Rivals Vancouver and Seattle Meet in Concacaf Champions Cup

The Cascadia foes face off in the continental tournament's Round of 16.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 3:56pm

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When it comes to MLS rivalries, few clubs are more well-acquainted than Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Seattle Sounders FC. The two Cascadia rivals will meet in the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16, with the first leg taking place at BC Place in Vancouver.

Why it matters

This matchup pits two of the Western Conference's top teams against each other in a high-stakes continental competition. Vancouver is looking to build on its recent success in the Concacaf Champions Cup, while Seattle aims to continue its long history of MLS dominance.

The details

Vancouver and Seattle have met twice before in the Concacaf Champions Cup, with both matches coming in the 2015 group stage. Now, the teams will face off in a two-leg, home-and-away series to determine who advances to the quarterfinals. Vancouver is coming off a strong 2025 campaign that saw them reach the Concacaf Champions Cup final, while Seattle remains one of the most consistent and successful MLS clubs over the past decade.

  • The first leg will be played on Thursday, March 12, 2026 at BC Place in Vancouver.
  • The second leg is scheduled for the following week.

The players

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

A Canadian professional soccer club based in Vancouver, British Columbia, and a member of the Western Conference in Major League Soccer.

Seattle Sounders FC

An American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington, and a member of the Western Conference in Major League Soccer.

Sebastian Berhalter

A midfielder for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

Tate Johnson

A defender for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

Jesper Sørensen

The head coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

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What they’re saying

“It'll be a good challenge, and they're a good team. They have a good history of winning, but we'll be ready.”

— Sebastian Berhalter, Midfielder, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (mlssoccer.com)

“I think now going to BC Place and playing in front of the home crowd, we want to start strong and come out with a good result ... We're excited for the game tomorrow, and we'll be ready.”

— Tate Johnson, Defender, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (mlssoccer.com)

“We don't go in there with the mindset thinking we can't score. You have to score; you can't go into these games going in with a defensive mindset. We want to be a team that's proactive, that wants to have the ball, that can force the opponent to defend as well ... It's collective, it's the whole game, not just one phase or another.”

— Freddy Juarez, Assistant Coach, Seattle Sounders FC (mlssoccer.com)

“I think the biggest thing for me, in this sport, there are momentum switches all the time. I think the thing that they do really well is when they gain momentum, they really get after it, they put teams under pressure.”

— Alex Roldan, Defender, Seattle Sounders FC (mlssoccer.com)

What’s next

The second leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 matchup between Vancouver and Seattle is scheduled for the following week.

The takeaway

This high-profile clash between two of the Western Conference's top teams promises to be an intense and closely contested affair, with the winner earning a spot in the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals and moving one step closer to continental glory.