Major League Soccer announced the addition of a Philadelphia franchise today. Here’s the story from The Associated Press:

Philadelphia-area gets 16th MLS team



CHESTER, Pa. (AP) — The Philadelphia suburb of Chester was awarded a Major League Soccer team on Thursday that will start play in 2010.

The unnamed team will play in an 18,500-seat stadium planned for the Delaware River waterfront. The stadium is part of a $414 million redevelopment plan for the city, which is southwest of Philadelphia.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Philadelphia provides a natural rivalry with several other East Coast teams.

Except for a brief interlude thanks to a women’s pro team, outdoor pro soccer hasn’t been played in the Philadelphia area since the Fury folded in 1980.