The 2026 season will be the 18th season for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top flight of professional club soccer in the United States. It will be the 43rd season for a professional team bearing the Sounders name, which had originated in 1974 with the first incarnation of the franchise. The team remained under the management of Brian Schmetzer in his tenth full MLS season as head coach of the Sounders.
The Sounders will be play 34 matches in the MLS regular season and also qualified for the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup as winners of the 2025 Leagues Cup.[1] The team will also play in the 2026 edition of the Leagues Cup.[2] During the 2025 season, Seattle finished fifth in the Western Conference standings and qualified for the MLS Cup playoffs, where they were eliminated in the first round by Minnesota United FC.[3] The Sounders also played in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup.[4]
The 2026 season will be the last under the spring–autumn format used by MLS since it began play in 1996. The league plans to use a autumn–spring schedule beginning in late 2027 with a long winter break.[5]
Summary
Preseason
The Sounders opened their 2026 preseason training camp on January 12 and retained most of their roster from the 2025 season.[6] Among the new signings are midfielders Nikola Petković, who was loaned from Charlotte FC,[7] and two players from reserve team Tacoma Defiance—forward Yu Tsukanome and midfielder Sebastian Gomez.[8] Homegrown midfielder Obed Vargas left the team during preseason to sign with Atlético Madrid of La Liga.[9]
On January 18, the team traveled to Quinta do Lago in Portugal for one week of training and one friendly match at Estádio Algarve.[10] They lost 2–0 to Brøndby IF and traveled on January 26 to the Marbella Football Center in Spain for the remainder of their overseas preseason.[11] The Sounders won their first friendly against IF Brommapojkarna and played two full-length matches on February 5—defeating Hammarby IF and losing to FC Metalist 1925 Kharkiv.[12] The Sounders returned to Seattle in early February and won two friendlies against Louisville City FC at their home training facility.[10][13]
Non-competitive matches
Preseason
The preseason schedule was released by Seattle Sounders FC on January 22, 2026.[10]
Competitions
Major League Soccer
League tables
Updated to match(es) played on March 22, 2026. Source:
MLSRules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)
Updated to match(es) played on March 22, 2026. Source:
MLSRules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)
Regular season
The MLS regular season schedule was released on November 20, 2025. The Sounders will play 34 matches—17 at home and 17 away—primarily against the 14 other teams in the Western Conference; the team is scheduled to play six opponents from the Eastern Conference. The regular season will include a six-week break for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in May and June.[14] The Sounders will have five consecutive away matches from February to April while Lumen Field undergoes preparations to host the World Cup, including the installation of a grass pitch to temporarily replace the artificial turf.[15]
CONCACAF Champions Cup
The Sounders will play in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the regional club championship for North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, for the ninth season since entering MLS. The team qualified for the tournament as winners of the 2025 Leagues Cup and were granted a bye to the round of 16.[16] Due to preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Lumen Field, the Sounders hosted their round of 16 match at One Spokane Stadium in Spokane, Washington.[17]
Round of 16
Quarterfinals
UANL v Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC v UANL
Leagues Cup
The Sounders are one of 18 MLS teams that qualified for the 2026 Leagues Cup based on their performance during the 2025 regular season. The tournament begins in early August and concludes in late September with the same format as the 2025 Leagues Cup: three matches in the first phase against teams from Liga MX and a knockout round for the top four teams from each league.[2]
Players
For the 2026 season, the Sounders are permitted a maximum of 30 signed players on the first team, of which 20 players are part of the senior roster and 10 positions are designated for supplemental and reserve players. Additional homegrown players are eligible to be signed to off-roster slots and are able to appear in MLS matches through short-term agreements.[18] The senior players count towards a base salary cap of $6.4 million with exceptions for certain categories, including up to three Designated Players, who counted for a set amount in the cap.[18] The Sounders chose the Designated Player model for roster construction and have two unused under-22 initiative slots.[19]
Roster
- As of February 22, 2026[20][21]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Squad includes all players who had first team contracts or appearances during the 2025 season across all competitions. Ages listed for each player is calculated from February 21, 2026, the first matchday of the MLS regular season.
Coaching staff
- As of January 2026[22][23]
Transfers
The MLS season has two normal transfer windows during which teams can register new players from outside of the league and those who required an International Transfer Certificate. The primary window is open from January 26 to March; a secondary window is scheduled from July 13 to September 2.[24] Teams are required to have their rosters compliant with league rules by February 20 and will be unable to make changes beyond the roster freeze on October 9.[24] Between the transfer windows, teams are allowed to sign free agents or other U.S.-based players, including those traded between MLS teams for other players, general allocation money, or various league slots.[24]
For transfers in, dates listed are when Seattle Sounders FC officially signed the player to the roster. Transactions where only the rights to the players are acquired are not listed. For transfers out, dates listed are when Seattle Sounders FC officially removed the players from its roster, not when they signed with another club. If a player later signed with another club, his new club will be noted, but the date listed here remains the one when he was officially removed from the Seattle Sounders FC roster.
In
Out
Draft picks
Draft picks were not automatically signed to the team roster. Only those who are signed to a contract were listed as transfers in. Only trades involving draft picks and executed after the start of the 2026 MLS SuperDraft are listed in the notes.
