Seattle Sounders–Vancouver Whitecaps rivalry


The Seattle Sounders–Vancouver Whitecaps rivalry is a soccer rivalry between Sounders FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC, both based in the Pacific Northwest region. The rivalry originated in the North American Soccer League of the 1970s, with both cities reviving expansion teams, and has carried into lower-level leagues, including the A-League and USL First Division. The rivalry moved to Major League Soccer, the top division of soccer in the United States and Canada, in 2011. The two clubs are part of the Cascadia Cup, the trophy and competition created in 2004 by supporters of the [Portland Portland Timbers|Timbers (2001–2010)|Portland Timbers], Vancouver Whitecaps, and the Seattle Sounders which is awarded each season to the best top-flight soccer team in the Cascadia region.
Seattle and Vancouver have had rivalries based on various sports teams. Of the five major sports leagues in North America, the two cities each have franchises in the National Hockey League with the Canucks and the Kraken, which joined in 2021. They also had a series between the SuperSonics and Grizzlies of the NBA, before the eventual relocation of both franchises.

History

NASL era

Both Pacific Northwest cities joined the North American Soccer League, the top-flight of the American and Canadian soccer systems, in 1974. The clubs were founded on the same date—December 11, 1973—and predated their fellow Cascadian rival Portland by one year. Future Sounders manager Brian Schmetzer played for the NASL incarnation of the franchise and was part of the Washington–British Columbia junior soccer exchange program that sent Seattle athletes to the Vancouver area to play their teams and stay with Canadian families.
The strong cultural and trade links between the two cities in the new soccer rivalry, including the experience of Alan Hinton, who was a player-coach for the Whitecaps in two different stints before becoming a Seattle resident in 1979 and Sounders broadcaster. Hinton recalled the NASL crowds and significant presence of rival fans at away games: "It's a great rivalry...Years ago they'd come down in their thousands. There was no television in those days, so you'd get as much as three or four thousand Vancouver fans." This tradition has manifested itself in the modern-day fan culture and a similar situation can also be seen in Major League Baseball, as Canadian fans flock to Seattle and dominate the stands at T-Mobile Park during Toronto Blue Jays visits to face the Seattle Mariners. As a result, animosity can prevail at the stadiums where "Everyone hates it here when it happens. Everybody is mad at the Canadians."
Ultimately, the series ended after the 1983 North American Soccer League season as the league lost financial stability and would soon collapse. In the final season of competition between the clubs, the Whitecaps defeated Seattle 2 to 1 before 60,342 fans in Empire Stadium, the largest crowd to watch a match between the two in series history. Ultimately, Vancouver led the NASL series 16–11–2 but Seattle took all four postseason matchups.

NASL indoor

The NASL staged full indoor seasons on four occasions, but the Sounders and Whitecaps only met in this format during the 1981–82 season. As members of the Northwest Division in the Pacific Conference, the clubs faced one another four times during the campaign. On December 8, 1981 in front of 2,785 the Whitecaps claimed a 5-4 home victory at the PNE Agrodome. Seattle went on to take all three of the remaining matches and the season series.

WSA/CPSL era

After the Sounders folded in late 1983, F.C. Seattle was formed in 1984 with a roster that boasted several NASL veterans. They hosted the F.C. Seattle Challenge '84 as a series of friendlies against pro competition including the Whitecaps, which would ultimately contribute to the formation of the Western Soccer Alliance. Over the next several years the Seattle club would face the Whitecaps and then their successor, the Vancouver 86ers of the Canadian Professional Soccer League, eight times. Seven of these meetings were club friendlies. However the 1988 encounter counted in the WSA standings for Seattle, as the 86ers and another CPSL club played every team in the WSA even though their own CPSL season had not yet begun. The match was decided, 4-1, on penalty kicks, after a 1-1 draw including extra time.

USL era

The cities' professional soccer teams reunited in the A-League in 1994. During this period, the Cascadia Cup was founded by the supporters groups of the teams, in conjunction with those of the Portland Timbers. The A-League ultimately became the USL First Division, which the clubs competed in until the Sounders made the jump to the first-division Major League Soccer in 2009.

