Seattle Sounders FC

Seattle Sounders FC transformed MLS attendance expectations overnight, drawing massive, deafening crowds from the moment the club launched in 2009. Built on a deep regional soccer tradition dating back to the original NASL Sounders, the club quickly became one of the league's model franchises both on and off the field. Seattle's blend of passionate supporters, consistent front-office management, and sustained on-field success set a standard other expansion clubs have chased ever since. The Sounders remain one of the most successful and well-run organizations in MLS.

Established in 2007 and launched as an MLS expansion team in 2009, Seattle Sounders FC won its first MLS Cup in 2016, edging Toronto FC 5-4 on penalties, and added a second title in 2019 with a 3-1 win over Toronto on home turf. The club has claimed eight trophies overall since joining MLS, including a Supporters' Shield in 2014, and reached four MLS Cup finals in a five-year stretch — one of the most sustained runs of success in league history.