Seattle Sounders FC facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Seattle Sounders FC

Nickname(s)	The Sounders, The Rave Green
Founded	November 13, 2007 (2007-11-13)
Stadium	Lumen Field
Stadium capacity	37,722
Owner	Adrian Hanauer
General manager	Craig Waibel
Head coach	Brian Schmetzer
League	Major League Soccer
2024	Western Conference: 4th Overall: 7th Playoffs: Conference finals
Home colors Away colors Third colors

The Seattle Sounders FC is a professional soccer team from Seattle, USA. They play in Major League Soccer (MLS) as part of the Western Conference. The club started on November 13, 2007, and began playing in 2009 as a new team in the league.

The Sounders are like a "phoenix club." This means they took the name from older Seattle soccer teams. These teams played from 1994 to 2008 and even earlier from 1974 to 1983.

The team's main owner is Adrian Hanauer. Other owners include the family of Paul Allen, Drew Carey, and 14 families from Seattle. Brian Schmetzer, who used to coach for the older Sounders team, became the head coach in 2016.

The Sounders play their home games at Lumen Field. Most matches have about 37,722 seats open for fans. A 53-member marching band called "Sound Wave" cheers on the team at every home game. The Sounders have big rivalries with other teams in the Pacific Northwest, like the Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. They compete for the Cascadia Cup against these teams.

The Sounders played their first game on March 19, 2009. They won 3–0 against the New York Red Bulls. Seattle has been one of the most successful teams in MLS. They have won the U.S. Open Cup four times. They also won the Supporters' Shield in 2014 and the MLS Cup in 2016 and 2019.

From 2009 until 2022, the team made it to the MLS Cup playoffs every year. This was the longest streak in league history. They also played in the CONCACAF Champions League seven times. In 2022, they became the first MLS team to win this important tournament. The Sounders were also the first MLS team to play in the FIFA Club World Cup.

The team set new MLS records for how many fans came to their games for five years in a row. The Sounders are one of the most valuable teams in North America. Famous players who have played for them include Clint Dempsey, Osvaldo Alonso, and Nicolás Lodeiro. The team's top goalscorer is Jordan Morris. He joined the Sounders in 2016 and broke the record in 2025. Since 2024, the Sounders are connected with Seattle Reign FC, a women's soccer team. The Sounders also have a youth academy and a lower-division team called Tacoma Defiance. These teams help develop young players like Jordan Morris and DeAndre Yedlin.

Team History

Even before MLS started, Seattle was a possible city for a professional soccer team. In 1994, when the U.S. was getting ready for the FIFA World Cup, many cities wanted an MLS team. Seattle was one of them. However, Seattle did not have a stadium just for soccer. Also, they needed 10,000 fans to promise to buy season tickets. Seattle's organizers only got about 1,500 promises. This was because another local team, the APSL Sounders, was also selling tickets.

Seattle was not chosen for the first MLS teams in 1994. To improve their chances, organizers worked with the University of Washington. They hoped to use Husky Stadium temporarily while building a new soccer stadium. But Seattle was still not chosen when MLS started in 1996.

In 1996, Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen worked to build a new football stadium. The idea of an MLS team sharing the stadium helped get public support. Many voters supported building Seahawks Stadium because it would also host professional soccer. By 2000, MLS wanted wealthy owners for its teams. So, Seattle needed rich people to invest in a team.

In 2003, Seattle was again considered for an MLS team. In 2004, MLS commissioner Don Garber said Seattle was "very close" to getting a team. Adrian Hanauer, who owned the USL Sounders, talked with MLS. But when Seattle was passed over again in 2006, Hanauer said he needed more investors. The cost for an MLS team had grown to over $10 million.

Starting the Team and First Season

In 2007, Adrian Hanauer teamed up with Hollywood producer Joe Roth. They made another bid for an MLS team in Seattle, costing $30 million. Paul Allen also joined their group. This made their bid very strong. They competed with two other groups from California.