MLS era

Two seasons after the Sounders joined MLS, Vancouver joined them as an expansion franchise in 2011. The first match featured an early lead for the Whitecaps but the Sounders scored two goals from Mauro Rosales and Osvaldo Alonso after the 81st minute. Ultimately, Eric Hassli erased the deficit with one of the greatest goals in MLS history to end the inaugural MLS match in a draw. Several years later, Kekuta Manneh became the youngest player in MLS history to score a hat-trick with three goals in a 4–1 victory in Seattle. The rivalry's intensity was felt on the pitch several times in the 2010s, punctuated by Brad Evans headbutting David Edgar in a 2016 match.
In 2015, the clubs squared off in the CONCACAF Champions League group stage, their first meeting in a continental tournament. The Sounders routed the Whitecaps in the second leg to win 3–0 on aggregate and advanced to the quarterfinals. Two years later, the clubs met in the domestic postseason for the first time. The first leg of the conference semifinals was particularly contentious, as teams nearly brawled while security guards ejected leaders of the Emerald City Supporters group for brandishing antifascist signs. After the scoreless draw at BC Place, the Sounders took the second leg 2–0 from second-half goals from Clint Dempsey to send the club to a second straight Western Conference Championship game.
Fredy Montero, one of the Sounders' first stars and all-time leading goal scorer, moved across the border to Vancouver in 2017. During his first season in Vancouver, the former Sounder said, "the supporters took some time to adopt me as one of their own — and I respected that. They knew my history in Seattle, and I knew that I had to earn their love." Montero went on to win the team's Golden Boot award in his first season in Vancouver, highlighted by a brace in his first meeting against his former mates, and then scoring a shorthanded equalizer in the midseason rematch. After three seasons with the Whitecaps, Montero returned to Seattle on a one-year deal with an option for 2023.

Cups

Between 2004 and 2008, the USL Seattle Sounders, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Portland Timbers competed for the supporter created Cascadia Cup, to be awarded to the club who finished with the best record in each season series between the three teams. The Cascadia Cup was created to celebrate the strong rivalries between each of the three clubs. Seattle won the Cascadia Cup twice in this five-year period while Portland never won. Seattle was not involved in the 2009 or 2010 competitions, both of which were won by Portland. While both Seattle and Portland consider Vancouver to be a rival, both of the U.S. fanbases consider their rivalries with Vancouver more cordial than with one another. In a 2011 story on the rivalry by Sports Illustrated writer Grant Wahl, one Timbers Army member said about Vancouver fans, "It's hard to dislike them because they're so nice", and an Emerald City Supporters member added, "They're like the nice cousin that's never going to offend anyone at a party." The MLS versions of the Whitecaps, Sounders and Timbers resumed contesting the Cascadia Cup, beginning with the 2011 season.

Results

''For statistical purposes, matches that went to shootouts are counted as draws. Matches ending with a shootout are denoted with an '*'.''

