The Seattle Sounders are just a couple weeks away from participating in the newly revamped FIFA Club World Cup. Scheduled from June 14 to July 13, 2025, this edition is the first using an expanded format of 32 of the very best teams from around the footballing world. The United States is hosting the historic event, with Seattle’s Lumen Field hosting all three of the Sounders’ opening round matches and six in total.
A locally rooted club, the Sounders are putting Seattle on center stage as they prepare to face a challenging group of international opponents in the largest tournament in global club football. The Sounders are in Group B, joining some of the biggest clubs in the world in France’s Paris Saint-Germain, Spain’s Atlético Madrid and Brazil’s Botafogo.
Single match tickets are now available through a newly offered exclusive Sounders FC rate for all six FIFA Club World Cup matches in Seattle. You can learn more about this offer HERE.
Here is a quick primer on Botafogo.
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
League: Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
Founded: 1904
Manager: Renato Paiva
Club Honors:
- 1 Copa Libertadores title
- 1 Copa CONMEBOL title
- 2 Série A titles
- 2 Série B titles
- 21 Campeonato Carioca titles (Rio de Janeiro state league)
2025 Série A record (W/L/D): 5-3-3 (18 points, 6th place)
Top scorer: Igor Jesus (3 goals)
How they qualified: The last team to book a spot in FIFA Club World Cup 2025, Botafogo qualified via the Champions Pathway by winning the 2024 Copa Libertadores last November.
Players to know:
Igor Jesus: The Brazilian forward returned home last summer after a successful four-year run in the United Arab Emirates. The 24-year-old has eight goals and four assists in roughly 2,200 minutes since arriving.
Jefferson Savarino: The former Real Salt Lake man is in his second stint in Brazil after formerly suiting up for Atlético Mineiro. He has 10 goals and eight assists in 34 matches and helped leaded Botafogo to last year’s Série A title.
Santiago Rodríguez: Another former MLS man with New York City FC, Rodríguez joined Botofogo earlier this year. He had 24 goals and 10 assists in four seasons with NYCFC.
