The San Jose Earthquakes trace their roots to 1996, when the club — then called the San Jose Clash — became one of Major League Soccer's founding members, based in San Jose, California. The Clash made history on April 6, 1996, hosting MLS's inaugural match at Spartan Stadium and defeating D.C. United 1–0 on a goal by Eric Wynalda, the first in league history. The franchise adopted the Earthquakes name in 1999, reviving a identity previously used by a San Jose club in the North American Soccer League during the 1970s.
The club's golden era arrived quickly. Under head coach Frank Yallop, and with the attacking presence of Landon Donovan, the Earthquakes won the MLS Cup in 2001 and again in 2003, the latter following a remarkable comeback against the LA Galaxy in the playoffs. The club also claimed the Supporters' Shield in 2005 and 2012, giving them four major domestic honors in total.
A stadium dispute led to the franchise being placed on hiatus after the 2005 season, with players and staff relocated to what became the Houston Dynamo. MLS retained the Earthquakes' name, colors, and records, and a relaunched club returned to play in 2008. Since 2015, the team has played at PayPal Park, a soccer-specific stadium in San Jose. In the current decade the club has been rebuilding its competitive standing within MLS's Western Conference.
Defining the club's identity is the California Clásico, a fierce rivalry with the LA Galaxy that dates to the earliest days of MLS and remains one of the most passionate derbies in American soccer.