Washington’s Storied Soccer History

The Emerald City. The Beautiful Game

Seattle is preparing to welcome the world in 2026—six matches at Lumen Field, including USA vs. Australia on June 19th. But this isn't Washington's first time making soccer history.

We’re so excited to be on the frontlines of all things soccer this summer, and it got us wondering about Seattle’s—and Washington State’s—relationship with the beautiful game. When did soccer come to Washington? What are some of the coolest moments on our fields? 

From pioneering youth programs in the 1960s to hosting the biggest sporting event on the planet, this summer’s fest is a love story a century in the making. Dig into some Washington soccer history with us, will you? 

(Psst, want to know which games will be in Seattle without having to research it? Find the match list in the official Visit Seattle press release here.)

It All Began with Youth Soccer

Let's take it back to the beginning, to a time when soccer fields were still a novelty in Washington, and most kids were still calling it "football" if they'd heard of the game at all.

In 1961, Jack Goldingay arrived in the Seattle area by way of North Vancouver with a vision: to get kids playing the beautiful game. He started four teams in Bellevue—a small beginning that would spark something much bigger. Those four teams became the

Washington Junior Soccer Association, which later evolved into Washington Youth Soccer, an organization that now represents over 180 clubs across seven districts statewide.

But Goldingay wasn't starting from scratch. Long before his arrival, in the 1920s through the 1950s, Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) programs had been quietly laying the groundwork for youth soccer. And even earlier, in 1936, Washington Grade School's soccer team—made up primarily of Japanese American students—won a championship, proof that the sport had been finding its footing in the Pacific Northwest for decades.

By the late 1960s, Goldingay's vision had caught fire. Multiple associations formed across Washington State—on Seattle's Eastside, in Federal Way, Tacoma, and in Seattle proper. The model was simple, scrappy, and decidedly grassroots: get kids learning the game on weekends, even if their coaches were well-meaning parents who'd never kicked a ball themselves. It wasn't polished or professional, but it was passionate and community-driven—and it worked.

Those weekend games in the '60s were the seeds of something extraordinary—a soccer culture that would eventually fill stadiums, launch professional teams, and welcome the world to our doorstep.

The Original Seattle Sounders (1974-1983)

On December 11, 1973, the North American Soccer League awarded Seattle an expansion franchise, and the city's professional soccer story officially began. The ownership group read like a who's who of Seattle business royalty of the time—Nordstrom, Sarkowsky, and other civic leaders who believed this rain-sprinkled corner of the country was ready for the beautiful game.

They were right.

On January 22, 1974, the team was christened the "Seattle Sounders" in a public vote, beating out "Mariners" (a name that would find its home elsewhere soon enough!). Just over three months later, on May 1, the team held its first practice at Memorial Stadium. Four days after that, they played their first match, losing to the LA Aztecs but igniting something that would burn far longer than a single season.

The fans showed up immediately. On June 22, 1974, the Sounders hosted the NASL's first-ever sellout—13,876 fans packed Memorial Stadium, proof that Seattle's appetite for soccer was real and ravenous. Two years later, the team moved to the brand-new Kingdome, where they played the stadium's very first sporting event. That match against the New York Cosmos, featuring the legendary Pelé, drew 58,128 fans. Seattle was in the midst of a cultural moment.

The glory years followed. The Sounders made trips to the Soccer Bowl in 1977 and 1982, losing to the Cosmos both times but cementing their place as one of the league's most beloved franchises. In 1980, they posted the best regular season record in NASL history—25 wins, 7 losses—and played with a swagger that made Seattle feel like a true soccer city.

For soccer history fans, we found archival footage of the entire March 1978 match. It's a great time capsule of how the sport looked and felt in Washington nearly 50 years ago.  (Full game, ~59 minutes)

But professional sports can be fragile, and in September 1983, the original Sounders folded from financial troubles and league instability. The team was gone, but the name, the legacy, and the passion they'd ignited in Seattle remained. Those first nine seasons were the foundation for everything that would come next.

The Bridge Years: A-League and USL Sounders (1994-2008)

The Sounders name didn't stay dormant for long. In 1994, a new Seattle Sounders team emerged in the A-League (later the USL First Division), keeping professional soccer alive in the city during the years between the original NASL team and our current MLS era.

These were formative years. The team included national team players, drew passionate crowds, and became the training ground for the soccer culture that defines Seattle today. It was during this era that Brian Schmetzer, who played for the original Sounders, began his coaching career with the club, eventually becoming an assistant coach and later the head coach who would lead the MLS Sounders to championships.

The A-League and USL Sounders built a bridge for Seattle's love for soccer while it ushered in its next chapter.

MLS Sounders FC (2009-Present)

In 2007, Seattle professional soccer got its second chance when MLS awarded the city an expansion franchise. The city put the name to another vote, and 49% chose some form of "Sounders," a deliberate choice to honor the original team’s legacy. 

