SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC v. QUERETARO FC - 2026 LEAGUES CUP - PHASE ONE - ROYAL BROUGHAM PARK, OCCIDENTAL AVENUE, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Greetings to my brothers and sisters in Green. Los Albiazules visit The Evergreen to face our beloved Sounders FC in a Leagues Cup tie. And so it goes.

What: Leagues Cup phase one tie, Seattle Sounders FC v. Queretaro FC.

Where: Royal Brougham Park, Occidental Avenue, Seattle, Washington.

When: 12:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, Sunday 9 August 2026 CE.

At Stake: A bent-up tin pot, likely a boatload of cash, a chance to stop the bleeding of a seven-match losing streak, and a chance to suffer yet more injury to our squad in a tournament that is not sanctioned by either CONCACAF or FIFA and is therefore completely optional.

Where to Watch: Apple TV. Last season there was no support for local radio simulcast for the home side during Leagues Cup, so I expect that will not have changed. I’ll still check though, as I’ve never heard of Blake Price and Paul Dolan, and I’m fairly certain they have nothing to do with our city or club. No disrespect intended.

Where to Listen: El Rey 1360 AM. If KJR is also broadcasting the match, I don’t know anything about it.

A professional writer at a loss for words. Someone take a photograph.

Seven losses in a row. No way to talk around that, so there you have it.

All that said, Queretaro is no Toluca. The Dallas pumped them for two goals, and we beat the Dallas when we last met. In a world where things make sense, that’s us in with a shout on Sunday afternoon. However, we live in 2026, so that’s may all be out the window, I’d expect.

Regardless of all of the above, the lads need our support. We don’t abandon them when shit turns pear-shaped. If there’s a winnable match for us in phase one, this is bloody well it.

Our squad players are good enough. I don’t think that’s the problem. It’s just that our club has been neglected to the point where over-reliance on 12-14 players is finally taking it’s toll in attrition. The failure to replace some of the high-level talent that has left the club or been sold over the years is also starting to show.

Stefan Frei did yeoman’s work between the sticks last time out. A masterful performance, shadowed by our outfield players getting absolutely dominated by Toluca. I mean, say what you like, but that’s just objectively true.

None of this matters as far as Sunday is concerned. Each time it’s a new kick-off, a new chance to break out and play to our potential.

You know what to do, Emerald Citeh. Gather up all your mates and get ye to the ground. Be as loud as humanly possible. Chant, yell, and sing for the full 90 regardless of what the scoreboard says, or what people in the press, including me, write. Do it because these are our lads, they represent us, and we back ours whether they succeed or fail, because we would expect the same in return. Also, probably a good idea to go heavy on the sunscreen. The match will be during the hottest part of the day, our stadium doesn’t have overhangs to shelter fans from the sun or rain, and Climate Crisis never takes a holiday.

If it’s not possible for you to get to the match, or you just don’t feel like lining the pockets of MLS and Liga MX, we will sit with our mates and follow on the telly, throwing every bit of psychic energy not required for life in the hopes of sustaining our Boys in Green. That’s certainly what I’m going to do, lager in hand. Pubs and dwellings for stories and tellings. Houses and flats for pints and cats. And sometimes, Boats and ships for pie and chips.

I hate to inform the Queretaro, but the energy and spirits of auld grandmothers and grandfathers are in the trees here. There is magic in the sky, the mountains, and in the waters. This is The Evergreen. Welcome to Green Hell.

It’s Leagues Cup football, such as it is, under the midday sun at Royal Brougham Park. GO ON YOU SOUNDERS!!! GET IN!!!

Before kick-off, please join me in the auld toast: “TO THE SEATTLE SOUNDERS FOOTBALL CLUB…AND VICTORY!!!”

Football is a funny auld game. Markedly less funny when all your opponents are kicking ye

whilst you’re lying on the ground.

The Good News

The aggregate estimated transfer value for the Queretaro squad is less than half of what ours is. They also don’t seem to have any players that are currently first choice for their countries. This opposed to Toluca, who had both more highly rated squad players and a handful of players who represent Mexico at senior level. If there were a game that we should be winning in this tournament, this is the one.

The Gaffer was quoted in a Saturday press conference as saying De la Vega and Kim would be available for selection. It’s good that we’re starting to get some players back from injury.

