As the 2025 regular season nears its end, playoff preparations begin.
Saturday marks the Seattle Sounders’ final home match of the MLS regular season as the team gears up to face Real Salt Lake at Lumen Field.
With MLS Cup Playoffs seeding on the line, the Sounders will look to carry momentum from their big win over the Portland Timbers into Saturday night, feeding off the electric crowd at Lumen Field.
“It’s a big game,” said forward Jordan Morris. “They're a good team. They work really hard, but we want to put on a good performance for our home fans.”
The intensity is expected to be high given RSL’s need for a win. As the current 9th place team in the West, three points over the Rave Green would earn them one of the two remaining playoff spots.
But, coming away with a win at Lumen Field is no easy task for Sounders’ opposition. In 2025, the Sounders have only lost once in 16 regular season fixtures at home. This record is not only a testament to the team’s obvious talent on the pitch, but the unwavering support from the fans in the crowd.
“We have the best fans in the league,” said Morris. “When you're walking out, you just feel that energy. The other team feels that energy. It's a tough place to come play.”
Sounders forward Jesús Ferreira describes the fans as a “plus one” to the eleven players on the field. No matter the weather or the time in the day, the team can always count on the supporters to show up and provide that “extra fire” for them to elevate their game and leave Lumen Field with three points.
“I think that this is my first time being a part of a team where there's consistently 30,000 fans on the stands and always cheering and always showing up,” said Ferreira.
The fans will be especially valuable with six players, including crucial midfield pieces Cristian Roldan and Obed Vargas, out for international duty. And with the Sounders’ ‘next man up’ mantra that has been a cornerstone of the 2025 season, the team is confident in who they have on the roster to push toward a win over the Utah side.
“We've had some injuries, and we've had guys missing, and the people have come in, have stepped up and done a great job,” said Morris, “So, we know that whoever steps on the field is going to come in and work as hard as they can and try to get a result for the team.”
