When the Seattle Sounders’ match against LAFC ended, that marked the start of an unprecedented event in MLS history: the league will be taking an eight-week break to accommodate the Men’s World Cup.
With the NWSL also taking a multi-week break after this weekend’s games, you might think things will get a little quiet around these parts. Don’t worry, that will almost certainly not the be the case.
This promises to be an exciting couple months for the Seattle soccer scene and you can rest assured that we’ll not only be documenting it, but we’ll be doing our part to participate, too.
As you have probably gleaned, Sounder at Heart will be keeping plenty busy with the World Cup. But as with everything we do, there will be an intensely local focus.
The highlight of our efforts is IV: The Sounder at Heart magazine, which is literally on the printing press as I write this. The theme for our second-ever issue is what made the Seattle host bid different. We focus on the history and ongoing grassroots nature of our local soccer culture while also sharing insights into some of the teams who will be visiting.
More broadly, that’s the way we envision the rest of our World Cup coverage. We’ll be doing things like sharing first-hand experiences and giving you all sorts of news you can use when navigating the local festivities. We’re also hoping to line up a ton of interviews, making particular use of our new headquarters/recording studio in the International District. If we can get our stuff together, we may even host some events there that you will be able to attend.
With Belgium headquartered and playing many of their matches here, we’re also planning to provide some coverage of them. We don’t know exactly what kind of access to expect, but we already have a pretty sizable feature that we think you’ll enjoy.
Once the Sounders return to training a couple of weeks, we should have regular updates on them as well. With a little luck, we may even have some transfer rumors to cover!
We are also hoping to put together some live events. At the very least, we’ll be co-hosting a watch party with The Scuffed Podcast on June 19 for the USA-Australia game at Fast Fashion Brewing in SoDo. The match kicks off at noon down the street, but Fast Fashion will be opening their doors at 8 AM and we’ll be doing a live postgame show from there as well. The night before, we’re planning to host a more social event at Project 9 Brewing in Maple Leaf. At both events we’ll have hard copies of IV available for sale. We’re also hoping to put together a couple other watch parties and maybe even a group outing to watch some of the local teams who will not be taking breaks.
Speaking of which, the Seattle Reign aren’t going to be out nearly as long as the Sounders, but they are off for all of June. Ride of the Valkyries is planning full coverage of everything they’ll be doing in the lead-up to the summer transfer window and second half of the season.
The new issue of IV: The Sounder at Heart magazine is now available for pre-order. Issue 2 will focus on Seattle’s role in the 2026 World Cup.
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Catching up on Sounder at Heart
Here's what you missed on the site this week.
Sounders
Next match: July 16 vs. Portland Timbers.
- Cristian Roldan is officially going back to the World Cup
- Postgame Pontifications: Falling on the margins
- Lobbing Scorchers: Midseason report card
- Ending with a whimper: Late goal sinks Sounders
This newsletter was made possible through the support of Full Pull Wines, a boutique wines reseller that has been sponsoring us since 2011.
Reign
Next match: May 30 at Washington Spirit
Defiance
Next match: May 31 at Portland Timbers 2.
This newsletter was made possible through the support of Iron Chuck’s Gluten Free pitas. The only soft, foldy, bendy 100% GLUTEN FREE flatbread-style pitas.
Looking back at the news
Everything else you need to know
- The next Seahawks’ owners may be looking for a new stadium but will face stiff headwinds (Seattle Times)
World Cup
- Seattle will be left with a hefty bill from the World Cup (King5)
- Famed Seattle soccer bar George and Dragon is scrambling to update their liquor license ahead of the World Cup (KNKX)
- USMNT’s Pochettino defends decision to inform players they were left off World Cup roster by email (The Athletic)
- RSL’s head coach expresses frustration that Diego Luna was left off the World Cup roster (The Guardian)
- Gregg Berhalter says his firing paved the way for his son, Sebastian, to make the World Cup roster (ESPN)
- The director of the new HBO series about the USMNT explains why he left out the Berhalter-Reyna feud (Awful AnnouncingTwo-time)
- The BBC and ITV will be showing their normal halftime analysis rather than FIFA’s halftime show for the World Cup final (GB News)
- The story behind how FIFA handed Fox a no-bid deal for the 2026 World Cup broadcast rights and cost itself hundreds of millions of dollars (New York Times)
- If soccer is ever to be considered a mainstream sport in the United States, it’s quarterfinals or best for the USMNT (USA Today)
- New York and New Jersey attorneys general are launching an investigation into FIFA’s ticketing process (The Athletic)
Women’s soccer
- How science is trying to help new mothers get back to elite soccer (The Athletic)
- Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas is announcing that she’s leaving Barcelona after 14 years (ESPN)
- NWSL owners Michele Kang and John Neace invest in new fair-trade soccer cleat (The Athletic)
- Club America Femenil beat Washington Spirit to claim Concacaf W Champions Cup (ESPN)
- The Chicago Stars have parted ways with their GM (Gal Pal Sports)
Domestic men’s soccer
- Phil Neville and the Timbers part ways by “mutual consent” (The Athletic)
- Atlante FC is returning to Liga MX after buying Mazatlan’s operating license and will now take their place in the Leagues Cup, too (ESPN)
- A season after guiding the Philadelphia Union to the Supporters’ Shield, Bradley Carnell is reportedly getting fired (The Athletic)
