Four U.S. Open Cups. A Supporters’ Shield. Two MLS Cups. And the first MLS club to win Concacaf Champions League.
The Seattle Sounders have consistently been one of the best teams in Major League Soccer since their arrival to the league in 2009. Now, they get to put their talents to the test on the world stage as they prepare for the biggest competition in the history of global club soccer.
Beginning on June 15, the Sounders will take part in the new 32-format FIFA Club World Cup 2025 where they will face Copa Libertadores champions Botafogo, Spanish giants Atlético de Madrid, and UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain in the tournament’s group stage.
“New format, so we're guaranteed three games. It's a completely different tournament,” said Head Coach Brian Schmetzer, comparing the team’s previous FIFA Club World Cup experience in Morocco. “I think the way FIFA has envisioned this is it's a much grander scale.”
Given the caliber of each of the four teams, their particular group (Group B) was labeled the “The Group of Death,” following the initial Club World Cup draw held in Miami, FL in December.
The Sounders will face Botafogo in the first group stage match, followed by a brawl against Atlético de Madrid on June 19. Seattle will cap off group stage competition with a showdown against PSG on June 23.
“This is the first time we get to compete in a world-class event against these world-class teams in games that aren't exhibitions,” said General Manager & Chief Soccer Officer Craig Waibel. “So, I think we'll have to measure a little bit in hindsight, but at the same time, we also need to be realistic about how we're approaching it, how we're trying to execute, and what measures success against top 10 club teams in the world.”
Botafogo is currently in the midst of their Série A season, while Atlético and PSG are beginning pre-season preparations following their campaigns in the 2024–25 Champions League. All three teams have demonstrated impressive consistency over the past year, offering a preview of the performances expected from them in the upcoming weeks.
Botafogo is coming off a stellar 2024 campaign, winning its third Brazilian Championship and the Copa Libertadores, a tournament dubbed as the most reputable competition in South American club football.
Atlético de Madrid is a perennial contender in Spain with a grand collection of 11 La Liga titles, 10 Copa del Rey championship wins, three UEFA Europa League trophies, a UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup title and three UEFA Super Cup final victories. During the 2024/25 season, the club finished third in league play and fell to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.
Paris Saint-Germain is fresh off a historic treble-winning campaign. Along with PSG’s Coupe de France championship victory and 13th-ever Ligue 1 title, the French club has been all over the headlines in the past week after being crowned winners of Champions League for the first time in club history following a 5-0 blow-out against Inter Milan.
Group B is bound to be electric, and the Seattle Sounders are more than ready to utilize their own strengths to showcase that Pacific Northwest grit that is instilled within every single one of the players on the roster.
“I don't think there's any pressure on the Sounders, on our guys, to do anything other than represent themselves and compete,” said Waibel. “And I think the biggest thing for us is to remain who we've always been. There's a reason we're in the Club World Cup. It's because we're willing to throw up punches in a big moment. And that's something we've got to do.”
