Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber has announced Philadelphia as the 16th MLS team. They will begin play in 2010 and will play in a 20,000 seat stadium in Chester, Pennsylvania.

"We are thrilled to welcome Philadelphia to Major League Soccer," Garber told reporters. "Philadelphia brings in one of the most passionate sports markets in the country and provides a natural rivalry with the New York Red Bulls and DC United."

The club will be owned by iStar Financial CEO Jay Sugarman, Swarthmore Group Chairman James Nevels, Philadelphia attorney William Doran, sports executive Nick Sakiewicz and Christopher and Robert Buccini.

"Major League Soccer is truly a league with the wind behind its sail," said Sugarman. "I am very excited to join the distinguished list of existing MLS owners and to help guide the League's growth into one of America's great sports cities. We're going to build a first-class organization on and off the field and we will create a development that makes the community proud."

The team's 20,000-seat soccer specific stadium will be located 13 miles from downtown Philadelphia. It is part of a $500 million waterfront project that will feature apartments, a convention center and more.

Philadelphia is the sixth team to be added to the MLS since the start of the 2005 season. Seattle will begin play in 2009 while MLS plans on adding one or two additional teams in 2011. Popular candidate cities are St. Louis, Portland, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Montreal, Vancouver and New York City.

"We continue to seek the essential combination of strong ownership, an appropriate facility controlled by that ownership, and a market with a tradition of supporting the sport," said Garber. "St. Louis is one of the leading candidates we are considering and we are hopeful that all elements will come together soon for the city to join the league."

The team should do well in Philadelphia as the Delaware Valley is the fourth largest metropolitan area in the United States with 6.8 million people. Manchester United and Barcelona played in front of sold out Lincoln Financial Field crowds in 2003.

Nick Sakiewicz, one of the owners, is a two-time winner of the MLS Executive of the Year award. He garnered those awards while with the Tampa Bay Mutiny and MetroStars (now Red Bull New York).

Philadelphia's name, logo and colors will be announced at a later date. The flag of Philadelphia is light blue and yellow, which may translate to the team's colors. Due to the city's history, the club may be named Philadelphia Independence FC according to various blogs.