Sounders FC welcome Botafogo to Seattle | OneFootball

MIAMI – The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 continues as 2022 Concacaf Champions Cup winners Seattle Sounders FC meet reigning CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores winners Botafogo in Group B on Sunday at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, USA.

The encounter will be the first-time clubs from Brazil and the USA face each other in the tournament.

The Club World Cup tilt will be the first competitive meeting between an MLS team and a Brazilian side since D.C. United defeated Vasco da Gama 2-1 on aggregate in the 1998 Copa Interamericana.

Sounders FC welcome the world

Seattle’s previous appearance in the Club World Cup, under the previous format in 2022, lasted one match as they were eliminated by Egypt’s Al Ahly, 1-0, in the quarterfinals.

In this edition, the Sounders will host two matches at their cathedral in the Pacific Northwest.

Albert Rusnák leads the attack with seven goals while U.S. internationals Cristian Roldan and Jesús Ferreira lead the distribution with six and five assists respectively.

The MLS side is always strong on their home turf, losing only one of its last 15 matches at Lumen Field. Since the start of the 2024 season, the Sounders have only suffered five defeats in 36 home games.

Botafogo seek to build on first Libertadores

Botafogo qualified for the Club World Cup as winners of the 2024 Copa Libertadores, its first conquest in that competition. The victory also earned the club a place in the 2024 FIFA Intercontinental Cup, where the Brazilian side fell 3-nil to 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup winners CF Pachuca.

The Brazilian side is in great form with 27 wins in their last 29 league matches. Igor Jesus leads the team in shots, shots on target, and touches in the opposition’s box.

The Rio de Janeiro club also features two players with MLS experience in midfielders Gregore and Jefferson Savarino, who played at Inter Miami CF and Real Salt Lake, respectively.

Match Game Notes

●      Botafogo and Seattle Sounders are meeting for the first time in a competitive match. It’s also the first time teams from Brazil and the USA will face each other at a FIFA Club World Cup.

●      Botafogo made one appearance under the previous format of the FIFA Club World Cup – it was in the 2024 edition known as FIFA Intercontinental Cup. They lost 3-0 against Mexican side Pachuca.

●      Botafogo have qualified as winners of the 2024 Copa Libertadores. Meanwhile, Seattle Sounders have made it courtesy of winning the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League

●      Seattle Sounders made one appearance under the previous format of the FIFA Club World Cup. In the 2022 edition, the Sounders lasted one match; they were eliminated by Egypt’s Al Ahly in the quarter-finals (0-1).

●      This will be the first competitive meeting between an MLS team and a Brazilian team since D.C. United defeated Vasco da Gama, 2—1, on aggregate in the 1998 Copa Interamericana.

●      In the Brazilian Serie A, Botafogo have won 27 of their last 29 matches when they’ve scored the opening goal of the game (D2), since a 3-2 loss to Cruzeiro back in April 2024.

●      Igor Jesus has had 35 shots for Botafogo in the 2025 Brazilian Serie A, 18 more than any of his teammates have managed. He’s also had double the total of shots on target (14) of any Botafogo player, while leading the way for xG (2.47) and touches in the opposition box (55).

●      Albert Rusnák has been involved in 20 goals in his last 26 appearances at Lumen Field for Seattle Sounders in all competitions (8 goals, 12 assists).

●      Seattle Sounders have lost only one of their last 15 matches at Lumen Field (W8 D6). The Sounders have suffered only five defeats in 36 home matches in all competitions at Lumen Field since the start of the 2024 season (W19 D12).

●      Jordan Morris is Seattle Sounders’ all-time top scorer in all competitions with 87 goals. Morris appeared in both legs of Seattle’s Concacaf Champions League final win in 2022 as well as both of its MLS Cup Final wins in 2016 and 2019.