The Bad News

Gomez Andrade, Arriola, Cristian, and Morris still injured. Although it’s not the firm cause of our woes in my estimation, it does make matters harder.

Sounders home record this season suggests that we’re likely to win Sunday afternoon. Recent form, however, does not support this prediction. Over the last seven matches we have scored less than a goal per match (0.43) which includes being shut out four times. Although we usually excel in defence, we are currently bleeding the better part of three goals per match (2.43). It is extremely unlikely to get a positive result with these numbers. Something has to change, and I don’t think this is the cause of injuries alone.

Under our current management, we have a tendency to play players out of position. The quickest examples that come to mind are that Morris is not a centre-forward and should play on the left if possible or the right side if not, and that Ferreira is far more valuable in the centre of the park rather than playing at right-forward.

We also have a tendency to be over-reliant on too small a group of players. This increases the chances of injury for our older veterans and makes it difficult to develop the rest of the squad to lessen the impacts of injuries as the season goes on. The situation we’re in now is several years in the making in terms of players logging way more minutes than they should be.

A number of other MLS clubs have added impact players: Orlando got Griezmann, LAFC got HM Son, Chicago got Lewandowski, Austin got Facundo Torres, Cincinnati got Denkey, Houston got Bogusz, LA got Lozano, and before that Puig, Paintsil, and Marco Reus, Miami got Messi, De Paul, and Casemiro, Red Donkeys got Cade Cowell and Horvath, San Jose got Timo Werner, and Toronto got Josh Sargent. I don’t recall Sounders adding an impact guy since Raul Ruidiaz was acquired in 2018. You can make an argument for De la Vega, although he hasn’t been consistently fit enough to determine if that was a sensible investment one way or the other.

We are not managing our players well. Our tactics are stale and predictable. Our outfield players cannot attack space that does not exist. And our ownership will not invest in impact players. There needs to be accountability for this. That said, given those in charge right now, I’m not exactly holding my breath.

The Side I Would Select

I’d have this lot, if healthy.

Rationale:

Goalkeeping - Frei was all-world against Toluca, and stopped 15 of 18 shots on goal, preventing what might have been the most lopsided defeat in club history.

Defence - It’s pretty clear this tournament is going to be a straight wash. Let’s give the likely overworked preferential and overly-relied upon first choice players time to heal and rest up for the rest of the MLS championship and MLS Cup should we actually manage to qualify for it. That way we can “clear the path” (Schmetzer’s words, not mine, although he said those words referring to US Open Cup in the recent past so how would it not apply now?) back to domestic competition.

Midfield - Brunell and Gomez can hold, and have done so many times in the Reserve team. At the #10 Rusnak is not making a difference and could use a rest. To be fair to Albert, it’s not like I see his teammates doing a tonne of running to get open for passes or running wide to make space and properly using the width of the pitch. Others are waiting. Enter Ferreira.

Forward - Bronnik has nine goals for the reserves, which is over twice the amount of all the Sounders FC centre-forwards combined. Rothrock always gives us a chance to score and has hit five goals in the league to lead the club, and two in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, for a total of 7 goals in all competitions. Carli has hit four goals this season for the reserves and it makes sense to have someone else on the right rather than Ferreira who I believe to be much more effective in the centre of the park.

GK     Frei

LB     Kingston

LCH    Sandnes

RCH    Lopez

RB     Gaffney

LDM   Gomez

RDM   Brunell

LF     Rothrock

CAM   Ferreira

RF     Carli

CF     Bronnik

The Side I Think The Gaffer Will Select

You can expect these with a fair amount of certainty, fitness permitting. If you saw Musovski in the team this time out, it wouldna be a shock though.

GK     Frei

LB     Nouhou

RCH    Ragen

LCH    Kim

RB     Alex

LDM   Kingston

RDM   Brunell

LF     Rothrock

CAM   Rusnak

RF     Ferreira

CF     De Rosario

Intangibles

SEA 2026 season transfer fees paid: €0

QRO 2026 season transfer fees paid: €3.5M

SEA 2026 season squad aggregate estimated transfer value: €44.13M

QRO 2026 season squad aggregate estimated transfer value: €20.7M

Everything’s a bloody intangible as there’s damn near no information to go on for referee assignments or injury notifications. Nice gate-keeping there, Leagues Cup.

