Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake were founded on 14 July 2004, when Major League Soccer awarded an expansion team to Dave Checketts' SCP Worldwide, and began play in 2005. Checketts picked the word Real to evoke Spanish clubs with royal patronage such as Real Madrid, and the claret red, cobalt blue and gold colours give the nickname Claret and Cobalt. After their early seasons at the University of Utah's Rice-Eccles Stadium, RSL moved in October 2008 to Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, renamed America First Field in 2022.

RSL won MLS Cup in 2009 after a regular season of 11 wins, 12 defeats and 7 draws had left them the lowest seed in the playoffs. In the final in Seattle they drew 1-1 with LA Galaxy and won the shootout 5-4; goalkeeper Nick Rimando was named MVP and Jason Kreis became the youngest coach to win the trophy. In 2011 RSL were the first American club to reach the CONCACAF Champions League final in its group-stage format, losing 3-2 on aggregate to Monterrey.