Other transactions
Player awards
MLS Team of the Matchday
References
- ^ Evans, Jayda (August 31, 2025). "Sounders top Messi, Inter Miami for Leagues Cup title; brawl mars finish". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
- ^ a b "Leagues Cup 2026: Competition dates, format & teams". MLSsoccer.com. December 16, 2025. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
- ^ Rule, Heather (November 8, 2025). "MLS playoffs: Sounders eliminated in Game 3 loss to Minnesota United". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
- ^ "Sounders FC's 2025 Season Comes to an End Following Penalty Shootout Loss to Minnesota" (Press release). Seattle Sounders FC. November 8, 2025. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
- ^ Abnos, Alexander (November 13, 2025). "MLS announces calendar change, will play fall-to-spring from 2027 onward". The Guardian. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
- ^ Evans, Jayda (January 12, 2026). "Sounders open training camp: 4 questions for the 2026 season". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ Evans, Jayda (January 8, 2026). "Sounders acquire midfielder Nikola Petković on loan". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
- ^ Evans, Jayda (January 13, 2026). "Sounders sign two players from Tacoma Defiance". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
- ^ Vesely, Sophia (February 2, 2026). "Sounders transfer star midfielder Obed Vargas to La Liga's Atletico Madrid". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
- ^ a b c "Sounders FC Announces Updated European Schedule and Roster for 2026 Preseason" (Press release). Seattle Sounders FC. January 22, 2026. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
- ^ Evans, Brian (January 2026). "Daily Journal from Seattle Sounders 2026 Preseason in Portugal & Spain". SoundersFC.com. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
- ^ Evans, Jayda (February 5, 2026). "Sounders split friendlies with Hammarby IF and FC Metalist 1925". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
- ^ Oshan, Jeremiah (January 12, 2026). "Sounders preach 'open competition' at first day of preseason". Sounder at Heart. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ Becherano, Lizzy (November 20, 2025). "MLS reveals 2026 schedule with 7-week break for World Cup". ESPN. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
- ^ "Major League Soccer Releases 2026 Schedule" (Press release). Seattle Sounders FC. November 20, 2025. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
- ^ "2026 Champions Cup Key Details and Qualified Teams" (Press release). CONCACAF. November 10, 2025. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
- ^ "Seattle Sounders, Seattle Reign to play matches at ONE Spokane Stadium this spring". The Spokesman-Review. January 14, 2026. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ a b "Roster Rules & Regulations". Major League Soccer. February 6, 2026. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
- ^ a b c "Club Roster Profiles, February 2026". Major League Soccer. February 27, 2026. p. 29. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
- ^ a b c d "Roster". SoundersFC.com. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
- ^ a b c "All Transfers". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
- ^ "Team Staff". SoundersFC.com. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
- ^ "Sounders FC Hires Ricardo Clark as Assistant Coach" (Press release). Seattle Sounders FC. January 12, 2026. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
- ^ a b c "MLS transfer windows: Key dates for the 2026 season". MLSsoccer.com. January 22, 2026. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
- ^ "Sounders FC Signs Free Agent Midfielder Hassani Dotson" (Press release). Seattle Sounders FC. December 16, 2025. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
- ^ a b "Sounders FC signs free agent defender Ryan Sailor" (Press release). Seattle Sounders FC. December 17, 2025. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
- ^ "Sounders FC Acquires Midfielder Nikola Petković on Loan from Charlotte FC" (Press release). Seattle Sounders FC. January 8, 2026. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
- ^ a b "Sounders FC Signs Yu Tsukanome and Sebastian Gomez From Tacoma Defiance" (Press release). Seattle Sounders FC. January 13, 2026. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
- ^ a b Krasnoo, Ryan (March 14, 2026). "SJvSEA 101 Preview: All you need to know when the Sounders visit the San Jose Earthquakes, pres. by Ticketmaster". SoundersFC.com. Retrieved March 15, 2026.
- ^ "Sounders FC signs defender Antino Lopez" (Press release). Seattle Sounders FC. March 17, 2026. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
- ^ "Leo Burney signs for Drogheda United" (Press release). Drogheda United. January 10, 2026. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f "Sounders FC Announces Roster Decisions to Conclude 2025 Season" (Press release). Seattle Sounders FC. November 25, 2025. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
- ^ "Rhode Island FC Signs Goalkeeper Jacob Castro For 2026 Season" (Press release). Rhode Island FC. January 13, 2026. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
- ^ "AB signs contract with left back Travian Sousa from MLS club Seattle Sounders" (Press release). Akademisk Boldklub. January 6, 2026. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
- ^ Gordon, Colby (December 16, 2025). "Austin FC signs veteran defender Jon Bell in first move of MLS free agency". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
- ^ "Sounders FC Transfers Midfielder Danny Leyva to Club Necaxa of Liga MX" (Press release). Seattle Sounders FC. December 8, 2025. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
- ^ "Sounders FC Completes Transfer of Obed Vargas to La Liga Powerhouse Atlético Madrid" (Press release). Seattle Sounders FC. February 2, 2026. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ^ Steiner, Ben (February 18, 2026). "Nashville SC acquire Reed Baker-Whiting from Seattle Sounders". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
- ^ "Sounders FC selects two players in 2026 MLS SuperDraft" (Press release). Seattle Sounders FC. December 18, 2025. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
- ^ a b "Sounders FC Receives $800,000 in General Allocation Money" (Press release). Seattle Sounders FC. January 16, 2026. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
- ^ Ruderman, Justin (February 23, 2026). "Team of the Matchday: Bouanga & LAFC delight against MLS Cup champs". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ^ Ruderman, Justin (March 9, 2026). "Team of the Matchday: NYCFC make a statement, Vancouver stay rolling". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ^ Ruderman, Justin (March 16, 2026). "Team of the Matchday: Petar Musa, Brian White take Golden Boot lead". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved March 18, 2026.