Las Vegas Lights FC

The first professional soccer team to be based in Las Vegas was the Las Vegas Quicksilvers of the North American Soccer League, who moved from San Diego after the 1976 season. The team played at Las Vegas Stadium and had an average attendance of 7,092 during the 1977 season, but moved back to San Diego the following year. The Las Vegas Seagulls of the American Soccer League briefly played at Las Vegas Stadium (by then the Las Vegas Silver Bowl) in 1979, but were terminated by the league after their first season due to financial issues. The city also played host to the 1994 FIFA World Cup draw in December 1993 and was considered several times for a Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise, but was passed over by the league.

The city hosted several exhibition matches between club and national soccer teams during the early 2010s, including a 2012 World Football Challenge match between Real Madrid and Santos Laguna that drew a state-record attendance of 29,152 spectators. An MLS expansion bid was explored in 2014, led by Findlay Sports and Entertainment and the Cordish Company, proposing a 24,000-seat stadium at Symphony Park in Downtown Las Vegas. The Las Vegas bid was rejected for further consideration by MLS in February 2015, putting an end to plans for the publicly financed downtown stadium. Despite an attempted revival, the city declined to submit a proposal in time for the league's deadline for expansion bids in February 2017.

In April 2017, Brett Lashbrook submitted a formal proposal to the Las Vegas City Manager to use Cashman Field as the venue of a USL expansion team that would begin play in 2018. The Las Vegas City Council approved the Cashman Field lease in July, and the USL began planning for a formal announcement in mid-August. On August 11, 2017, Las Vegas was formally announced as a USL expansion team that would join the league in 2018. The team unveiled its official name, Las Vegas Lights FC, on August 29 and its official crest in late October.

Inaugural season

Chelís, a former MLS and Liga MX manager, was introduced as the team's head coach in November and promised to build a team that would entertain. The Lights held their first scouting camps in December and signed several Mexican players using connections from Chelís. In the inaugural preseason match, the team lost 2–0 to the Montreal Impact but attracted a sellout crowd of 10,387 people. The signing of Mexican players caused a language barrier that hindered on-field chemistry during its preseason matches against MLS teams, losing all three, but the team's players worked through the language gap. The team signed former MLS teenage prodigy Freddy Adu, who debuted in a preseason match against his first club, D.C. United.

The team played their inaugural regular season match in Fresno, California, on March 17, 2018, winning 3–2 over Fresno FC. In their first home regular season match, played on March 24, the Lights drew 1–1 with in-state rivals Reno 1868 FC in a match attended by 9,019 spectators. In the 2018 U.S. Open Cup, the Lights defeated FC Tucson and advanced to the third round, where they lost to FC Golden State Force. The club went on a long winless streak in August and September that eliminated the Lights from qualifying for the USL Playoffs. Chelis announced his departure from the club on September 18, following poor performances and an eight-match suspension for misconduct involving a spectator. Las Vegas concluded the season with 8 wins, 19 losses, and 7 draws, and manager Isidro Sánchez was fired on October 14. Former U.S. player and Atlanta Silverbacks coach Eric Wynalda was hired as manager and technical director on October 17.

Affiliation with Los Angeles FC

On March 12, 2021, Las Vegas Lights FC announced an affiliation partnership with Los Angeles FC (LAFC) of Major League Soccer. Under the one-year partnership, Las Vegas became the USL affiliate of LAFC and shared technical staff, including new manager Steve Cherundolo, a former U.S. national team player. In 2022, the affiliation was extended for another season. The team finished last in the Western Conference during the 2021 season. Cherundolo departed to become head coach of Los Angeles FC and was replaced in Las Vegas by assistant Enrique Duran in February 2022. Duran led the team to an improved finish within a point of earning a playoff berth.

Post-affiliation

The affiliation agreement ended in 2023 with the establishment of Los Angeles FC 2 in MLS Next Pro as part of a league initiative to create their own reserve league. Duran moved with the program, along with all existing players. The Lights hired Isidro Sánchez, who had been their head coach in 2018, and signed 25 new players during the offseason. Lights FC finished with a 4–22–10 record in the 2023 season. Dennis Sanchez, a former assistant coach for Austin FC II, was hired as head coach of the club in January 2024.