The 2016 Santa Ana Winds FC season was the club's tenth season of existence, and their third in the United Premier Soccer League. Winds FC did not play the 2015 UPSL season. The 2016 season was one of resurgence for a club struggling to make inroads in the City of Santa Ana by not finding a home field in the city proper in seasons prior. Highlights for Winds FC in 2016 included scheduling some games at Santa Ana College, and playing their first qualifying match for the 2017 US Open Cup.
Winds FC completed a preseason, with matches against 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup entrants La Máquina FC and L.A. Wolves FC. Santa Ana Winds FC faced La Máquina at Mater Dei High School (Santa Ana, California) on April 27, 2016 at 8 pm, and L.A. Wolves FC in Manhattan Beach.
The Summer-Fall 2016 season began for Winds FC on July 16 at Santa Ana College, with the club defeating SoCal Troop FC by a score of 4-1, followed by a 4-4 tie against Newcastle United US on July 23.
Santa Ana Winds FC were scheduled to host fellow UPSL club La Habra City FC at Lake Forest Sports Park on Sunday, September 18 in a qualifying match to the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open Cup, but had the match moved to Colton High School in Colton, California. Santa Ana defeated La Habra City FC by a score of 5-0 in the first-ever U.S. Open Cup qualifying match for either team.
The October 23 Open Cup qualifier vs La Máquina was cancelled due to a thunderstorm in Irvine, and was rescheduled for October 30 at 6 pm at Orange County Great Park.
Santa Ana Winds FC (UPSL) v La Habra City FC (UPSL)
