Description Available in: The history of the San Diego Chargers begins in 1959 with the foundation of the professional American football team (now known as the Los Angeles Chargers) when it was made a charter member of the American Football League (AFL). The team played the 1960 season in Los Angeles and moved to San Diego the following year, where they played from 1961 until 2016. In 2017 when the Chargers moved their practice facility to Orange County, the Chargers removed all references to the city of San Diego from their website and merchandise. The Chargers returned to Los Angeles in 2017.