A-League/USL era

SeasonDateCompetitionStadiumHome TeamResultAway TeamAttendanceRef
1994APSLSwangard StadiumVancouver 86ers1–1*Seattle Sounders4,921Tied 0–0–1
1994APSLTacoma DomeSeattle Sounders5–0Vancouver 86ers6,458SEA 1–0–1
1994APSLSwangard StadiumVancouver 86ers2–3Seattle Sounders4,814SEA 2–0–1
1994APSLSwangard StadiumVancouver 86ers1–4Seattle Sounders4,769SEA 3–0–1
1994September 24APSLMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders3–0Vancouver 86ers11,847SEA 4–0–1
1995May 12A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver 86ers1–2Seattle Sounders4,021SEA 5–0–1
1995May 20A-LeagueMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders3–1Vancouver 86ers4,225SEA 6–0–1
1995July 23A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver 86ers2–2*Seattle Sounders5,055SEA 6–0–2
1995August 19A-LeagueMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders2–3Vancouver 86ers7,634SEA 6–1–2
1995September 5A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver 86ers1–2Seattle Sounders4,823SEA 7–1–2
1995September 9A-LeagueMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders3–1Vancouver 86ers7,239SEA 8–1–2
1995September 15A-League playoffsSwangard StadiumVancouver 86ers1–0Seattle Sounders4,036SEA 9–1–2
1995September 17A-League playoffsMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders0–0*Vancouver 86ers4,339SEA 9–1–3
1996April 27A-LeagueMemorial StadiumVancouver 86ers2–1Seattle Sounders4,500SEA 10–1–3
1996May 25A-LeagueRotary StadiumVancouver 86ers0–2Seattle Sounders2,634SEA 11–1–3
1996July 14A-LeagueRotary StadiumVancouver 86ers2–2*Seattle Sounders4,185SEA 11–1–4
1996July 27A-LeagueMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders0–1Vancouver 86ersSEA 11–2–4
1996August 24A-LeagueMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders2–2*Vancouver 86ersSEA 11–2–5
1996August 30A-LeagueRotary StadiumVancouver 86ers1–4Seattle Sounders3,748SEA 12–2–5
1997April 12A-LeagueMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders0–1Vancouver 86ers4,561SEA 12–3–5
1997April 18A-LeagueRotary StadiumVancouver 86ers0–1Seattle Sounders4,119SEA 13–3–5
1997June 14A-LeagueMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders2–1Vancouver 86ers2,186SEA 14–3–5
1997June 25A-LeagueRotary StadiumVancouver 86ers0–1Seattle Sounders3,563SEA 15–3–5
1997August 29A-LeagueRotary StadiumVancouver 86ers2–1Seattle Sounders4,650SEA 15–4–5
1997September 12A-League playoffsSwangard StadiumVancouver 86ers3–0Seattle Sounders3,607SEA 15–5–5
1997September 14A-League playoffsMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders0–0*Vancouver 86ers4,820SEA 15–5–6
1997September 14A-League playoffsMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders1–1*Vancouver 86ers4,820SEA 15–5–7
1998April 24A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver 86ers2–1Seattle Sounders6,039SEA 15–6–7
1998May 2A-LeagueMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders0–1Vancouver 86ers4,162SEA 15–7–7
1998July 11A-LeagueMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders4–0Vancouver 86ers2,773SEA 16–7–7
1998August 8A-LeagueMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders2–0Vancouver 86ers3,168SEA 17–7–7
1998September 7A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver 86ers1–2Seattle Sounders5,094SEA 18–7–7
1999May 1A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver 86ers1–2Seattle Sounders5,144SEA 19–7–7
1999May 8A-LeagueRenton Memorial StadiumSeattle Sounders2–1Vancouver 86ers3,778SEA 20–7–7
1999June 3A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver 86ers1–1*Seattle Sounders2,760SEA 20–7–8
1999June 5A-LeagueRenton Memorial StadiumSeattle Sounders0–2Vancouver 86ers1,576SEA 20–8–8
1999September 4A-LeagueRenton Memorial StadiumSeattle Sounders1–1*Vancouver 86ers3,105SEA 20–8–9
1999September 6A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver 86ers1–0Seattle Sounders5,605SEA 20–9–9
2000May 6A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver 86ers2–4Seattle Sounders4,202SEA 21–9–9
2000May 7A-LeagueMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders0–0*Vancouver 86ers3,563SEA 21–9–10
2000June 18A-LeagueMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders3–0Vancouver 86ers1,906SEA 22–9–10
