dpThe Seattle Sounders are hosting the Portland Timbers on Thursday in their first of two meetings in the regular season. Here is everything you need to know:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. PT at Lumen Field (TICKETS).
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be available to watch on Apple TV.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The match will air on 93.3 KJR FM and in Spanish on El Rey 1360AM.
2026 MLS STANDINGS: Sounders: 7-3-3 (24 points, 6th West), Timbers: 4-8-2 (14 points, 13th West)
FORM GUIDE (all competitions, most recent first): Seattle: LLWDD, Portland: LLDWL
PREVIOUS MEETING: The Sounders defeated the Timbers 1-0 at Lumen Field on Oct. 4, 2025, behind a 16th-minute goal from Pedro de la Vega.
RETURN TO MLS ACTION: Thursday’s match will be the first game in 53 days for the Sounders since they battled LAFC on May 24 before MLS paused for the FIFA World Cup.
SEATTLE SHOWS OFF: Seattle hosted six FIFA World Cup matches, including two United States games. Seattle Stadium was host to four group stage matches, a Round of 32 clash and the U.S.’ loss to Belgium in the Round of 16. The experience was a showcase for the Emerald City to boast both its beauty and soccer fandom to the world at large.
WORLD CUP RETURNEES: The Sounders and Timbers each sent one of a league-record 45 players to the FIFA World Cup this summer. Seattle midfielder Cristian Roldan earned his second World Cup roster spot for the United States, while Portland defender Finn Surman started all three group stage matches for New Zealand and scored the Kiwis’ only goal in a 3-1 loss to Egypt on Matchday 2.
RAGEN MAKES ALL-STAR TEAM: Sounders defender Jackson Ragen is enjoying yet another formidable season anchoring the back line and played himself into his first career MLS All-Star Game selection. The 28-year-old Sounders Academy product and former Big Ten Defender of the Year at Michigan has led Seattle to a joint-league low 11 goals allowed so far this season.
CIRCLE OF LEGENDS CEREMONY: Kasey Keller (Player), Sigi Schmid (Coach), and Jimmy Gabriel (Builder) have officially been elected to the Eternal Sounders Circle of Legends, becoming the first individuals inducted through the club’s full nomination and selection process. The trio will be formally enshrined during a special induction ceremony prior to Thursday’s match. They join the inaugural 1974 NASL Sounders team, which was inducted in 2024 as part of the club’s 50th Anniversary celebration. For more information, click HERE
BUILD A BONFIRE: Both the Sounders and Seattle Reign battle their archrivals to the south this week, with the Seattle Reign doing their part in a 2-0 win over the Portland Thorns on Sunday.
NEW MAN IN CHARGE: The Timbers parted ways with Head Coach Phil Neville last month after two-and-a-half years at the helm. Thursday’s huge Cascadia clash will be the first game in charge for Interim Head Coach Jack Cassidy, who was managing MLS NEXT Pro affiliate Timbers2 earlier this year.
DEFENSIVE HOLES: The Timbers have conceded 28 times in 2026, the third-highest total in the Western Conference. They’ve kept just one clean sheet in 14 matches.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Cole Bassett, M
Portland made headlines this past offseason by acquiring the former Colorado Rapids Homegrown Bassett for up to $3.7M plus a sell-on percentage. In between two stints for his hometown Rapids, Bassett also appeared in the Dutch First Division for Feyenoord and Fortuna Sittard. The dynamic two-way central midfielder has two goals and three assists in 10 appearances with Portland.
