In less than two weeks, FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will commence in North America for the first time in tournament history. Across 11 host cities in the United States, the best clubs in the global game will compete against each other in the new 32-team format.
It is a historic moment for the Sounders, who earned their second opportunity to compete in the prestigious tournament after winning the Concacaf Champions League in 2022.
The Sounders made their Club World Cup debut two years ago in Morocco. But this time, they’ll have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take on the most iconic clubs in world football in their own backyard: Lumen Field.
From a club perspective, competing on the world stage on your home turf is a dream come true. But with Seattle serving as one of the 11 host cities for the international competition, the impact goes beyond the team itself.
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is just the first step in introducing Seattle to the world. As hosts of FIFA World Cup 2026 as well, the city’s soccer scene is expected to flourish in numerous ways over the next year and after-the-fact.
“I'd say one of the things that has been built into the DNA of what we've done in planning is the legacy of these two events, both in the next decade or two decades for this region,” said President of Business Operations Hugh Weber. “And so that shows up in a lot of different ways, not only the conversion of people who now could love the sport and what that journey looks like, but it also means how we show up in the community.”
Pride Night (vs. Austin FC)
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Kickoff at 7:30 p.m. PT on June 28.
The club and the city’s commitment to providing play for children is a prime example of its investment in the region. Through the help of the RAVE Foundation, the club has utilized the upcoming global competitions as a way to give back to local communities with the building of 52 mini pitches spread across several neighborhoods in the region.
“The Rave Foundation builds all the courts all throughout the state of Washington and our goal was 26 by 2026, but we did 26 fields by last year,” said Brand Ambassador Brad Evans. “We've given a soccer ball to every kid that lives within a mile of those courts. And so that equates to over 30,000 soccer balls, and that's all you need for soccer.”
Hosting two tournaments of the magnitude of FIFA Club World Cup and FIFA World Cup within the span of a year is a generational opportunity. The Sounders are hoping to capture the excitement around these global competitions to grow the sport in the Pacific Northwest for years to come.
“The whole city is going to be fired up to watch a lot of good soccer,” said Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. “We're going to welcome all the fans from all over the world. My uncle is coming from Germany just to watch these games. There's going to be a lot of people that visit our city, maybe for the first time.”
FIFA World Cup Host Director Dan Popp described this moment in time as “culminating for the future of Seattle and the future of soccer in the US.” Whether it be the installations of the mini pitches or the already solid foundation the city of Seattle has within the soccer community, the Club World Cup and the World Cup are bound to expand the game even more so all while putting the Pacific Northwest region on the map as it relates to the global sport.
“What goes back decades, actually, 130 years, is the history of soccer in Washington State,” he said. “We have a legacy of the game. We have a legacy of success in the game. And I'm super interested in bringing to Seattle the legacy experience that melds our history and our future [together].”