On November 13, 2007, it was announced that Seattle would get an MLS team. The owners would be Hanauer, Roth, Allen, and TV star Drew Carey. This brought top-level soccer back to Seattle. The old NASL team had stopped playing in 1983. The USL Sounders team played its last season before the new MLS team started.

The team's name, "Seattle Sounders FC," was announced on April 7, 2008. The team's logo, colors, and badge were also shown at the Space Needle. All 22,000 season tickets for the first season sold out. This gave them the most season ticket holders in MLS. Sigi Schmid became the team's first head coach on December 16, 2008.

Seattle Sounders FC was the 15th team in MLS. They played their first home game on March 19, 2009. A crowd of 32,523 watched them beat the New York Red Bulls 3–0. Seattle was the first MLS expansion team to win its first three games. They won each game without letting the other team score.

On August 5, 2009, the club set a state record for soccer attendance. 66,848 people watched a friendly match against FC Barcelona. This record was broken later when 67,052 fans watched them play Manchester United. It was broken again in the 2019 MLS Cup against Toronto FC with 69,274 fans.

On September 2, 2009, the Sounders won the U.S. Open Cup in their first season. They beat D.C. United 2–1. This win meant they qualified for the 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League.

The Sounders made the playoffs in their first season, finishing with 12 wins, 7 losses, and 11 ties. They set a new MLS record for average attendance with 30,943 fans per game. Their first season ended in the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs when they lost to the Houston Dynamo. All 15 home games, the playoff game, and four U.S. Open Cup games were sold out.

Early Success (2010–2013)

Before the second season, the club increased season ticket holders to 32,000. They won their first game 2–0 against the Philadelphia Union. However, they lost 8 of their next 14 games. Later in the season, Seattle played much better. They won 10 of their last 15 games and made the playoffs again. They finished with 14 wins, 10 losses, and 6 ties. In the playoffs, they lost to the Los Angeles Galaxy. The club broke its own attendance record, averaging 36,173 fans per game. Every league match was sold out.

The Sounders also played in the CONCACAF Champions League and the U.S. Open Cup. They made it through the first round of the Champions League but were eliminated later. In the U.S. Open Cup, Seattle reached the final. On October 5, 2010, Seattle won the U.S. Open Cup final 2–1. They became the first team since 1983 to win the cup two years in a row. This win sent them back to the Champions League in 2011.

The 2011 season started with a 1–0 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy. This season also saw the Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC join MLS. This brought back the Cascadia Cup rivalry. The Sounders won the cup by not losing to either team. On April 22, 2011, star player Steve Zakuani broke his leg. This ended his season. Despite this, the Sounders finished with the second-best record in the league. They had 18 wins, 9 ties, and 7 losses. They made the playoffs for the third year in a row.

On October 4, 2011, Seattle won its third U.S. Open Cup in a row. They beat the Chicago Fire 2–0. This was the first time a club had done this in 42 years. In the MLS playoffs, Seattle lost to Real Salt Lake.

Sounders player Mauro Rosales was named the 2011 Newcomer of the Year. In 2011, Seattle again broke its attendance record with 38,496 fans per game. On October 15, 2011, 64,140 people came to a game. This was the third-largest crowd ever for an MLS match. In the 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League, Seattle became only the second MLS team to win a game in Mexico. They beat C.F. Monterrey 1–0.

The 2012 season started with five straight wins. But then they had a nine-game streak without a win. This streak ended on July 7, when Steve Zakuani returned. Seattle reached the U.S. Open Cup Final for the fourth year in a row. They were the first team to do this since 1937. But they lost to Sporting Kansas City in a penalty shootout.

In the Champions League, the team made it to the knockout round. The Sounders finished third in their conference and made the playoffs. They got past the first round for the first time. But they lost to Los Angeles in the Conference Championship. The 2012 season was the first time the Sounders did not win a major trophy. The top scorer was Eddie Johnson, who scored 14 goals. He won the MLS Comeback Player of the Year Award.

