History of professional soccer in Seattle

Seattle has had professional soccer teams for over forty years, with clubs playing in different leagues since the 1970s. The most famous of these teams is the Seattle Sounders FC, which has existed in three different forms, competing in the North American Soccer League, the United Soccer League, and today in the top-level Major League Soccer.

In 2013, Seattle became home to another important team, Seattle Reign FC, one of the first clubs in the new National Women's Soccer League. Over the years, Seattle has also welcomed teams from other indoor and arena soccer leagues, such as the Continental Indoor Soccer League and the Major Arena Soccer League. The city's love for soccer continues to grow, making Seattle an important place for the sport in the United States.

Timeline

Seattle has had professional soccer teams for over forty years. These teams have played in different leagues since the 1970s. The city is also home to a women's soccer team that started in 2013.

Seattle Sounders (NASL), 1974–1983

Main article: Seattle Sounders (1974–1983)

In 1973, a group of investors from Seattle got the rights to start a soccer team in the top-level North American Soccer League. They named the team the Seattle Sounders after a contest. The team began playing in 1974 and quickly became popular. Their first game drew over 12,000 fans, and they soon sold out stadiums for soccer matches—a first in American sports.

The Sounders played well and drew large crowds. They moved into the new Kingdome stadium in 1976, where over 58,000 fans watched them play. The team made it to the championship game in 1977, drawing fans from all over to watch them compete.

F.C. Seattle Storm (WSA), 1984–1995

Main article: Seattle Storm (soccer)

Football Club Seattle Storm, also called F.C. Seattle Storm, was a soccer team in Seattle. It was created to give local players a chance to play at a higher level than usual. The team played exhibition games against top international teams and was part of several leagues, including the Western Soccer Alliance, the American Professional Soccer League, and later the Pacific Coast Soccer League.

Seattle SeaDogs (CISL), 1995–1997

Main article: Seattle SeaDogs

The Seattle SeaDogs were an indoor soccer team that played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League from 1995 to 1997. They won the league's last championship in 1997.

Seattle Sounders (APSL / A-League / USL-1), 1994–2008

Main article: Seattle Sounders (1994–2008)

Before the 2002 season, the Seattle Sounders needed a new coach after a poor year. They hired Brian Schmetzer, who had coached an indoor team called the Seattle SeaDogs. Under Schmetzer, the Sounders won their division in 2002 and 2003. In 2004, they reached the league final but lost. In 2005, they won the league championship by beating the Richmond Kickers.

In 2006, the team did not make the playoffs, but a player named Cam Weaver scored many goals and was named the league’s best new player. In 2007, the Sounders had their best season ever, winning both the regular season title and the league championship. They beat a team called Atlanta 4–0 in the final. That year, Seattle also learned it would get a new team in the big league, Major League Soccer. The USL team played its last season in 2008. Two players, Roger Levesque and Zach Scott, moved to the new MLS team after trying out for two months. Schmetzer was considered for the top coach job with the new team, but another coach was chosen instead.

Previous attempts at MLS expansion, 1993–2007

Debate for MLS or APSL club

When Major League Soccer started, Seattle was one of the cities considered to have a team. But the people trying to bring a team to Seattle could only get 1,300 people to say they would go to games. They needed 10,000 people to say yes, so Seattle was not chosen to have a team at first.

Even though Seattle was not chosen, the people working to get a team kept trying. They talked to the University of Washington about using Husky Stadium until they could build a stadium just for soccer, called a soccer-specific stadium.

Second attempt for MLS franchise

When the first season of MLS started, Paul Allen, who also owned a football team, helped the city build a new stadium that could be used for both football and soccer. This made many people in the state support building the stadium.

Later, MLS decided that teams would be owned by rich people instead of the league itself. So, Seattle needed someone rich to step forward and pay for a team. In 2002, Seattle was again considered for a new MLS team. But in 2004, the new teams went to Salt Lake City and the Los Angeles area, becoming Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA.

Adrian Hanauer, who owned a soccer team in Seattle, talked to MLS about paying to get a team in Seattle for the 2006 season. But when Seattle was passed over again in 2006 for a team in Houston, Hanauer said he couldn’t get enough money from other investors, because the cost to join MLS had gone up to more than $10 million.

Seattle Sounders FC (Major League Soccer), 2007–present

Main article: Seattle Sounders FC

Seattle awarded expansion franchise

In 2007, a group led by Hollywood producer Joe Roth and Paul Allen, who owned Qwest Field, successfully bid to bring Major League Soccer (MLS) to Seattle. During a press conference on November 13, 2007, it was announced that Seattle would have its own MLS team, bringing top-level soccer back to the city for the first time since 1983.

New crest, same name

On April 7, 2008, the Seattle MLS team revealed its name, colors, and logo. Fans voted overwhelmingly to keep the "Sounders" name, honoring past teams. The team's logo featured the famous Space Needle and the colors represented the waters of the Puget Sound, the forests of the Pacific Northwest, and the Cascade Range. The team also announced a sponsorship deal with Microsoft, featuring the Xbox 360 and Xbox Live brands on the jerseys.