General notes on personnel

Queretaro transfers IN:

Enzo Gimenez (Rosario Central) undisclosed

Santiago Homenchenko (Pachuca) €3.5M

Paulo Victor (Santa Clara) undisclosed

Queretaro transfers OUT:

Michael Carcelen (Aucas) undisclosed

Johjan Julio (Atlante) free

Comparison against common opponents

TIG 2:0 SEA CCC

SEA 3:1 TIG CCC

QRO 3:2 TIG         MX

(against TIG: SEA 1-0-1 0, QRO 1-0-0 +1) marginal edge QRO

SEA 2:1 DAL        MLS

DAL 2:0 QRO       LC

(against DAL: SEA 1-0-0 +1, QRO 0-0-1 -2) decisive edge SEA

Know Thine Enemy

Queretaro as they lined up against the Dallas in their 0:2 defeat at Miller Road, oddly the football ground of the FC Dallas Reserves, on 5 August.

GOALKEEPER

Guillermo Alison, 35

Mexico

Notable Clubs: Cruz Azul (16/0), Cancun (29/0), Celaya (82/0), Queretaro (76/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €125,000

Notes: Full name: Guillermo Alison Revuelta. Developed by Cruz Azul. Won a Copa MX, Supercopa MX, and a Leagues Cup with Cruz Azul.

DEFENCE

Daniel Parra, 27

Mexico

Notable Clubs: Monterrey (21/1), Necaxa (5/0), Morelia (48/6), Hamilton Forge FC (24/2), Queretaro (17/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €800,000

Notes: Full name: Daniel Alexis Parra Duran. Won a CONCACAF Champions League with Monterrey.

Lucas Abascia, 30

Argentina

Notable Clubs: Moron (52/2), Nublense (17/1), Quilmes (12/0), Central Cordoba (43/1), Queretaro (20/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1.5M

Notes: Developed by Bancario and Rosario Central. Won a Copa Argentina with Central Cordoba.

Diego Reyes, 33

Mexico (65/2)

Notable Clubs: Club America (83/3), Porto (20/2), Real Sociedad (27/2), Espanyol (34/1), Fenerbahce (8/0), Leganes (6/0), Tigres UANL (136/6), Queretaro (28/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €650,000

Notes: Full name: Diego Antonio Reyes Rosales. Developed by Club America. Won a Liga MX title with Club America. Won a Primeira Liga title with Porto. Won a Liga MX title, Campeon de Campeones, CONCACAF Champions League 2020, and a Campeones Cup with Tigres UANL. Won 2x CONCACAF Gold Cup and a CONCACAF Cup with Mexico. Named Primera Division Rookie of the Tournament for Clausura 2011.

Bayron Duarte, 23

Colombia

Notable Clubs: Bucaramanga (31/0), Queretaro (14/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €400,000

Notes: Won a Colombian Primera A title with Bucaramanga.

MIDFIELD

Santiago Homenchenko, 22

Uruguay

Notable Clubs: Penarol (25/0), Oviedo (5/0), Pachuca (13/1), Queretaro (32/7)

Estimated Transfer Value: €3M

Notes: Full name: Santiago Damian Homenchenko Bianchi. Developed by Con Los Mismos Colores, Penarol, Danubio, and Plaza Colonia. Won a U-20 Copa Libertadores with Penarol U-20s. Won a FIFA U-20 World Cup with Uruguay U-20s. Played for Uruguay (19/2) at youth levels.

Mono Martinez, 16

Mexico

Notable Clubs: Queretaro (4/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: not listed

Notes: Full name: Juan Carlos Martinez. Played for Mexico (4/1) at youth levels.

Carlo Garcia, 25

Spain

Notable Clubs: Villarreal (1/0), Mirandes (9/0), Queretaro (28/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1M

Notes: Full name: Carlo Adriano Garcia Prades. Developed by Benicasim and Villarreal.