In 2013, the Sounders signed their first player from their youth academy, DeAndre Yedlin. They also signed defender Djimi Traoré and forward Obafemi Martins. Longtime forward Fredy Montero left the team. The Sounders started the 2013 season in the Champions League. They faced Mexican team Tigres UANL. Seattle won 3–1 and became the first MLS team to beat a Mexican team in the Champions League knockout stage. They then lost to Santos Laguna. The Sounders continued to break the MLS attendance record, reaching 44,038 fans per game in 2013.

The MLS season started slowly for the Sounders due to injuries. They also lost in the U.S. Open Cup, ending their streak of deep runs in the tournament. In August 2013, the Sounders signed U.S. national team captain Clint Dempsey. This was the biggest player transfer deal in MLS history. The team played well and was close to winning the Supporters' Shield. But they lost four games in October. They beat the Colorado Rapids in the playoffs. Then they lost to their rivals, Portland, in the conference semifinal.

The Sounders kept breaking MLS attendance records in 2012 and 2013. This was helped by opening more seating sections at Lumen Field. A game against the Portland Timbers in August 2013 had 67,385 fans. This was the second-largest crowd for a single MLS game.

Winning the Supporters' Shield (2014)

After a tough 2013 season, the Sounders made some changes. They got a new goalkeeper, Stefan Frei. Several older players left the team. Brad Evans became the new team captain. They also added Marco Pappa, an experienced player. Young player DeAndre Yedlin was transferred to Tottenham Hotspur but stayed with Seattle for the rest of the MLS season.

The Sounders won their fourth U.S. Open Cup trophy by beating the Philadelphia Union. On October 25, 2014, the Sounders beat the LA Galaxy 2–0. This win helped them secure their first ever Supporters' Shield.

As the top team, Seattle entered the playoffs. They beat FC Dallas. Then they faced the LA Galaxy again in the Western Conference Championship. The Sounders tied the Galaxy in total goals but lost because of the "away goals rule." The LA Galaxy went on to win the MLS Cup.

2015 Season Highlights

Garth Lagerwey became the club's general manager in January 2015. Seattle could not repeat their 2014 success. They started the season well, being at the top of the Western Conference by June. However, during a 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup game, Obafemi Martins got injured. Clint Dempsey was suspended. These two players were very important for the team's offense.

Because of the injuries and suspensions, Seattle played poorly in the summer. They won only one game out of nine. By late August, Martins was back. He helped the team go eight games without a loss. This helped them get a playoff spot. They also won their group in the 2015–16 CONCACAF Champions League. New international players like Nelson Haedo Valdez, Andreas Ivanschitz, and Román Torres joined the team.

In the first round of the playoffs, the Sounders beat the LA Galaxy 3–2. This ended a "curse" where they had lost to LA in previous playoffs. But their playoff run ended in the next round against FC Dallas. They lost in a penalty shootout. In November 2015, Adrian Hanauer became the main owner of the club. The club set a new attendance record in 2015, with an average of 44,247 fans.

Schmetzer Era and First MLS Cup (2016–2018)

Before the 2016 season, Obafemi Martins left the club. This hurt the Sounders' offense. But they signed young player Jordan Morris. The team started the 2016 season poorly. They were near the bottom of the league. After a 3–0 loss on July 24, coach Sigi Schmid left the club. Longtime assistant coach Brian Schmetzer took over.

On the same day, the club signed Uruguayan player Nicolás Lodeiro. Another former player, Álvaro Fernández, also returned. Even with a slow start and losing Clint Dempsey due to a heart issue, the Sounders improved greatly. They went from ninth place to fourth place in their conference. They made the 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs. Schmetzer was then named the permanent head coach.

At the end of the season, Jordan Morris was named the MLS Rookie of the Year. He scored 12 goals, the most by any American rookie. Nicolás Lodeiro was named MLS Newcomer of the Year. The Sounders won their playoff games against Sporting Kansas City and FC Dallas. They then beat the Colorado Rapids to reach their first-ever MLS Cup.

On December 10, 2016, the Sounders beat Toronto FC in a penalty shootout to win MLS Cup 2016. This was their first MLS championship! They won the whole match without a shot on goal. This season was called a "cinderella season" because of their amazing comeback.