Sigi Schmid era

2009: Inaugural MLS campaign

See also: 2009 Seattle Sounders FC season

The Sounders began their first MLS season in 2009. They sold out all their season tickets and played their first home game to a sold-out crowd, winning 3–0. The team had a strong start, winning their first three games, and went on to win the U.S. Open Cup in their inaugural season. They also set a new MLS record for average attendance.

First U.S. Open Cup title

See also: 2009 U.S. Open Cup and 2009 U.S. Open Cup Final

In their first season, the Sounders won the U.S. Open Cup, becoming the first expansion team to do so. They defeated D.C. United 2–1 in the final and qualified for the 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League.

2010: Second U.S. Open Cup and return to Champions League

See also: 2010 Seattle Sounders FC season, 2010 U.S. Open Cup Final, and 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League

The Sounders won the U.S. Open Cup for the second year in a row in 2010, defeating the Columbus Crew 2–1 in the final. This victory qualified them for the Champions League in 2011.

The Sounders started the 2011 season strongly and finished with the second-best record in the league. They won their third consecutive U.S. Open Cup, defeating the Chicago Fire 2–0. In the CONCACAF Champions League, they advanced to the knockout round.

2012: First trophy-less campaign

See also: 2012 Seattle Sounders FC season and 2012 U.S. Open Cup Final

Seattle had a strong start in 2012 but faced a long winless streak. They reached the U.S. Open Cup Final for the fourth year in a row but lost to Sporting Kansas City. Despite not winning a major trophy, they qualified for the playoffs for the first time in team history.

2013: Arrival of Clint Dempsey

See also: 2013 Seattle Sounders FC season

In 2013, the Sounders signed U.S. national team captain Clint Dempsey for a record fee. Despite injuries to key players, the team improved in the latter part of the season but did not perform as expected in the playoffs.

2014: First MLS Supporters' Shield and fourth U.S. Open Cup

See also: 2014 Seattle Sounders FC season and 2014 U.S. Open Cup Final

After a restructuring, the Sounders won their first MLS Supporters' Shield in 2014 and their fourth U.S. Open Cup title. They advanced to the Western Conference Championship but lost to the LA Galaxy.

2015 season

See also: 2015 Seattle Sounders FC season

The Sounders had a strong start in 2015 but faced challenges due to injuries. They finished fourth in the Western Conference and reached the playoffs but lost in the Western Conference semifinals.

2016: Departure of Schmid

See also: 2016 Seattle Sounders FC season

Before the 2016 season, key players left the team. The Sounders struggled initially but improved under interim coach Brian Schmetzer.

Brian Schmetzer era

2016: Comeback and MLS Cup

See also: MLS Cup 2016

Long-time assistant coach Brian Schmetzer was named interim head coach upon Schmid's departure. The next day, the club announced their signing of Uruguayan midfielder Nicolás Lodeiro on a designated player contract, as well as the return of former designated player Álvaro Fernández. Despite the sluggish start as well as the loss of midfielder Clint Dempsey, who was forced in August to stop playing after evaluations for an irregular heartbeat, the Sounders rose from ninth place to fourth place in the Western Conference and qualified for the 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs, with eight wins, two losses, and four draws. Schmetzer was named as permanent head coach as a result.

At the end of the regular season, Jordan Morris was named the MLS Rookie of the Year after scoring the most goals of any American rookie in MLS (12), and Nicolás Lodeiro was named MLS Newcomer of the Year for his 4 goals and 8 assists in 13 appearances. The Sounders advanced from the Knockout Round of the playoffs through a 1–0 win over Sporting Kansas City, and beat FC Dallas 4–2 on aggregate to return to the Conference Final. The Sounders then defeated the Colorado Rapids 3–1 on aggregate in the final, clinching a spot in their first-ever MLS Cup. On December 10, 2016, the Sounders defeated Toronto FC 5–4 in a penalty shootout, to win MLS Cup 2016, their first MLS championship in franchise history, going the whole match without a shot on goal. The team's performance was called a "cinderella season" and hailed as one of the most dramatic MLS seasons to date.

2017: MLS Cup rematch

See also: 2017 Seattle Sounders FC season and MLS Cup 2017

The Sounders began their title defense with new signings and returned players. After a slow start, they clinched a second-place spot in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, they reached the MLS Cup but lost to Toronto.

2018: Longest winning streak

See also: 2018 Seattle Sounders FC season

Seattle faced injuries early in the 2018 season but signed new players and went on a record-winning streak. They finished second in the Western Conference and reached the Conference Semifinals but lost to the Portland Timbers in a dramatic match.

2019: Second MLS Cup title

See also: 2019 Seattle Sounders FC season and MLS Cup 2019

Despite losing key players, the Sounders finished second in the Western Conference and qualified for the playoffs. They won the MLS Cup, defeating Toronto FC 3–1 in front of a record crowd.

