On June 6, 2018, the USL announced an Albuquerque expansion team that will begin play in March 2019. On October 9, 2018, the team unveiled its name, New Mexico United, and colors, following 226 fan proposals. The club intends to hire an in-state coach who knows the Southwest market and will be named later. New Mexico United is owned by a group of Albuquerque investors who are committed to building a world-class soccer organization that will compete at the highest professional level possible. The team's crest features a red mountain with three white stripes and a black "UNM" lettering style logo. The team has leased Santa Fe Stadium for its home games. The 25,000-seat facility is located just south of Santa Fe on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and serves as the primary baseball stadium for the University of New Mexico Lobos. The stadium was also used by the United States men's national soccer team during their 2016 Summer Olympics campaign. Inaugural captain Matt Kassel is a native of Albuquerque who played four seasons of Division I soccer at North Carolina before signing with FC Dallas in 2013. He joined MLS after five seasons with the Tar Heels where he was part of two Atlantic Coast Conference championships.