Come Saturday morning, the men of El Farolito won’t be hauling demolition gear or navigating early-morning Uber runs. They’ll be resting. Hydrating. Stretching.
Game day on the weekend can be a blessing. It’s the one time in the week they give their bodies a break: No side gigs, no heavy lifting, just the slow work of getting ready to run.
But at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, they’ll take the field at Kezar Stadium to face Cruizers FC in the Golden Gate Conference and West Region Final, a match that doubles as a qualifier for the NPSL national semifinals. It’s the same title they won last year. And they plan to defend it.
Along the way, they’ve already claimed the Steinbrecher Cup, awarded to the top amateur team in the country, and proved their mettle in the U.S. Open Cup, reaching the third round, farther than any other amateur side.
A little later that evening, their story will echo again — not on grass, but from the stage at SF StoryFest, where their improbable, immigrant-powered journey will be retold to a sold-out crowd.
It’s a rare double feature: One performed through fútbol, the other through storytelling. At the center of both is a team that trains part-time, works full-time, and keeps winning anyway.
Fútbol is home
El Farolito isn’t just a soccer team. It’s a lineage. A taquería born at 24th and Mission streets turned semi-pro powerhouse, it’s still coached by Santiago López, whose father founded the restaurant.
The players are mostly immigrants, many from Central and South America, who once played at high levels back home. Now they have day jobs, and families to provide for. They show up to practice twice a week, and take care of the rest — gym sessions, recovery, nutrition — on their own time.
They may not get paid for it, and yet they’re good. Really good.
The contrast isn’t lost on Allan Juárez, a 21-year-old midfielder from the Mission who recently joined the squad after wrapping his spring season at Cal. A product of the San Jose Earthquakes academy and the Guatemalan U-20 national team, Juárez grew up hearing about Farolito. But it wasn’t until he trained with them that he understood what made the team different.
“I’m surrounded by guys who work construction, drive Uber, take care of families, and then come to play at this level,” he said. “It’s inspiring. It makes me respect them even more.”
Culturally, it has also been a homecoming of sorts.
“They made me feel comfortable right away. Speaking Spanish on the field … It’s a different feeling. A good one.”
Even with dreams of going pro and playing for an MLS outfit as soon as next year, Juárez said being part of Farolito has shifted how he sees the game and the community that surrounds it. “I’ve only been here a couple months, but it already feels like a family.”
More than a game
El Farolito wants the trophy. They’re defending NPSL champions, and they want to win it again — not just for the story, but for the sport itself. Most of these players once dreamed of going pro. Some still do.
In the process of chasing silverware, they’ve become something else, too: A reminder of what’s possible. A team of mostly immigrants still finding ways to beat squads with deeper pockets and professional contracts.
They’ve built something people rally behind, not because it’s symbolic, but because it works. And none of it happens without the collective effort that surrounds them. Players ask bosses for time off, sometimes unpaid. They share cleats. They carpool. And when someone’s missing, they fill the gap.
The goal, though, has always been competitive. For the players, this season isn’t about making a statement. It’s about trying to win — again.
“This is the dream from day one,” said 37-year-old defender Jonathan Mosquera, also the team captain. “We go first for the local title, then the national finals. But the joy doesn’t come all at once. It builds slowly, day by day, with hard work.”
Mosquera knows how fragile momentum can be. Last year, Farolito cruised past Napa Valley 1839 in the regular season, only to scrape by them 3–2 in the conference final.
“You don’t play a final; you win it,” he repeated.
They’ve already beaten Cruizers FC twice this year — 6–2 at home, and 4–0 in Modesto — but they know finals don’t follow regular-season scripts.
Head coach Santiago López emphasized that mindset: “The group is very motivated. But we know every match tells a different story. A final is played with a lot of heart, but we need to stay focused.”
The Modesto side arrives with the conference’s top scorer, Joseph Mayorca, and nothing to lose.
“You give this team space, and they’ll punish you,” Mosquera said. “We’re going in with caution — and belief.”
Kickoff is 6:30 p.m. this Saturday, July 19, at Kezar Stadium in Golden Gate Park. Admission is free.