The Sounders started their title defense by signing new players. Dempsey also returned. The season started slowly, with only five wins in the first 17 games. But then they went 13 games without a loss. They finished second in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, the Sounders beat the Vancouver Whitecaps and Houston Dynamo. They won the Western Conference and went back to the MLS Cup. They faced Toronto again but lost 2–0.

Seattle started the 2018 season in the CONCACAF Champions League. They lost to C.D. Guadalajara. During this time, Jordan Morris injured his ACL and could not play for the rest of the season. Without Morris and other injured players, the Sounders lost many early games. They were at the bottom of their conference by June. The club then signed a new player, Raúl Ruidíaz. They then went on a long winning streak.

On September 1, the club broke the MLS record for most wins in a row, with eight. They extended it to nine wins. The Sounders finished second in the Western Conference. They won 14 of their last 16 games. This was the best half-season in league history. Paul Allen, a minority owner, passed away on October 15, 2018. His sister, Jody Allen, took over his share. Seattle then played the Portland Timbers in the playoffs. They lost in a dramatic penalty shootout.

Second MLS Cup and Pandemic (2019–2021)

The 2019 season began with the loss of team captain Osvaldo Alonso. Defender Chad Marshall also retired unexpectedly. Despite these losses, the Sounders finished second in the Western Conference. They made it to the MLS Cup Playoffs for the 11th time. The playoffs used single-elimination games for the first time.

The Sounders beat FC Dallas 4–3, with Jordan Morris scoring three goals. He was named MLS Comeback Player of the Year. The team then won against Real Salt Lake. They traveled to play the top team, Los Angeles FC, and won 3–1. Seattle hosted the MLS Cup final against Toronto FC. They won 3–1, claiming their second championship! The game had 69,274 fans, a record for Lumen Field.

Seattle started the 2020 season in the CONCACAF Champions League. They lost in a penalty shootout to C.D. Olimpia. The Sounders played two home games before MLS stopped all activities on March 12, 2020. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The league returned with the MLS is Back Tournament in Orlando. The Sounders played three group games and advanced. But they lost to Los Angeles FC. The team then played home games with no fans at Lumen Field.

The Sounders canceled a game in August to join a protest against racial injustice. They later won a home game 7–1 against the San Jose Earthquakes. This was their biggest win ever. The team made the playoffs for the 12th year in a row. In the playoffs, the Sounders beat Los Angeles FC and FC Dallas. They hosted Minnesota United FC in the Western Conference Final. Minnesota led 2–0, but Seattle scored three goals in the last 18 minutes to win! They reached their fourth MLS Cup in five years. The Sounders faced the Columbus Crew in the 2020 MLS Cup final and lost 3–0.

Seattle started the 2021 season with a 13-game unbeaten streak. This was a new MLS record. They did this even with key players like Nicolas Lodeiro, Jordan Morris, and Stefan Frei injured. Coach Brian Schmetzer changed the team's formation. The Sounders won the Cascadia Cup again. They also won two games against Mexican clubs in the 2021 Leagues Cup. They reached the final but lost to Club León. Seattle stayed in first place for most of the season. But they lost several games at the end and finished second. They made the playoffs but lost in the first round to Real Salt Lake in a penalty shootout.

Champions League Title and First Club World Cup (2022–2024)

The team qualified for the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League. In the first round, they tied F.C. Motagua 0–0 in Honduras. But they won the second game 5–0 at home. Seattle then played Club León again. They won 3–0 at home and tied 1–1 away to advance. The team played MLS Cup 2021 champions New York City FC in the semifinals. They won 3–1 at home and tied 1–1 away.

The Sounders reached their first Champions League final. They faced Mexican club UNAM. The first game was a 2–2 tie. In Seattle, the Sounders won 3–0 in front of 68,741 fans. This set a new attendance record for the competition. The Sounders became the first MLS club to win the CONCACAF Champions League! As champions, Seattle became the first MLS club to play in the FIFA Club World Cup.

