Seattle Sounders to make MLS history at Club World Cup... and Real Madrid could be up next
A moment of history for Major League Soccer. Seattle Sounders will break new ground on Saturday as the first MLS team to play in the FIFA Club World Cup. And the Concacaf champions are just one game away from a dream match-up against Real Madrid next week.
The Sounders beat Mexican side Pumas 5-2 over two legs last April and May to become the first MLS winners of the Concacaf Champions League. All 13 previous editions of that competition had been won by Mexican clubs and although LA Galaxy had triumphed in the shorter Concacaf Champions’ Cup back in 2000 to qualify for the 2001 FIFA World Championship, that tournament was later cancelled due to the collapse of the organisation’s marketing partner ISL. The Galaxy had been due to meet Real Madrid, too, but never got the chance.
Seattle might. The Sounders travelled to Morocco for the intercontinental competition earlier this week and make their Club World Cup debut against Al-Ahly on Saturday, after the African champions beat New Zealanders Auckland City 3-0 on Wednesday. Victory over the Egyptians would see Seattle set up a dream date against Real Madrid in the semi-finals next Wednesday.
For now, though, just being part of the FIFA Club World Cup represents a success for Seattle and a significant step forward for Major League Soccer.
“We are proud to see Seattle compete as MLS’ first ever representative in the tournament,” MLS senior vice president of competition and player relations Jeff Agoos told me.
The prospect of facing Real Madrid, 14-time European champions, would be further reward for Major League Soccer, and Agoos is confident Seattle – and other MLS clubs – can compete at the highest level.
“Playing against a club with the history of Real Madrid, a 14-time European Cup winner, would be a fantastic challenge for the team,” the former USMNT defender said.
“We believe that we can compete with anyone, at any level, at any time, and this is a tremendous opportunity to challenge ourselves against one of the best clubs in the world.”
That opportunity is only 90 minutes away. But whatever happens in Morocco over the next few days, the Sounders’ participation should be only the start for MLS sides on this stage because FIFA president Gianni Infantino recently announced that from 2025, the Club World Cup will be expanded from its current format featuring seven sides to a 32-team competition.
“International competition like this is terrific for the continued development of our clubs and players and we look forward to always having a participant in this tournament, especially with the opportunity we’ll have in future editions as the tournament seeks to expand,” Agoos said.
And while the tournament’s expansion will help continued growth of the game in North America in the build-up to the next men’s World Cup in United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026, MLS is also seeking improvements for fans both inside the stadiums and watching at home.
“Over the past year, MLS has petitioned FIFA to allow measures that would offer fans in-stadium, and on broadcast, further transparency and clarity regarding VAR decisions, including the implementation of referee announcements in-stadium,” Agoos added.
On and off the pitch, Major League Soccer’s impact is growing.