USMNT’s Record in Seattle Ahead of Critical World Cup Clash With Australia
USMNT’s Record in Seattle Ahead of Critical World Cup Clash With Australia
Lumen Field has been a welcome home for the USMNT, even though the team hasn’t been back for a decade. Ben Steiner|
The U.S. men’s national team return to one of the country’s cathedrals of soccer on Friday for the second game of the 2026 World Cup, taking on Australia in a top of Group D clash at Seattle’s Lumen Field.
The venue, which has become known as one of the loudest stadiums in the country for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks and MLS’s Seattle Sounders, has hosted the USMNT twice before, while the former Seattle Kingdom, Memorial Coliseum and even the Seattle Mariners’ T-Mobile Park have previously hosted matches as well.
In total, Washington has hosted 10 USMNT matches, on par with New York. With the second match of the second men’s World Cup on U.S. soil, the state will move to 11 games, tied with Kansas and Tennessee. The USMNT’s record through those 10 games reads 7-2-1.
Here, Sports Illustrated takes a look at the team’s history in Washington State and how the past could give them a home advantage in a critical matchup.
The USMNT’s First-Ever Match in Seattle
The USMNT’s first game in Seattle was on June 24, 1974, at the downtown Memorial Stadium, which at the time was home to the first iteration of the Seattle Sounders, then in the now-defunct North American Soccer League. The USMNT lost that match 4–0 to Poland, but the result didn’t have any massive implications as a friendly.
The USMNT’s First Win in Seattle
Just two years after their first match in Seattle, the USMNT returned in 1976 for a Concacaf Championship and World Cup qualifying match at the Kingdome. That day, in front of over 17,000 fans, they put down a 2–0 win against Canada, with Miro Rys and Jule Veee scoring to secure the win and punch the team’s ticket to the qualifying playoff.
That match also lives in history as the first-ever FIFA World Cup qualifier played on artificial turf. Unfortunately, the USMNT returned to Canada for the playoff, where they fell 3–0 to the Canadians, who qualified for the Concacaf tournament.
The USMNT’s Most Important Win in Seattle
The 2013 World Cup qualifying win over Panama was a formative one for the USMNT and its fans.
Not only did the 2–0 win with goals from Jozy Altidore and Eddie Johnson help push the team towards the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but over 41,000 fans at Lumen Field put the city back on the USMNT’s map, while the American Outlaws supporters’ group debuted the “boom-boom-clap,” chant, three years before it reached peak fame as Iceland’s Viking Clap at the 2016 European Championship.
When the USMNT Last Played in Seattle
The USMNT’s last game in Seattle came just over 10 years ago. It was a part of the Copa América Centenario, the 100th anniversary of the South American tournament, which the U.S. hosted and leaned on as part of its bid to co-host the 2026 World Cup.
Unlike its group stage exit at the 2024 Copa América, the most recent South American tournament hosted in the U.S., the USMNT found relative success in 2016. Under then-manager Jürgen Klinsmann, the team advanced from the group stage and knocked out Ecuador in the quarterfinal in front of over 47,000 fans at Lumen Field, with goals from Clint Dempsey and Gyasi Zardes.
With that as the most recent memory, this generation of USMNT stars will hope to pick up another vital win, with the potential to secure the top spot in Group D if they capture all three points and Paraguay wins or draws against Türkiye.
READ THE LATEST USMNT NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FC
Published Jun 18, 2026 | Modified Jun 18, 2026
BEN STEINERBen Steiner is an American-Canadian journalist who brings in-depth experience, having covered the North American national teams, MLS, CPL, NWSL, NSL and Liga MX for prominent outlets, including MLSsoccer.com, CBC Sports, and OneSoccer.
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