The Sounders played in the U.S. Open Cup but lost to the San Jose Earthquakes in a penalty shootout. In league play, they had fallen to 13th place. They used different players to manage many games. By early July, they were fourth in their conference. More injuries and players leaving for national team games caused them to lose many matches. The Sounders did not make the playoffs in 2022. This ended their 13-year streak, which was the longest in MLS.

On November 22, 2022, Garth Lagerwey left the club. Craig Waibel became the new general manager. The team prepared for the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco. The Sounders lost 1–0 to Egypt's Al Ahly. The club also qualified for the expanded 2025 tournament because they won the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League. The team finished second in the Western Conference in the 2023 regular season. They returned to the MLS Cup Playoffs. But they lost to Los Angeles FC at home.

The Sounders showed a new logo in September 2023 for their 50th anniversary. A new training facility opened in February 2024 in Renton. The club signed Argentinian player Pedro de la Vega in January 2024. Raúl Ruidíaz became the team's top goalscorer in MLS history on March 23, 2024. The Sounders were eliminated from the U.S. Open Cup and Leagues Cup by Los Angeles FC. The team made the playoffs and beat Los Angeles FC. But they lost to the LA Galaxy in the Western Conference Final.

Second Club World Cup Appearance (2025–present)

The team made their eighth appearance in the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 2025. They beat Antigua from Guatemala. But they lost to Mexican club Cruz Azul in the next round. A player named Paul Arriola got a season-ending injury in that game. This loss also ended their 13-game unbeaten streak in CONCACAF games.

The Sounders hosted their three group stage matches for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at Lumen Field. They put temporary grass over the turf for the tournament. The team lost their first game 2–1 to Botafogo from Brazil. Cristian Roldan scored the first goal for an American team in the tournament's history. Spanish team Atlético Madrid then beat the Sounders 2–1. Albert Rusnák scored Seattle's only goal. The team was eliminated after a 0–2 loss to Paris Saint-Germain. The Sounders were praised for their effort in the Club World Cup.

Team Colors and Crest

The original team badge looks like a shield. It has two layers, showing the partnership between owners, community, players, and fans. The logo includes the Space Needle, a famous Seattle landmark. The team colors are Sounder Blue (for Puget Sound waters), Rave Green (for Pacific Northwest forests), and Cascade Shale (for the Cascade Mountains).

Fans chose the team name in an online poll in 2008. The first choices did not include "Seattle Sounders." This made many people in Seattle upset. So, the team added a "write-in" option. Almost half of the votes were for some form of "Sounders." When the name was announced, owner Adrian Hanauer said it was important to keep the tradition. The original NASL team was named "Sounders" in 1974.

The Sounders usually play in a rave green home jersey. Their away and third jerseys have different colors and designs. In early years, third jerseys were bright yellow or cyan. Later, they used more muted colors. A special "throwback" jersey was introduced in 2017. It looked like the old NASL Sounders jerseys. In 2019, the away jersey changed to black and pink, inspired by a sunset. In 2021, a dark purple jersey with orange and yellow was released. It was inspired by Seattle musician Jimi Hendrix.

An updated away jersey inspired by martial artist and actor Bruce Lee was released in 2023. It is red with a dragon design. A new logo and brand were shown on September 26, 2023, for the club's 50th anniversary. The new logo is a simpler shield with the Space Needle and the year 1974. New secondary logos include an orca and the letters "SFC." The new home jersey for 2024 has aqua pinstripes on green. The 2025 away jersey, called the "Salish Sea Kit," uses blue shades and patterns from Salish weaving. It includes a phrase in the Southern Lushootseed language meaning "water is sacred." A purple "Orca Kit" was also introduced in July 2025. It looks like the 1995 A-League Sounders jersey.

Team Sponsors

The first Sounders jersey was shown on May 28, 2008. Microsoft became the team's sponsor in a five-year deal. The Xbox brand appeared on the front of the jerseys. This deal was extended several times.

On January 17, 2019, the team announced that Seattle-based online store Zulily would be the new jersey sponsor. In July 2020, WaFd Bank became the first sponsor for the sleeve patch. In 2021, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians became a sleeve sponsor. Their Emerald Queen Casino logo is on the primary kits.

