MLS announces creation of Los Angeles Football Club

A new club will take the pitch in 2017 as Thursday saw MLS announce the creation of Los Angeles Football Club.

Awarded to an ownership group led by entrepreneur Henry Nguyen, sports and entertainment leader Peter Guber, and sports veteran Tom Penn, LAFC is the result of MLS officially shutting down Los Angeles-based club Chivas USA as part of the league's new strategy for the region.

Also included in the ownership group are Queens Park Rangers co-owner Ruben Gnanalingam, Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan, NBA legend and Los Angeles Dodgers owner Magic Johnson, U.S. women's soccer great Mia Hamm Garciaparra, and business strategist and philanthropist Tony Robbins, among others.

"We are thrilled to welcome Henry Nguyen, Peter Gruber, and Tom Penn and their owner partners to Major League Soccer," said commissioner Don Garber at the team's official unveiling on Thursday. "This visionary ownership group wil chart a course that will further elevate the sport in this great city and, combined with a new state-of-the-art stadium, accelerate us down the path toward becoming one of the top soccer leagues in the world."

The state-of-the-art stadium that Garber speaks of will be built in the greater Los Angeles Area specifically for the new franchise, which will become the 22nd MLS team following the addition of New York City FC and Orlando City SC in 2015, followed by a new expansion team in Atlanta, slated to begin play in 2017 as well.

It also appears that the ownership group will allow the club's supporters to have a say in a number of issues relating to the construction of LAFC.

LAFC's new website can be viewed here, while their new Twitter handle can be accessed here.