2000July 21A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver 86ers3–0Seattle Sounders4,510SEA 22–10–10
2000July 22A-LeagueMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders2–1Vancouver 86ers1,334SEA 23–10–10
2000July 30A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver 86ers3–4Seattle Sounders4,125SEA 24–10–10
2000September 4A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver 86ers5–0Seattle Sounders4,875SEA 24–11–10
2001May 5A-LeagueMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders0–1Vancouver Whitecaps3,227SEA 24–12–10
2001June 24A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver Whitecaps1–5Seattle Sounders5,796SEA 25–12–10
2001September 7A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver Whitecaps2–1Seattle Sounders7,199SEA 25–13–10
2001September 8A-LeagueMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders5–0Vancouver Whitecaps3,665SEA 26–13–10
2002May 18A-LeagueMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders1–0Vancouver Whitecaps2,274SEA 27–13–10
2002May 19A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver Whitecaps1–2Seattle Sounders3,171SEA 28–13–10
2002May 26A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver Whitecaps1–4Seattle Sounders3,872SEA 29–13–10
2002July 28A-LeagueSeahawks StadiumSeattle Sounders4–1Vancouver Whitecaps25,515SEA 30–13–10
2002September 13A-League playoffsSwangard StadiumVancouver Whitecaps2–0Seattle Sounders5,686SEA 30–14–10
2002September 15A-League playoffsMemorial StadiumSeattle Sounders2–6Vancouver Whitecaps3,917SEA 30–15–10
2003May 23A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver Whitecaps2–2Seattle SoundersSEA 30–15–11
2003May 25A-LeagueSeahawks StadiumSeattle Sounders0–0Vancouver Whitecaps2,643SEA 30–15–12
2003June 7A-LeagueSeahawks StadiumSeattle Sounders2–1Vancouver Whitecaps4,752SEA 31–15–12
2003June 20A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver Whitecaps1–0Seattle Sounders4,198SEA 31–16–12
2003July 19A-LeagueSeahawks StadiumSeattle Sounders1–1Vancouver WhitecapsSEA 31–16–13
2003July 20A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver Whitecaps2–0Seattle Sounders5,316SEA 31–17–13
2003September 5A-League playoffsSeahawks StadiumSeattle Sounders0–0Vancouver Whitecaps2,178SEA 31–17–14
2003September 7A-League playoffsSwangard StadiumVancouver Whitecaps1–1*Seattle Sounders5,175SEA 31–17–15
2004July 9A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver Whitecaps1–0Seattle Sounders4,577SEA 31–18–15
2004July 10A-LeagueSeahawks StadiumSeattle Sounders0–0Vancouver Whitecaps2,759SEA 31–18–16
2004August 15A-LeagueSwangard StadiumVancouver Whitecaps0–1Seattle Sounders5,722SEA 32–18–16
2004August 18A-LeagueSeahawks StadiumSeattle Sounders2–1Vancouver Whitecaps2,896SEA 33–18–16
2004September 10A-League playoffsSeahawks StadiumSeattle Sounders1–0Vancouver Whitecaps2,496SEA 34–18–16
2004September 12A-League playoffsSwangard StadiumVancouver Whitecaps1–1Seattle Sounders5,286SEA 34–18–17
2005May 7USLQwest FieldSeattle Sounders0–0Vancouver Whitecaps2,495SEA 34–18–18
2005June 25USLQwest FieldSeattle Sounders1–1Vancouver Whitecaps2,696SEA 34–18–19
2005June 26USLSwangard StadiumVancouver Whitecaps0–0Seattle Sounders5,722SEA 34–18–20
2005July 29USLSwangard StadiumVancouver Whitecaps0–0Seattle Sounders5,434SEA 34–18–21
2006May 26USLSwangard StadiumVancouver Whitecaps2–2Seattle Sounders4,658SEA 34–18–22
2006May 27USLQwest FieldSeattle Sounders1–0Vancouver Whitecaps2,998SEA 35–18–22
2006August 19USLQwest FieldSeattle Sounders2–0Vancouver Whitecaps3,584SEA 36–18–22
2006September 8USLSwangard StadiumVancouver Whitecaps3–2Seattle Sounders5,347SEA 36–19–22
2007April 21USLSwangard StadiumVancouver Whitecaps1–0Seattle Sounders4,948SEA 36–20–22
2007May 12USLQwest FieldSeattle Sounders1–3Vancouver Whitecaps2,577SEA 36–21–22
2007July 12USLQwest FieldSeattle Sounders1–0Vancouver Whitecaps2,263SEA 37–21–22
2007July 27USLSwangard StadiumVancouver Whitecaps2–2Seattle Sounders5,288SEA 37–21–23
2008May 23USLSwangard StadiumVancouver Whitecaps0–2Seattle Sounders5,146SEA 38–21–23
2008August 20USLStarfire Sports ComplexSeattle Sounders0–0Vancouver Whitecaps3,203SEA 38–21–24
2008September 20USLStarfire Sports ComplexSeattle Sounders2–3Vancouver Whitecaps4,401SEA 38–22–24

