated in the inaugural Pan-Pacific Championship as well as the inaugural
CONCACAF Champions League The CONCACAF Champions League, known officially as the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League for sponsorship reasons, is an annual continental club football competition organized by CONCACAF. The tournament is contested by clubs from North Amer ...
. The Dynamo participated in the final two seasons of the CONCACAF Champions Cup tournament reaching the semi-finals both times. They have also competed in five editions of the CONCACAF Champions League and reached the quarterfinals on three occasions.


Career records

*Games played: Brad Davis (271) *Goals: Brian Ching (56) *Assists: Brad Davis (104) *Shots: Brad Davis (473) *Wins: Pat Onstad (53) *Shutouts: Pat Onstad (37) *Saves: Pat Onstad (384) ''MLS regular season only, through December 19, 2019''


Season records

* Goals: Mauro Manotas – 19 (2018) * Assists: Brad Davis – 16 (2011) * Shutouts: Tally Hall – 12 (2013) ''MLS regular season only''


Player awards


League awards


MLS Best XI

* 2006: Dwayne De Rosario,
Ricardo Clark Ricardo Anthony Clark (born February 10, 1983) is an American retired soccer player who played as a midfielder. He appeared for MetroStars, San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo and Columbus Crew SC in the United States,  Eintracht Frankfurt ...
* 2007: Dwayne De Rosario, Eddie Robinson * 2009:
Geoff Cameron Geoffrey Scott "Geoff" Cameron (born July 11, 1985) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender. Cameron began playing college soccer with the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Rhode Island Rams, as well as USL Premier ...
, Stuart Holden * 2011: Brad Davis


MLS All-Star

* 2006: Brian Ching, Dwayne De Rosario, Eddie Robinson,
Ricardo Clark Ricardo Anthony Clark (born February 10, 1983) is an American retired soccer player who played as a midfielder. He appeared for MetroStars, San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo and Columbus Crew SC in the United States,  Eintracht Frankfurt ...
*
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto ...
: Brian Ching, Dwayne De Rosario,
Ricardo Clark Ricardo Anthony Clark (born February 10, 1983) is an American retired soccer player who played as a midfielder. He appeared for MetroStars, San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo and Columbus Crew SC in the United States,  Eintracht Frankfurt ...
*
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing ...
: Brian Ching, Dwayne De Rosario, Pat Onstad *
2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
: Brad Davis, Brian Ching,
Geoff Cameron Geoffrey Scott "Geoff" Cameron (born July 11, 1985) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender. Cameron began playing college soccer with the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Rhode Island Rams, as well as USL Premier ...
, Pat Onstad, Stuart Holden *
2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
: Brad Davis, Brian Ching * 2011: Brad Davis,
Corey Ashe Corey Alan Ashe (born March 14, 1986) is a retired American soccer player. He played 10 seasons in Major League Soccer, mostly with the Houston Dynamo, but also with Orlando City SC and Columbus Crew SC. Originally a wide midfielder, Ashe m ...
,
Geoff Cameron Geoffrey Scott "Geoff" Cameron (born July 11, 1985) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender. Cameron began playing college soccer with the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Rhode Island Rams, as well as USL Premier ...
, Tally Hall *
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
: Brad Davis,
Geoff Cameron Geoffrey Scott "Geoff" Cameron (born July 11, 1985) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender. Cameron began playing college soccer with the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Rhode Island Rams, as well as USL Premier ...
*
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment ...
: Brad Davis,
Corey Ashe Corey Alan Ashe (born March 14, 1986) is a retired American soccer player. He played 10 seasons in Major League Soccer, mostly with the Houston Dynamo, but also with Orlando City SC and Columbus Crew SC. Originally a wide midfielder, Ashe m ...
*
2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the April ...
:
DaMarcus Beasley DaMarcus Lamont Beasley (; born May 24, 1982) is an American former professional soccer player. A left-footed player, Beasley played both as a left winger and left wingback throughout his career. He retired from soccer after the 2019 MLS Season. ...
*
2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
:
DaMarcus Beasley DaMarcus Lamont Beasley (; born May 24, 1982) is an American former professional soccer player. A left-footed player, Beasley played both as a left winger and left wingback throughout his career. He retired from soccer after the 2019 MLS Season. ...
* 2018: Alberth Elis


Goal of the Year

*2006: Brian Ching


Save of the Year

*2009: Pat Onstad


Fair Play Player award

*2017:
DaMarcus Beasley DaMarcus Lamont Beasley (; born May 24, 1982) is an American former professional soccer player. A left-footed player, Beasley played both as a left winger and left wingback throughout his career. He retired from soccer after the 2019 MLS Season. ...


Team Awards


Attendance


Average season attendance

Notes: * The 19% increase in regular season attendance from 2011 to 2012 coincides with the Dynamo's move into their new stadium.


Highest attended matches


References


External links

* {{Portal bar, Association football, United States Association football clubs established in 2005
Dynamo "Dynamo Electric Machine" (end view, partly section, ) A dynamo is an electrical generator that creates direct current using a commutator. Dynamos were the first electrical generators capable of delivering power for industry, and the foundat ...
2005 establishments in Texas Major League Soccer teams U.S. Open Cup winners