Providence Health & Services became the club's new jersey sponsor on January 20, 2023. This 10-year deal was for an unknown amount. Some fans and groups criticized this choice because of Providence's certain policies.

Period	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor	Sleeve sponsor
2009–2018	Adidas	Xbox	—
2019		Zulily
2020			WaFd Bank
2021–2022			Emerald Queen Casino
2023–present		Providence

Home Stadium

Seattle Sounders FC plays home games at Lumen Field in Seattle. This stadium is also home to the Seattle Seahawks football team. Paul Allen, a former Sounders owner, also owned the Seahawks. Because of this, the Sounders used Lumen Field without paying rent. In 2015, the team extended their lease to use Lumen Field until 2028. From 2009 to 2018, the field was called "The Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field." In 2022, it was renamed the "Emerald Queen Casino Pitch at Lumen Field."

Lumen Field is a large stadium with 69,000 seats. For most Sounders games, the team covers some seats to make the stadium feel smaller and more exciting. However, they open the whole stadium for big international games and some league matches. The team first expected only 12,000 tickets per game. But because so many fans wanted tickets, they increased the capacity several times. It was 24,500 in 2009, then 38,500 in 2012, and 37,722 in 2019.

The Sounders have opened more sections for special games. The last home game of the 2011 season, when goalkeeper Kasey Keller retired, had 64,140 fans. This was the first time a regular Sounders game opened the whole stadium. The next season had three full-capacity games. A game against the Portland Timbers in October had 66,452 fans. This was the second-largest attendance for an MLS game. The record was broken in August 2013 with 67,385 fans. The Sounders set their overall attendance record with the MLS Cup 2019. That game had 69,274 fans, the most for any sporting event at Lumen Field.

The 2020 season was stopped after two games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After that, the Sounders played home games with no fans. In 2021, the number of fans allowed slowly increased. The largest crowd during the pandemic era was 45,737 in August 2021.

Lumen Field has an artificial turf field. But for international soccer events, temporary natural grass has been installed. In 2012, a new turf surface was installed and given the highest quality rating by FIFA. If MLS rules ever require natural grass, the field will be changed permanently. A new turf surface was installed in 2016.

The team's training facilities were at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila from 2008 to 2024. Starfire is still used for U.S. Open Cup games because it is smaller. A new training facility, the Providence Swedish Performance Center & Clubhouse, opened in February 2024 in Renton. It has offices and four training fields.

The Sounders owners have suggested building a smaller stadium just for soccer at the Renton site. This stadium would be ready after the Lumen Field lease ends in 2032.

Fan Support

The Sounders FC Alliance was created because minority owner Drew Carey wanted it. Like a fan club in Barcelona, members of the Alliance can vote on important team decisions. Season ticket holders automatically become members. Other fans can join for a fee. Members get voting rights and invitations to special events. They can also be elected to the Sounders FC Alliance Council. In 2012, fans voted to keep general manager Adrian Hanauer.

Drew Carey also wanted the Sounders to have their own marching band. This led to "Sound Wave," a 53-member band. The band plays different types of music and sits at the north end of Lumen Field. Before each home game, fans march from Occidental Park to Lumen Field. Sound Wave often joins this "March to the Match." The club's fight song is "Salute to the Olympians," which the old Sounders team used since 1974.

Besides the Alliance, there are four main fan groups for the Sounders. The Emerald City Supporters (ECS) is the largest group. They sit in the south end of the stadium, called the "Brougham End." The Eastside Supporters are for fans from the Eastside region. Gorilla FC is a group that raises money for charity. The North End Faithful sit in the north end of the stadium.

Team Rivalries

The rivalries between Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver started in the 1970s with the old NASL teams. These rivalries continued through the USL and MLS. In 2004, fans created the Cascadia Cup to make the competition official. The trophy is passed between the three teams' fan groups. It is based on the results of certain regular season games. The Cascadia Cup was not played with Seattle for two seasons after the Sounders joined MLS. But Portland and Vancouver got MLS teams in 2011, bringing the cup back.