MLS era

SeasonDateCompetitionStadiumHome teamResultAway teamAttendanceRef
2011June 11MLSCenturyLink FieldSeattle Sounders FC2–2Vancouver Whitecaps FC36,502 Tied 0–0–1
2011September 24MLSEmpire FieldVancouver Whitecaps FC1–3Seattle Sounders FC21,000 SEA 1–0–1
2012May 19MLSBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FC2–2Seattle Sounders FC21,000 SEA 1–0–2
2012August 18MLSCenturyLink FieldSeattle Sounders FC2–0Vancouver Whitecaps FC55,718 SEA 2–0–2
2012September 29MLSBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FC0–0Seattle Sounders FC21,000 SEA 2–0–3
2013June 8MLSCenturyLink FieldSeattle Sounders FC3–2Vancouver Whitecaps FC53,679 SEA 3–0–3
2013July 6MLSBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FC2–0Seattle Sounders FC22,500 SEA 3–1–3
2013October 9MLSCenturyLink FieldSeattle Sounders FC1–4Vancouver Whitecaps FC38,833 SEA 3–2–3
2014May 24MLSBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FC2–2Seattle Sounders FC21,000 SEA 3–2–4
2014July 5MLSBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FC1–0Seattle Sounders FC22,500 Tied 3–3–4
2014October 10MLSCenturyLink FieldSeattle Sounders FC0–1Vancouver Whitecaps FC55,765 VAN 4–3–4
2015May 16MLSBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FC0–2Seattle Sounders FC21,000 Tied 4–4–4
2015August 1MLSCenturyLink FieldSeattle Sounders FC0–3Vancouver Whitecaps FC53,125 VAN 5–4–4
2015August 5Champions LeagueBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FC1–1Seattle Sounders FC19,683 VAN 5–4–5
2015September 19MLSBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FC0–3Seattle Sounders FC21,000 Tied 5–5–5
2015September 23Champions LeagueCenturyLink FieldSeattle Sounders FC3–0Vancouver Whitecaps FC37,624 SEA 6–5–5
2016March 19MLSCenturyLink FieldSeattle Sounders FC1–2Vancouver Whitecaps FC40,012 Tied 6–6–5
2016September 17MLSCenturyLink FieldSeattle Sounders FC1–0Vancouver Whitecaps FC47,111 SEA 7–6–5
2016October 2MLSBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FC1–2Seattle Sounders FC24,837 SEA 8–6–5
2017April 14MLSBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FC2–1Seattle Sounders FC22,120 SEA 8–7–5
2017August 23MLSBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FC1–1Seattle Sounders FC22,120 SEA 8–7–6
2017September 27MLSCenturyLink FieldSeattle Sounders FC3–0Vancouver Whitecaps FC41,868 SEA 9–7–6
2017October 29MLS Cup playoffsBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FC0–0Seattle Sounders FC27,837 SEA 9–7–7
2017November 2MLS Cup playoffsCenturyLink FieldSeattle Sounders FC2–0Vancouver Whitecaps FC39,587 SEA 10–7–7
2018July 21MLSCenturyLink FieldSeattle Sounders FC2–0Vancouver Whitecaps FC41,849 SEA 11–7–7
2018September 15MLSBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FC1–2Seattle Sounders FC27,863 SEA 12–7–7
2019March 30MLSBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FC0–0Seattle Sounders FC24,803 SEA 12–7–8
2019June 29MLSCenturyLink FieldSeattle Sounders FC1–0Vancouver Whitecaps FC44,489 SEA 13–7–8
2020July 19MLS is BackESPN Sports ComplexSeattle Sounders FC3–0Vancouver Whitecaps FC0 SEA 14–7–8
2020October 3MLSCenturyLink FieldSeattle Sounders FC3–1Vancouver Whitecaps FC0 SEA 15–7–8
2020October 27MLSProvidence ParkVancouver Whitecaps FC0–2Seattle Sounders FC0 SEA 16–7–8
2021June 26MLSLumen FieldSeattle Sounders FC2–2Vancouver Whitecaps FC25,603 SEA 16–7–9
2021September 15MLSLumen FieldSeattle Sounders FC4–1Vancouver Whitecaps FC31,842 SEA 17–7–9
2021November 7MLSBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FC1–1Seattle Sounders FC25,117 SEA 17–7–10
2022June 14MLSLumen FieldSeattle Sounders FC4–0Vancouver Whitecaps FC31,165 SEA 18–7–10
2022September 27MLSBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FC2–1Seattle Sounders FC19,722 SEA 18–8–10
2023May 20MLSBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FC2–0Seattle Sounders FC19,108SEA 18–9–10
2023July 8MLSBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FC2–3Seattle Sounders FC16,399SEA 19–9–10
2023October 7MLSLumen FieldSeattle Sounders FC0–0Vancouver Whitecaps FC33,666SEA 19–9–11
2024April 20MLSLumen FieldSeattle Sounders FC0–2Vancouver Whitecaps FC30,550SEA 19–10–11
2024May 18MLSLumen FieldSeattle Sounders FC1–1Vancouver Whitecaps FC30,102SEA 19–10–12
2024October 2MLSBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FC0–3Seattle Sounders FC17,362SEA 20–10–12
2025June 8MLSBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FC3–0Seattle Sounders FC24,276SEA 20–11–12
2025September 27MLSLumen FieldSeattle Sounders FC2–2Vancouver Whitecaps FC32,750SEA 20–11–13
2026August 16MLSLumen FieldSeattle Sounders FCVancouver Whitecaps FCSEA W–L–T
2026November 1MLSBC PlaceVancouver Whitecaps FCSeattle Sounders FCSEA W–L–T

Western Conference standings finishes

• Total: Seattle with 12 higher finishes, Vancouver with 3.

Players to play for both clubs

  • Fredy Montero: Seattle Sounders 2009–14, 2021–23; Vancouver Whitecaps 2017, 2019–20
  • Mauro Rosales: Seattle Sounders 2011–13; Vancouver Whitecaps 2014–15, 2017