Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers: Cascadia Cup rivals clash

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Major League Soccer

·14 July 2026

Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers: Cascadia Cup rivals clash

By Jaime Uribarri

The MLS season returns with a bang on Thursday when Seattle Sounders FC host Cascadia Cup rivals Portland Timbers following the 2026 FIFA World Cup break.

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How to watch & stream

Apple TV

When

Thursday, July 16 | 10:30 pm ET/7:30 pm PT

Where

Lumen Field | Seattle, Washington

Match Trailer | Seattle Sounders welcome rivals Portland Timbers

Seattle Sounders FC

Standings

6th in Western Conference
24 points (7W-3L-3D)

Last match

Seattle hit a bit of a snag before the World Cup break, posting two straight losses for the first time this season.

Both defeats were also shutouts – most recently a 1-0 setback at LAFC decided by an 86th-minute goal by Timothy Tillman.

Players to watch

Albert Rusnák: The veteran midfielder leads Seattle with five goal contributions (3g/4a) and is looking to post double-digit goals and assists for the third straight season.
Jordan Morris: Seattle's all-time leading scorer (92 goals), Morris is eyeing a strong summer after suffering an early-season quad injury.
Paul Rothrock: Top scorer (4g/1a) and hometown hero, Rothrock has earned the nickname "Paulie Primetime" for stepping up in big moments.

Need to know

Scoreless in two straight games, the Sounders are in need of an attacking spark.

Will established stars like Rothrock, Rusnák, Morris or Jesús Ferreira step up during the second half of the season?

Or is now the time for younger players like Osaze De Rosario to pick up the slack for a Seattle side that's scored the fewest goals (17) among all clubs in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs field?

Portland Timbers

Standings

13th in Western Conference
14 points (4W-8L-2D)

Last match

Portland are also riding a two-game losing streak, most recently falling 3-1 at home to the San Jose Earthquakes.

That result preceded the departure of head coach Phil Neville. Jack Cassidy, manager of MLS NEXT Pro affiliate Timbers2, has taken over on an interim basis.

Players to watch

Kristoffer Velde: The Norwegian winger is Portland's main attacking target, producing 4g/3a during his first full MLS season since arriving as a DP from Greek powerhouse Olympiacos in August 2025.
Kevin Kelsy: The Venezuelan international striker is quietly on pace for a career-best season while leading the Timbers with eight goal contributions (5g/3a).
Finn Surman: Portland's defensive linchpin, Surman boosted his international profile this summer by scoring his first World Cup goal for New Zealand.

Need to know

Sitting six points shy of the playoff cutoff line and in need of a permanent head coach, Portland enter the second half of 2026 with plenty of questions.

However, a statement performance on the road against their fiercest rivals could answer some of those questions and kick-start a second-half turnaround.