On March 19, 2009, the new Seattle Sounders FC played its first match at Qwest Field (now Lumen Field) against the New York Red Bulls. The team won 3-0 in front of 32,523 fans—a debut that showed how much Seattle had missed professional soccer. The team kept the same fight song that had echoed through the Kingdome decades before, Henry Mancini's "Salute to the Olympians," a thread connecting past to present and reminding everyone that what they were building was about more than just a new league.

What followed has been nothing short of extraordinary. The Sounders have brought home two MLS Cups, four U.S. Open Cups, the 2024 Leagues Cup title in a sold-out final at Lumen Field, and in 2022, they became the first MLS team ever to win the CONCACAF Champions League, cementing their place not just in Seattle history but in the broader story of North American soccer. The team has consistently drawn record-breaking crowds, and fan groups like the Emerald City Supporters have created an atmosphere that visiting teams describe with a mix of awe and dread.

This is the ultimate validation of Seattle as a soccer city—a place that loves the sport, lives it, breathes it, and shows up for it season after season, rain or shine (mostly rain). The Sounders have carried forward an undeniable legacy.

Seattle Reign FC (2013-Present)

In 2012, Seattle snagged one of eight founding franchises in the newly formed National Women's Soccer League, and the team chose a name steeped in local legacy: the Seattle Reign. This name honors the Seattle Reign basketball team that dominated the American Basketball League in the late 1990s, a nod to the city's history of pioneering women's sports and a promise to continue that tradition.

The Reign delivered on its promise immediately. In 2014 and 2015, the team captured back-to-back NWSL Shields, claiming the best regular season record in the league two years running. It became home to some of the biggest names in women's soccer—Megan Rapinoe, Hope Solo, and Jess Fishlock among them—athletic icons who elevated the sport and inspired a generation of young players.

The team's journey hasn't been a straight line, though. Over the years, the Reign evolved through ownership changes, stadium shifts, and even a brief relocation to Tacoma. Seattle Reign FC became Reign FC in 2019, then OL Reign in 2020 under French ownership, before coming full circle in 2024 when the Seattle Sounders FC ownership group brought the team back home—back to Seattle, back to Lumen Field, and back to its original name: Seattle Reign.

Through all the changes, one thing remained constant: the fans. On October 6, 2023, when Megan Rapinoe played her final home game, a record-breaking 34,130 fans packed the stadium to honor her legacy. Stunt cards spelling out "Thank You Megan" blanketed the stands, a sea of gratitude for a player who meant so much to the city and the sport. It was a moment that captured everything Seattle soccer represents—community, passion, and a deep respect for the athletes who give everything to the game.

Today, the Seattle Reign continues to build on its legacy, playing at Lumen Field and carrying forward the mission it started over a decade ago: to be champions on the field and pioneers off of it.

UW Huskies Make History 

We'd be remiss to ignore the college game, especially after what happened on December 16, 2024. That night, the University of Washington Huskies won their first-ever NCAA Men's Soccer National Championship, defeating NC State 3-2 on a golden goal by Harrison Bertos in overtime. This moment was the culmination of a program that has long competed fiercely with local rivals like Seattle Pacific and Seattle University.

The timing couldn't be more perfect. Just as Washington prepares to welcome the world in 2026, the Huskies added another chapter to the state's soccer legacy—proof that the passion for the beautiful game runs deep at every level, from youth fields to professional stadiums to college pitches under the lights.

2026: The World Comes to Washington

This summer, Seattle will host six matches at Lumen Field as part of the world's most-watched sporting event. The schedule includes group stage showdowns like Belgium vs. Egypt and Qatar vs. TBD (we can’t wait to find out!), plus knockout rounds that will bring global stakes to our doorstep. But the match that has every local fan circling their calendar? June 19: USA vs. Australia—the home team, on our turf, while the world watches.

Seattle's passionate soccer culture—built over a veritable century of grassroots organizing, sold-out stadiums, and unwavering fan loyalty—will be on full display for a global audience. The city is planning for legacy projects that will benefit the community long after the final whistle blows, investments in youth programs, infrastructure, and access that honors the spirit of what made Seattle a soccer city in the first place.

Community Connects It All

From Jack Goldingay's four Bellevue youth teams in 1961 to 34,130 fans honoring Megan Rapinoe in 2023, the throughline in Washington's soccer story has always been community. Washington Youth Soccer now includes over 180 clubs across seven districts. The Sounders—dating back to the original 1974 team visiting local schools—have always understood that their success depends on the neighborhoods, the families, and the kids who show up to play every weekend.

Soccer in Washington is woven into the fabric of our communities statewide. It's the parent who coaches their kid's team despite never having played, the fan group that travels hours for an away match, and the young player who dreams of wearing the rave green someday.

This summer’s festivities aren’t the peak, though. It's proof that what we've built here is just getting started. 

Whether you're a lifelong fan who remembers the original Sounders or someone newly curious about what all the excitement is about, this is your moment to be part of Washington's soccer legacy. Just like the makers we celebrate at Made In Washington, the soccer community here has built something special from the ground up.

The world is coming to Seattle in 2026. And we'll be ready.