Teams, tales and tips – a football fan's guide to Seattle
The name ‘Seattle Sounders’ echoes across half a century of soccer in the States, from Pelé’s last competitive game in the 1970s to the MLS Cups of the 2010s. Another common thread is large crowds. When the original Sounders started life at Memorial Stadium in 1974, they often sold the place out, even in the pre-Pelé NASL days. Before Portland staged his farewell at Soccer Bowl ’77, Seattle’s Semifinal victory over Los Angeles Aztecs was witnessed by 56,256.
But it was when Sounders Mark 3 was launched at Lumen Field in 2009 that Seattle’s fan phenomenon exploded, pushing the team top of the MLS attendance table, way ahead of Beckham’s LA Galaxy.
By the time Portland Timbers arrived in 2011, the Pacific Northwest had its local rivalry, a three-way Cascadia derby with Vancouver that helped transform a league that was in jeopardy a few years earlier. It was only when Atlanta burst onto the scene in 2017 that Seattle lost its hegemony in terms of crowd numbers across North America.
Built to replace the indoor Kingdome – where that 1977 Semifinal took place – Lumen Field is ingeniously designed to cater for both NFL and MLS, capacities set at just under 69,000 and 38,000 for each, with the possibility of a crossover for major soccer games, such as the six World Cup games here. The one that brings together USMNT and Australia may challenge the stadium record noise levels set here for a Seahawks football game in 2013.
Easily accessible by light rail and Intercity trains, this former industrial zone, rebranded SoDo – initially South of the DOme, now South of Downtown – is rapidly gentrifying, only a couple of miles from that symbol of 1960s’ optimism, the Space Needle. When the Sounders rebranded for MLS, it put this landmark front and center of the logo. Alongside the tower, the foundation date of 1974 links to the original NASL team, a sense of continuity unique in U.S. soccer.
Seattle’s Fan Festival runs along at locations along Unity Loop, including Seattle Center, Waterfront Park, Pacific Place and Victory Hall in SoDo.
Getting HERE
Arriving in town and city transport
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is 14 miles (23km) south of Downtown Seattle, on the same 1 Line of Sound Transit’s Link light-rail network (every 8-15mins) as Stadium and, more convenient for Lumen Field, International District/Chinatown beside King Street, journey times 30-35mins.
A one-way ticket (by cash/card, local ORCA card ($3) or Transit GO app) is $3, a day pass $6, 3-Day PugetPass $18. King Street Station is also served by Amtrak trains from Los Angeles, Portland, Vancouver, and other destinations.
The ORCA card is valid fo the Monorail ($4, every 10mins) between Westlake Station (3 stops up from International District/Chinatown) and Seattle Center (journey time 2mins) beside the Space Needle and Fan Zone.
A 3-Day Monorail Sea26 Fan Pass is $20. Seattle Airport Taxi (+1 206-430-5051) has a set rate of $45 to Downtown. For zipping around town, Seattle Yellow Cab taxis (+1 206-622-6500) can be booked through the company app.
Stadium parking can be arranged through SpotHero. Prices to park near the ground on game days currently start around $70 but are sure to rise.
Where to Drink
The best pubs and bars for football fans
Seattle is overflowing with craft beer, best sampled at a sports bar such as Uptown Hophouse by Climate Pledge Arena, the city’s Fremont Brewing, Georgetown Brewing, and Urban Family Brewing featured among its 24 taps. Match action beams down from many screens, Hop dogs, wings, and flatbreads served on non-event days at the Arena. Across the street, Tom’s Watch Bar follows its same nationwide formula, a multiscreen wraparound surrounding a huge sports bar in which jumbo wings, burgers and draft beers are served.
Across from the landmark Pike Place Market, Blarney Stone accurately describes itself as an ‘authentic, old-school, downtown Seattle bar, pub and restaurant’, 14 big screens generally tuned to Seahawks and Mariners NFL and baseball games, and kitchen turning out classic cheeseburgers and leprechaun balls.
Steps from the market, you’ll find the Downtown branch of a three-outlet local mini-chain launched in Ballard, Seattle by Adam and Grace Robbings in 2012, Reuben’s, named after their first-born. Here you can choose from 28 brews and opt to sit outside or in, sharing a Seattle poutine with your dining partner and sinking a Seattleweizen. Sport shows inside or you might want to watch Seattle go by along a tree-lined street.
There’s more craft brews at nearby Seattle Beer Co, close to the market, the waterfront and Seattle Aquarium. SBC only serves brands from Washington State, ‘from the big names in the Yakima Valley to the tiny garage breweries in your neighborhood’, and does so in a cosy, two-floor space where planks of wood over beer barrels double up as tables and TV sport plays. More a daytime/post-work hangout, given its closing times at 7pm, 9pm Thur-Sat.
On 4th Ave near Westlake Station, Yard House is a little classier, TVs dangling over an island bar and superior food on offer, not to mention hundreds, yes hundreds, of draft ales, beers and ciders.
Recently moved to Capitol Hill in central Seattle, RheinHaus claims to be, with some justification, ‘Seattle’s favorite German beerhall and sports bar’, illustrated by its house lager and pilsner on tap, prime bratwurst and 25 big-screen TVs. Plenty of craft choices, too, beer-wise, and generous closing times of 1.30am at weekends. Happy hour Tue-Fri 3pm-6pm.
Pouring pints of Guinness, Smithwick’s, quality European beers and local craft IPAS, The Atlantic Crossing in Greenlake opens for Premier League action from 8.30am, its weekend breakfasts a treat for sore hangovers.
