Ballard is a neighborhood in northwestern Seattle, Washington, United States. Formerly an independent city, the City of Seattle's official boundaries define it as bounded to the north by Crown Hill, to the east by Greenwood, Phinney Ridge and Fremont, to the south by the Lake Washington Ship Canal, and to the west by Puget Sound's Shilshole Bay. Other neighborhood or district boundaries existed in the past; these are recognized by various Seattle City Departments, commercial or social organizations, and other Federal, State, and local government agencies.
Interbay is a neighborhood in northwestern Seattle, Washington. It consists of the valley between Queen Anne Hill on the east and Magnolia on the west, plus filled-in areas of Smith Cove and Salmon Bay. The neighborhood is bounded on the north by Salmon Bay, part of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, across which is Ballard; on the south by what remains of Smith Cove, an inlet of Elliott Bay; on the east by 15th Avenue W. and Elliott Avenue W.; and on the west by the BNSF Railway. The Ballard Bridge crosses the ship canal from Interbay to Ballard.
Starfire Sports is a multi-purpose stadium and sporting facility in Tukwila, Washington, United States. It is located on the banks of the Green River, just south of Seattle. The stadium is operated by the nonprofit corporation Starfire Sports and is home to several soccer and rugby teams. At the time of its opening, CEO Chris Slatt claimed it was "the largest synthetic-turf soccer complex in the U.S."
The Seattle metropolitan area in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States is home to several professional and amateur sports teams. They include seven teams in major leagues, several in minor leagues, and collegiate programs for two National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I universities and one NCAA Division II university.
The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began play in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) as a Division II league since 2017, placing it under Major League Soccer in the hierarchy. The USL is headquartered in Tampa, Florida.
Seattle Reign FC is an American professional women's soccer team based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 2012, it was one of eight inaugural members of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and continues to play in the league. Since June 2024, the Reign are owned by the private equity firm Carlyle Group and the Major League Soccer club Seattle Sounders FC.
Tacoma Defiance, formerly Seattle Sounders FC 2, is an American professional soccer team based in Puget Sound region in Tukwila, Washington, U.S. that competes in the MLS Next Pro, a league in the third tier of the United States soccer league system, as the reserve team of Seattle Sounders FC. Formerly, 20 percent of the club was fan-owned through the non-profit Sounders Community Trust.
North Texas Soccer Club is a professional soccer club playing in the MLS Next Pro, a third division league of American soccer. The team is owned by, and operates as the reserve team of the Major League Soccer club FC Dallas. While the senior club is based, and plays, in Toyota Stadium located in Frisco, Texas, and even though they played at the stadium in the 2019 USL League One season, North Texas SC as of 2024 plays their games at Choctaw Stadium, located in Arlington, Texas. The team was announced as a founder member of League One on November 2, 2018.
Queensboro FC (QBFC) was an American professional soccer club based in the borough of Queens in New York City. It was founded in November 2019, and unveiled an official crest and color scheme on October 6, 2020.
Angel City FC is a women's soccer team based in Los Angeles, California, that competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). The formation of the team was announced on July 21, 2020; it began play in the 2022 season. The team plays its home games at BMO Stadium, which it shares with Los Angeles FC of Major League Soccer.
Monterey Bay Football Club is an American professional soccer team based in Monterey County, California. The club was established on February 21, 2021, and is a member of the USL Championship, the second tier of the American soccer league system. It began playing during the 2022 USL Championship season as a member of the league's Western Conference.
The USL W League (USLW) is a women's soccer league in the United States. It began play in May 2022 and follows the USL W-League, a similar league that existed from 1995 to 2015. It is currently not sanctioned by the US Soccer Federation, meaning it doesn't have a position in the US soccer pyramid.
Spokane Velocity FC is an American professional soccer club based in Spokane, Washington, competing in the third tier of the United States soccer pyramid, USL League One. Their home stadium is ONE Spokane Stadium. The club's current head coach is Leigh Veidman.
The USL Super League (USLS) is a professional women's soccer league in the highest level of the United States league system, alongside the National Women's Soccer League. Organized by the United Soccer League (USL), it operates as its premier league for women above the pre-professional USL W League. The league consists of eight clubs who annually play four round-robins – two in the fall and two in the spring – to earn four places in a playoff tournament that determines the league's champion. Additional clubs are expected to join the league in the future. Clubs in the league have no cap on salaries or squad sizes, while minimum salaries are around US$35,000 to 37,000. There is no draft system, and squads are primarily built with free agents. The league's matches are streamed nationally on Peacock.
Ballard FC is an American soccer club based in Seattle, Washington, competing in the Northwest Division of USL League Two. They began play in the 2022 season and won their first league championship in 2023. The team plays their home matches at Interbay Soccer Field alongside their women's affiliate, Salmon Bay FC. Their temporary home venue for the 2024 season was Memorial Stadium at the Seattle Center.
Lexington Sporting Club is an American professional soccer team based in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 2021 as an expansion side in USL League One, the club fields 2 professions and 3 amateur teams across the United States soccer league system - USL League One, USL Super League, United Premier Soccer League, USL W League, & USL Academy. The 2 professional teams play at Lexington SC Stadium, a brand-new 7,500 Soccer-specific stadium that open in September 2024 for the USL Super League squad's inaugural home match. Prior to LSC Stadium opening, the USL1 and USLW teams played at Toyota Stadium in Georgetown, Kentucky while Lexington SC stadium was being built.
Minnesota Aurora FC is an American women's soccer club based in Eagan, Minnesota that plays in the Heartland Division of the USL W League. The club began play in the league's inaugural 2022 season as a founding club. The club is community-owned by 3,080 individuals. The club plays its home games at TCO Stadium in Eagan, Minnesota, the same stadium the Minnesota Vikings use for practice.
West Seattle Junction FC is an American soccer club based in the West Seattle neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The club plays in the Northwest Division of USL League Two, a semi-professional summer league. Junction FC was announced ahead of the 2024 season, where they finished fifth in the division.
The 2024–25 season of Dallas Trinity FC is the team's inaugural season as a professional women's soccer team and as well as the first for the USL Super League (USLS), one of two leagues to be in the top tier of women's soccer in the United States. In November 2024, Copa Tejas announced that as a Division I team Dallas Trinity FC would be included in the Copa Tejas Shield beginning in 2025. Because of the USL Super League fall to spring schedule the entire 2024-25 season standings will be used for the 2025 Shield.
Lexington Sporting Club fields 2 women's sides within the USL's structure – a professional team in the USL Super League and a pre-professional team in the USL W League. Former New Zealand international Michelle Reyner serves as the Women's Sporting Director.