FORWARD

Paulo Victor, 25

Brazil

Notable Clubs: Botafogo (17/0), Internacional (27/0), Vasco da Gama (14/0), Ceara (27/0), Farense (24/0), Santa Clara (19/1), Queretaro (4/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €800,000

Notes: Full name: Paulo Victor de Almeida Barbosa. Developed by Nova Iguacu and Botafogo.

Ali Avila, 22

Mexico

Notable Clubs: Monterrey (6/0), UNAM Pumas (23/3), Queretaro (29/14)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2.5M

Notes: Full name: Ali Avila Vega. Developed by Monterrey. Played for Mexico (23/4) at youth levels.

Enzo Gimenez, 28

Paraguay

Notable Clubs: Cerro Porteno (148/10), Rosario Central (41/3), Queretaro (4/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2.5M

Notes: Full name: Enzo Daniel Gimenez Rojas. Developed by General Diaz. Won 2x Paraguayan Primera Division titles with Cerro Porteno. Won an Argentine Primera Division title with Rosario Central.

Familiar Faces

None.

Squads

Sounders FC from:

Frei, Thomas, Anchor, Shour*, Hawkins, Kim, Kossa-Rienzi, Lopez, Nouhou, O’Neill*, Ragen, Alex, Sailor, Sandnes*, Brunell, Carli*, Dotson, Gaffney*, Gomez, Kingston, Rusnak, Bronnik*, De la Vega, De Rosario, Ferreira, Musovski, Rothrock.

*indicates players that are either contracted to the Sounders FC Reserves or Sounders FC Academy scholars that have played matches for the Sounders FC Reserves.

Queretaro from:

Jose Hernandez, Allison, Abascia, Carlo Garcia, Homenchenko, Bernardo Parra, Avila, Mateo Coronel, Paulo Victor, Diego Reyes, Lopez, Gimenez, Duenas, Alcala, Unjanque, Robles, Duarte, Eduardo Reyes, Daniel Parra, Camacho, Quezada, Martinez, Torres, Dario Hernandez, Santillan, Brothers, Zaragoza.

Note: Spanish and Portuguese language naming customs involve the first name, middle name, maternal last name, paternal last name, and sometimes also confirmation name. Soooo, that’s a lot when you’re tryna keep tabs. Also, players sometimes go by first and last name or first and fourth name, or second and third name, or in some cases, just a single name or nickname, etc. etc. Straight up, it’s a big fat mess. At one point I gave up and just started putting the last name listed for each player. My first thought is ‘sort yourselves oot’, but my second thought is it’s just a system I am unaccustomed to, and that such differences are just fine, just a bit of a mess to keep track of. Although…a third thought: Maybe it’s by design. Some bloke comes into town saying ‘I’m looking for Juan Hernandez.’ and a townsperson can honestly and legitimately answer ‘Which Juan Hernandez?’. I am Charles Andrew Brigid Tyte Therrell, a/k/a Carlito, a/k/a DISK DOKTOR, a/k/a The Diabolical One, a/k/a Black Charlie, a/k/a Cathal Aindrea, a/k/a Searlas, a/k/a Charles, and I approved this message.

Injury List

(best guess from old info + dash of new info from a generally unreliable narrator)

Sounders FC -

OUT: Arriola (unknown), Gomez Andrade (calf), Cristian (quadriceps), Morris (quadriceps), Petkovic (knee).

MATCHDAY DECISION: Dotson (hamstring).

Queretaro -

OUT: No information available.

MATCHDAY DECISION: No information available.

Discipline

(from actually counting bookings myself)

Sounders FC: No players suspended. No players booked.

Queretaro: No players suspended. Abascia, Diego Reyes, and Avila are all carrying bookings from their first match against FC Dallas. What that means, I have no idea. Disciplinary formats seem to change with each tournament, because there are no longer any binding standards governing anything. Much like many of the people in my flat complex who can’t be bothered to close a gate after they’ve gone through it. Then again, the match summary that listed the above bookings was created with AI, then posted by the Leagues Cup folks, so in theory, it could all be complete rubbish.

Fun Fact

Sounders FC Reserves will have played their MLS Next Pro league match at FC Dallas Reserves hours before this article is posted. So, good luck to our lads on the road, and I hope their four-match winning streak continues at Miller Road tonight. So proud of you lads and the coaching staff, including Manager Paulo Nagamura and coach Joao Paulo.