2020: Pandemic and MLS Cup runners-up

See also: 2020 Seattle Sounders FC season and MLS Cup 2020

The 2020 season was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Sounders reached the MLS Cup Final but lost to the Columbus Crew.

2021: Leagues Cup runners-up

See also: 2021 Seattle Sounders FC season and 2021 Leagues Cup Final

Seattle had a strong start in 2021 but faced injuries. They reached the Leagues Cup Final but lost to Club León.

2022: First CONCACAF Champions League title

See also: 2022 Seattle Sounders FC season and 2022 CONCACAF Champions League Final

The team qualified for the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League as the best-performing MLS club without their own berth, replacing the slot reserved for the cancelled U.S. Open Cup. In the round of 16, the Sounders were held to a scoreless draw to F.C. Motagua in Honduras but defeated them 5–0 in the second leg at home. Seattle then faced Club León in a rematch of the Leagues Cup Final, winning 3–0 at home in the first leg and drawing 1–1 in the second leg to advance to the semifinals. The team played MLS Cup 2021 champions New York City FC in the semifinals, winning 3–1 at home in the first leg and drawing 1–1 in the second leg to advance 4–2 on aggregate. The Sounders advance to their first Champions League final to face Mexican club UNAM, who hosted the first leg. The two teams drew 2–2 and returned to Seattle, where the Sounders won 3–0 in front of 68,741, setting a competition attendance record. The Sounders became the first MLS club to win the CONCACAF Champions League with their 5–2 aggregate victory. As CONCACAF champions, Seattle became the first MLS club to qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup.

Sounders uniform evolution

The Seattle Sounders have worn different uniforms over the years, but their colors have mostly been blue and green.

MLS Era (2009–)

Home

Away

Third

USL-1 Era (2003–2008)

Light

Dark

APSL Era (1994–2002)

Light

Dark

NASL Era (1974–1983)

Light

Dark

Sponsorship

Sounders season results

Main articles: List of Seattle Sounders (1974–1983) seasons and List of Seattle Sounders FC seasons

This section shows the results of all three versions of the Seattle Sounders soccer team from 1974 until today. The original Sounders stopped playing in 1983, but a new team started in 1994 and later joined Major League Soccer in 2009. The tables here show how the team did each year in games and tournaments, who scored the most goals, and how many fans came to watch.

Key

Key to competitions

Outdoor seasons

**^**1. Avg. attendance include statistics from league matches only.
**^**2. Top goalscorer(s) includes all goals scored in League, Playoffs, U.S. Open Cup, MLS is Back Tournament, CONCACAF Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, and other competitive continental matches.
**^**3. Points and PPG have been adjusted from non-traditional to traditional scoring systems for seasons prior to 2003 to more effectively compare historical team performance across seasons.

Indoor seasons

Personnel

Head coaches

Players

¤ Played for two distinct Sounders franchises

Sounders all-time honors

International

CONCACAF Champions' Cup / CONCACAF Champions League

The Seattle Sounders have won the CONCACAF Champions' Cup / CONCACAF Champions League once, reached 4th place once, made it to the semi-finals once, and were quarter-finalists three times.

Leagues Cup

They have also won the Leagues Cup once and were runners-up once.

Domestic

U.S. Open Cup

The team has won the U.S. Open Cup four times and were runners-up once.

League

MLS

MLS Cup Playoffs

In Major League Soccer, the Sounders have won the MLS Cup Playoffs twice, been Conference Champions four times, Conference Finalists two times (plus another in 2024), and Conference Semifinalists six times.

Supporters' Shield

They have won the Supporters' Shield once and were runners-up once.

NASL

Soccer Bowl

In the North American Soccer League, they were runners-up in the Soccer Bowl twice.

Trans-Atlantic Challenge Cup

They won the Trans-Atlantic Challenge Cup once in 1981.

USL

USL First Division Playoffs

In the USL, the Sounders won the USL First Division Playoffs four times and were runners-up once.

USL Commissioner's Cup

They also won the USL Commissioner's Cup three times and were runners-up once.

Other

Cascadia Cup

The team has won the Cascadia Cup six times.

Heritage Cup

They have won the Heritage Cup eight times, including most recently in 2025.

Seattle Reign FC, 2013–present

Main article: Seattle Reign FC

The Seattle Reign FC started playing in 2013 as one of the first teams in the National Women's Soccer League. Their first home was Starfire Stadium in Tukwila, Washington, but they later moved to Memorial Stadium in Seattle.

After leaving Memorial Stadium, the team temporarily played in Tacoma at Cheney Stadium, sharing the field with a baseball team. They planned to build their own stadium there but faced delays. In 2022, they returned to Seattle to play at Lumen Field. In 2020, new owners joined the team, and it was renamed OL Reign.

Seattle Impact

Main article: Seattle Impact

In 2014, a new team called the Seattle Impact was created and joined the Major Arena Soccer League. They played their first games at the ShoWare Center. But in January 2015, the team was sold to the Tacoma Stars, and they finished the season using the Tacoma Stars name instead.