What is the name of the Major League Soccer club that is based in Salt Lake City?

The Major League Soccer club based in Salt Lake City is Real Salt Lake. The club is commonly abbreviated RSL and competes in MLS's Western Conference.

Real Salt Lake was founded in 2004 and began league play in 2005 as an expansion team. Although its current stadium is in Sandy, a suburb in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, the club represents the Salt Lake region and is officially known as Real Salt Lake.

The word “Real” means “royal” in Spanish. Owner Dave Checketts selected it partly to evoke European soccer naming traditions and with the hope of developing a relationship with the famous Spanish club Real Madrid. The name initially received mixed reactions from local fans.

RSL won its first MLS Cup in 2009, defeating the Los Angeles Galaxy in a penalty shootout. The club originally played at Rice-Eccles Stadium before moving to its soccer-specific home, now called America First Field, which opened in Sandy in 2008.