Leagues Cup 2025 was anything but lackluster for the Seattle Sounders. From defeating reigning Concacaf Champions Cup champs Cruz Azul 7-0 in the opening match, to finishing the tournament with a trophy, there were plenty of unforgettable moments throughout the duration of the tournament.
Here are six of the biggest takeaways from Seattle’s title run.
Complete the set
The Sounders completed their North American trophy cabinet following their 3-0 win over Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup final on Aug. 31. The Pacific Northwest side is the only team to capture every continental title with their four Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cups (2009-2011, 2014), two MLS Cups (2016, 2019), one Supporters' Shield (2014) one Concacaf Champions Cup (2022) and now, a Leagues Cup (2025).
Strength in depth
Throughout the duration of Leagues Cup, the Sounders made heavy rotations in the lineup due to schedule congestion and the need to preserve the health of players. This was no issue for the Rave Green, with players homing in on Schmetzer’s “next man up” mantra that has been ingrained in the club.
In the Leagues Cup Final, the Sounders were without influential players Danny Musovski, Jordan Morris, Albert Rusnák, Nouhou, Stefan Frei and Paul Arriola. Still, the team found a way to come away with three goals and overpower a strong Eastern Conference side that is Inter Miami.
Unbeaten run
The Sounders finished Leagues Cup with a stunning 5-0-1 record. After finishing at the top of the MLS table in Phase One with wins over Cruz Azul, Santos Laguna and Club Tijuana, the Rave Green went on to knock out Club Puebla and LA Galaxy before taking what's rightfully theirs in the Leagues Cup Finals vs. Inter Miami.
The team’s undefeated streak was a collective effort, with both the Sounders’ offense and defense showing out in a big way. The Rave Green finished the tournament with 16 goals while conceding only two.
Team chemistry
The Sounders performance throughout Leagues Cup served as a proof of concept for the club’s roster building strategy. Some teams have gone all in on Academy development, some get star players, but the Sounders take a balanced approach that has proven to be successful.
In addition to the Sounders utilizing local talent to help form a strong roster, the team mixes in a number of international talent, domestic players from other MLS sides, and those who came from the college draft.
Upon reflection of the 16 goals tallied by the Rave Green, six came from international recruits Pedro de la Vega, Nouhou, Yeimar, and Georgi Minoungou. Academy products Paul Rothrock and Obed Vargas, college stars Alex Roldan (Seattle U) and Danny Musovski (UNLV), and former FC Dallas standout Jesús Ferreira each added one. Meanwhile, Osaze De Rosario, who previously featured in the Toronto FC and New York City FC youth systems, contributed four.
Champions Cup Qualification
The top three teams of Leagues Cup earned a spot in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup competition. Because the Sounders won the overall tournament, they got to bypass the first round and head straight to the Round of 16. LA Galaxy (3rd) and Inter Miami (2nd) are required to compete in the opening round of CCC.
The Sounders are the only MLS team to win the Concacaf Champions Cup (formerly CCL) and have a greater chance of securing another title with their clear advantage heading into 2026’s competition.
Fan Support
The Sounders’ players always emphasize that the fans at Lumen Field fuel them to compete at a high level. Sunday’s Leagues Cup Finals proved that as the Sounders took home the championship title in front of a record-breaking 69,314 people. Across five of the home matches in the tournament, there were a total of 145,587 fans in attendance.
