San Diego sports fans have plenty to cheer for this October. The Padres are preparing for an NLDS showdown against the Dodgers, the San Diego Wave battles for a spot in the Concacaf W Champions Cup and the nation’s largest ultimate frisbee tournament is coming to Del Mar. Get your tickets, mark your calendar, and get ready for an action-packed month of San Diego sports!
San Diego Padres vs Los Angeles Dodgers NLDS Game 1
Saturday, October 5 | 5:38 p.m. | Dodger Stadium
Watch: FS1
The Friar Faithful’s prayers have been answered as the San Diego Padres surged past the Atlanta Braves in a decisive two-game Wild Card sweep. Chants of “Beat LA” reverberated through Petco Park on Tuesday night, with fans already gearing up for the next postseason showdown. The highly anticipated best-of-five series kicks off Saturday at Dodger Stadium, where Padres ace Dylan Cease is projected to face off against Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Riding the momentum of their dominant 43-19 finish to the regular season and jaw-dropping triple play that clinched their Wild Card spot against the Dodgers just weeks earlier, the Padres are ready for their biggest challenge yet. To topple the Dodgers, they’ll need to minimize the impact of Shohei Ohtani, who led the NL with 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases, becoming the first-ever member of the illustrious “50/50 club“—a feat never before achieved in MLB history. All of San Diego will be rooting for the Friars, seeking a shot of redemption following their inspiring postseason run in 2022.
XTERRA Wetsuits Mission Bay Triathlon
Sunday, October 13 | 11:30 a.m. | Ventura Cove at Mission Bay
Did you know that San Diego is the “birthplace of the triathlon”? While the history of the sport dates back to the early 1900s, the first modern triathlon was staged in 1974 on Mission Bay’s Fiesta Island. To celebrate the 50th anniversary, Koz Events, a San Diego-based company that organizes endurance sports competitions, is hosting the Mission Bay Triathlon. The event offers races for athletes of all ages and all experience levels, and proceeds benefit the Life Sports Foundation, which is dedicated to increasing access to sports for youth, disadvantaged, and physically challenged athletes. Register by Saturday, October 12, to help kick off the next 50 years of triathlon history.
San Diego Wave vs Club América Femenil
Wednesday, October 16 | 7:00 p.m. | Snapdragon Stadium
The top two teams in each group of the Concacaf W Champions Cup advance to the knockout round. With the Wave looking up at Group B leaders Club América Femenil, their matchup at Snapdragon Stadium could decide their fate in the annual competition among the top club teams spanning North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
What’s more, the Wave are in uncharted territory after the retirement of star forward Alex Morgan. Currently in 10th place in the NWSL standings, they are at risk of missing the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Their game against Club América Femenil, a strong side from Mexico City, gives them an opportunity to solidify their identity under interim coach Landon Donovan and build toward a late-season push for trophies.
USA Ultimate National Championships
October 24-27 | Surf Cup Sports Park, Del Mar
If ultimate frisbee is a minor sport, then its competitors aren’t aware of that. Their throwing, catching, and running after a plastic disc results in some of the most mesmerizing displays of athleticism, and this month the highest level of the sport is coming to the region when the USA Ultimate National Championships land at Del Mar. The Nationals, as it’s referred to, will crown champions in three divisions—men’s, mixed, and women’s—with 48 teams vying for the titles.
“We are excited to have Nationals back for the next three years after five successful years of the event at Surf Cup Sports Park,” Mark Neville, CEO of Sports San Diego, said in a statement. “We recognize the positive impact that events like Nationals can have on our local economy, tourism industry and community spirit.”
SDSU Football vs. Washington State
Saturday, October 26 | 7:30 p.m. | Snapdragon Stadium
Watch: CBS Sports Network
As the San Diego State football team heads into October, head coach Sean Lewis is searching for answers with his team 1-3 in his first year at the helm. “We have to learn from these lessons.” Lewis said after a recent loss to Central Michigan University. “We have to learn to come together and make sure that this adversity galvanizes the guys in the locker room.” The Aztecs’ game against Washington State offers a welcome reprieve: it’s the culminating event of SDSU’s 2024 Homecoming Week. Revel with Aztecs past, present, and future as their team tries to get back on track against the Cougars.