The fan-created Heritage Cup competition with the San Jose Earthquakes began in 2009. MLS teams that use names from old NASL teams can compete. The winner is decided by league results.

While not official, the Sounders and Los Angeles Galaxy have a strong rivalry. They have met many times in the MLS Cup Playoffs. The relationship between their former coaches, Bruce Arena and Sigi Schmid, also added to the rivalry.

Ownership and Team Management

The club is owned by three main owners and a group of 17 families. The main owner is Adrian Hanauer. Other owners include the family of Paul Allen and comedian Drew Carey. Since 2024, the Sounders and the Carlyle Group also own Seattle Reign FC, a women's soccer team. Paul Allen's involvement allowed the Sounders to share resources with the Seahawks. This arrangement ended in 2014, and the Sounders became a fully independent business.

Joe Roth was the main owner from 2007 to 2015. He left the ownership group in 2019. He was replaced by Seattle Futbol Club LLC, a group of 11 families. These families include former Microsoft executive Terry Myerson, Russell Wilson, Ciara, Macklemore, Satya Nadella, and others. In October 2020, Seattle Kraken president Tod Leiweke and his wife joined as owners. Retired baseball player Ken Griffey Jr. and his wife also joined. In August 2023, three more families joined, including an Amazon executive.

Brian Schmetzer is the Sounders' current head coach. He became interim head coach in July 2016 after Sigi Schmid left. Schmetzer was made permanent head coach in November 2016. The club's assistant coaches are Preki, Freddy Juarez, and Andy Rose. Tom Dutra has been the goalkeeper coach since 2008.

Garth Lagerwey was the general manager from 2015 to 2022. He was replaced by Craig Waibel in November 2022. Waibel was previously the club's technical director. Former Sounders player Taylor Graham is the Vice President of Business Operations. Hugh Weber became the club's President of Business Operations in February 2023.

The Seattle Sounders FC was named the Professional Sports Team of the Year in 2009. This was because of their record attendance and making the playoffs in their first season. In 2015, a study by Forbes ranked the Sounders as the most valuable team in MLS. This is because of their high attendance and popularity. In 2019, the club announced they would become carbon neutral. They were the first professional soccer team in North America to make this promise.

Reserve Teams

In 2014, the Sounders announced they would have a second-division reserve team in the United Soccer League. The team, first called Seattle Sounders FC 2 (S2), started playing in 2015. In 2017, the Sounders announced the team would move to Cheney Stadium in Tacoma. The team was renamed the Tacoma Defiance in 2019. They moved to MLS Next Pro, a new league for MLS reserve teams, in 2022.

Youth Academy

The Sounders started their youth academy team in 2010. They hired coaches to help develop local players. The academy has teams for different age groups. Several players from the academy have signed with the Sounders. These include DeAndre Yedlin, Sean Okoli, Jordan Morris, and Henry Wingo.

Affiliated Teams

In 2012, the Sounders partnered with an amateur team, the Tacoma Tide. The team was renamed Seattle Sounders FC U-23. This team would have former academy players who were home from college. This partnership ended in 2020.

From 2000 to 2020, the Sounders had a licensing agreement with an amateur women's team, Seattle Sounders Women. This agreement ended in 2020. In June 2024, the Sounders announced they bought National Women's Soccer League team Seattle Reign FC. The Reign's offices will move to the Sounders' new training facility.

Broadcasting Games

Since the 2023 season, all MLS games are streamed worldwide by Apple on MLS Season Pass. Most games require a subscription.

From 2014 to 2022, local TV rights for English broadcasts were held by Fox stations KCPQ and KZJO. Keith Costigan called the games with former players Kasey Keller and Steve Zakuani. Before that, games aired on KING-TV and KONG. Games were also shown in Spanish on Univision station KUNS. In 2018, the team also had a streaming deal with YouTube TV. In 2020, the team switched its streaming rights to Amazon Prime Video.

On the radio, Sounders games are called in English on 950 KJR AM by Danny Jackson and Brad Evans. KKMO (El Rey 1360 AM) broadcasts games in Spanish.

