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The 2026 World Cup isn’t the only reason casual Bay Area sports fans are suddenly paying more attention to soccer.

After the Golden State Warriors and San Jose Sharks missed the playoffs and the San Francisco Giants fell into last place in the National League West, the San Jose Earthquakes are the most exciting team in the region.

Coach Bruce Arena has led the team to nine wins in its first 10 matches, as it is tied for the MLS lead with 25 goals. This comes after it finished the 2025 season with 11 wins in 34 matches.

Bay FC coach Emma Coates hasn’t engineered the same kind of dramatic turnaround, but she has made a club led by newcomers Claire Hutton and Alex Pfeiffer more competitive than it was in a disappointing 2025 season.

On “Section 415,” The Standard’s Kevin Nguyen analyzes whether the Earthquakes can sustain their hot start and the steps Bay FC needs to take to become an NWSL contender.