Seattle's long-awaited World Cup moment lives up to hype | OneFootball

By Ari Liljenwall

SEATTLE – Long before Seattle hosted a 2026 FIFA World Cup match, the city had established itself as one of the United States' premier soccer markets.

But on Friday afternoon, the city got its moment on soccer's biggest stage as the United States rewarded a crowd of more than 66,000 fans with a 2-0 Group D victory over Australia at Seattle Sounders FC's home venue.

The energy was evident throughout the knockout-round-clinching result, ranging from the pregame flyover and national anthem to the crowd eruptions that followed a first-half own goal forced by Folarin Balogun and former Orlando City star Alex Freeman's VAR-awarded strike before halftime.

"Incredible," US midfielder Tyler Adams told reporters in the postgame mixed zone. "I was walking around the game at the end of the game, and that's when I feel like you really got to appreciate it.

"Obviously, walking out to the national anthem, the flyover, that was all really special. But you're trying to focus and take your time to get ready for the game. Whereas after the game, just walking around, I mean, it was incredible, looking at my family in the crowd singing, everyone happy."

Hometown perspective

The match carried a unique significance for USMNT midfielder Cristian Roldan, who has spent his entire MLS career with the Sounders, where he's become one of the faces of the club since his 2015 rookie season.

Although Roldan is still awaiting his first World Cup appearance, he nevertheless appreciated the significance of the occasion as his adopted city hosted a World Cup match involving the United States for the first time.

"I saw an energized crowd, a crowd that was ready for probably one of the biggest moments in US soccer," Roldan said. "Hosting a World Cup is special. Hosting it in your hometown is even more so."

Roldan wasn't the only player to take notice of the atmosphere, with several of his teammates also coming away impressed.

"Our teammates were raving about the crowd and the city in general," Roldan said. "Some of them even spoke to me about playing for Seattle in the future, and that's what you want to hear, right? 

"I think it lived up to the expectations and more, and I think it catapulted us to victory."

Years in the making

The USMNT gave supporters plenty to cheer about. 

Balogun helped force an Australian own goal in the 11th minute before Freeman doubled the lead just before halftime, converting a rebound after an initial offside call was overturned following a VAR review.

Both goals were met with raucous celebrations at a stadium that last hosted a USMNT match at the Copa América Centenario in June 2016, and where the Yanks have now won seven of seven games.

"Special, so special," Balogun said.

"It's tough to put it into words, [hearing] the national anthem, and then you're seeing the helicopters go above – it's extremely special and it just gives us that, not that we need it, but it gives us that last bit of motivation before we go out there to just go out there and really go crazy."

Full-circle moment

The atmosphere and turnout came as little surprise to MLS Commissioner Don Garber, who praised Seattle's contributions to soccer's growth in the US during his pregame scrum with local and national media. 

Since joining MLS in 2009, Seattle have routinely ranked among MLS attendance leaders and won multiple major trophies. Their stadium has hosted several finals, too: MLS Cup 2019, the 2022 Concacaf Champions Cup and Leagues Cup 2025.

"MLS isn't what it is without the Sounders, and that's what I'm seeing outside," said Garber. "There's just joy in the streets, and I'm not quite sure we'd have that joy if it wasn't for the Sounders."