Players and Staff

Team Roster

No. Position Player 3 DF Travian Sousa 4 DF Leo Burney (HGP) 5 DF Nouhou Tolo 6 MF João Paulo 7 MF Cristian Roldan 9 FW Jesús Ferreira 10 MF Pedro de la Vega (DP) 11 MF Albert Rusnák (DP) 13 FW Jordan Morris (HGP & DP) 14 MF Paul Rothrock 15 DF Jon Bell 16 DF Alex Roldán 17 MF Paul Arriola 18 MF Obed Vargas (HGP) 19 FW Danny Musovski

No. Position Player 20 DF Kim Kee-hee 21 MF Reed Baker-Whiting (HGP) 24 GK Stefan Frei (captain) 25 DF Jackson Ragen 26 GK Andrew Thomas 28 DF Yeimar Gómez Andrade 29 GK Jacob Castro (HGP) 33 DF Cody Baker 39 DF Stuart Hawkins (HGP) 75 MF Danny Leyva (HGP) 77 MF Ryan Kent 85 DF Kalani Kossa-Rienzi 93 MF Georgi Minoungou 95 FW Osaze De Rosario

Head Coaches

Name	Nation	Time as Coach
Sigi Schmid	Germany	December 16, 2008 – July 26, 2016
Brian Schmetzer	United States	July 26, 2016 – November 1, 2016 (interim) November 2, 2016 – present

General Managers

Name	Nation	Time as General Manager
Adrian Hanauer	United States	2007–2015
Garth Lagerwey	United States	2015–2022
Craig Waibel	United States	2022–present

Sporting Directors

Name	Nation	Time as Director
Chris Henderson	United States	2008–2021
Craig Waibel	United States	2021–2022
Henry Brauner	Philippines	2023–present

Team Staff

As of January 20,  2022 (2022 -01-20)^[update]

Owners and Senior Management
Majority owner	Adrian Hanauer
Minority owner	Jody Allen
Minority owner	Drew Carey
Minority owner	Terry Myerson
Minority owner	Katie Myerson
Minority owner	Russell Wilson
Minority owner	Ciara
Minority owner	Macklemore
Minority owner	Tricia Davis
Minority owner	Tod Leiweke
Minority owner	Tara Leiweke
Minority owner	Satya Nadella
Minority owner	Anu Nadella
Minority owner	Ken Griffey Jr.
Minority owner	Melissa Griffey
Minority owner	Amy Hood
Minority owner	Max Kleinman
Minority owner	Joe Belfiore
Minority owner	Kristina Belfiore
Minority owner	Soma Somasegar
Minority owner	Akila Somasegar
Minority owner	Chee Chew
Minority owner	Christine Chew
Minority owner	David Nathanson
Minority owner	Sabina Nathanson
Minority owner	Brian McAndrews
Minority owner	Elise Holschuh
Minority owner	Mark Agne
Minority owner	Tomoko Agne
Minority owner	Peter Tomozawa
Minority owner	Donna LeDuc
Minority owner	Adam Selipsky
Minority owner	Rick Cantu
Minority owner	Jay Stein
General manager and chief soccer officer	Craig Waibel
President of business operations	Hugh Weber
Sporting director and vice president of soccer	Henry Brauner
Director of development	Wade Webber
Head of professional player development	Craig Dalrymple
Coaching Staff
Head coach	Brian Schmetzer
Assistant coach	Preki
Director of goalkeeping	Tom Dutra
Assistant coach	Freddy Juarez
Assistant coach	Andy Rose

Team Honors and Awards

National Titles
Competitions	Wins	Years Won
MLS Cup	2	2016, 2019
Supporters' Shield	1	2014
U.S. Open Cup	4	2009, 2010, 2011, 2014
Western Conference (Playoffs)	4	2016, 2017, 2019, 2020
Western Conference (Regular Season)	1	2014
Continental Titles
Competitions	Wins	Years Won
CONCACAF Champions League	1	2022

Individual Club Awards

• MLS Fair Play Award: 2017
• CCL Fair Play Award: 2022

Team Records

Year-by-Year Performance