Seattle Sounders at FIFA Club World Cup: Everything fans need to know

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Major League Soccer

·6 June 2025

Seattle Sounders at FIFA Club World Cup: Everything fans need to know

By Ari Liljenwall

Seattle Sounders FC are headed to their second FIFA Club World Cup, this time in the expanded 2025 edition that starts June 14 and is hosted across the United States.

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The 32-team competition builds to the tournament final on July 13 at MetLife Stadium with an unprecedented $1 billion prize pool up for grabs.

Here is everything you need to know.

Group B schedule

June 15 vs. Botafogo - 10 pm ET | Lumen Field (Seattle, Wash.)
June 19 vs. Atlético Madrid - 6 pm ET | Lumen Field (Seattle, Wash.)
June 23 vs. Paris Saint-Germain - 3 pm ET | Lumen Field (Seattle, Wash.)

Seattle host all three Group B games, beginning with Brazilian side Botafogo. They'll then take on a pair of European powerhouses, first LaLiga giants Atlético Madrid before closing out vs. French powerhouse and 2025 UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.

The top two teams per group advance to the knockout stage. Should that include Seattle, they'd play a Round of 16 match on June 28 or 29 against a Group A opponent.

How to watch

Every Club World Cup match will be streamed live on DAZN.com.

How they qualified

Seattle's crowning achievement arrived in 2022 when they became the first MLS club to win the modern iteration of the Concacaf Champions Cup, overcoming Mexican side Pumas UNAM 5-2 on aggregate.

The accomplishment earned Seattle a spot at the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup and punched their ticket to this year's tournament, where they're one of three MLS representatives along with Inter Miami CF and LAFC.

Eyes on the prize. 🏆 #TakeItToTheWorld | #FIFACWC
– Sunday, 1 June 2025

Key players

Cristian Roldan: The veteran do-everything defensive midfielder is enjoying one of his best seasons, combining his relentless work rate and willingness to do the dirty work with solid attacking output (1g/6a).
Obed Vargas: Seattle's Mexican international midfielder could enhance his already heavy transfer buzz with a standout showing at the CWC. The 19-year-old homegrown comprises the other half of one of the league's best double-pivots alongside Roldan.
Jordan Morris: The US international has missed most of the regular season with injury, but is one of the league's most consistent and dangerous forwards when healthy. His status for the tournament is TBD.
Albert Rusnák: The Slovakian playmaker is the centerpiece of Seattle's attack, both as a facilitator and goal-scorer. Rusnák has racked up 17 goals and 19 assists in 48 games since taking over as Seattle's full-time No. 10 at the start of last season.
Jesús Ferreira: An offseason trade arrival from FC Dallas, Ferreira hasn't found his stride as a goal-scorer in Seattle but has proven effective as a playmaker with seven all-competition assists.
Pedro de la Vega: Injuries derailed his debut season in MLS in 2024, but Seattle's Argentine attacker has started flashing the pace and technical ability that can trouble any defense.
Stefan Frei: Despite never winning an MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award, Frei is widely regarded as one of the league's best-ever shot-stoppers. Expect the 39-year-old to be busy against such globally renowned clubs.
Nouhou: A Cameroon international, Nouhou has locked down the likes of Neymar and Mohamed Salah in previous competitions. Can the mercurial left back deliver yet again?

Head coach

Seattle are led by Brian Schmetzer, the league's longest-tenured head coach. A Seattle native with deep-rooted ties to the organization dating back decades, Schmetzer has been a staple of soccer in the Pacific Northwest since featuring for his hometown club during his playing career. He then served as head coach for the USL iteration of the club in the years before their MLS launch.

Since taking over as first-team head coach midway through the 2016 season, Schmetzer has helped turn Seattle into one of the league's most consistent trophy contenders. They won two MLS Cups in four appearances between 2016-20 and captured a historic 2022 CCC title.

The path to #FIFACWC glory. 🏆
– Wednesday, 4 June 2025

2025 thus far

After entering the season with aspirations of another deep CCC run, Seattle's attempt at replicating their 2022 feat ended unceremoniously, as they bowed out to eventual champions Cruz Azul by a 4-1 aggregate score in the Round of 16.

While their league campaign also got off to an injury-riddled start, Seattle's form has improved the past six weeks, going 6W-2L-2D over their past 10 matches dating back to mid-April. Through Matchday 17, they're fourth on the Western Conference table (7W-5L-5D record; 26 points).

Rusnák and forward Danny Musovski have spearheaded the recent turnaround, helping fill the void in attack created by Jordan Morris's injury absence.