Washington State
Legends of Soccer

Curated by the Washington State Legends of Soccer, providing information and history of the Beautiful Game in Washington State. Just as the game evolves, so will this site. We continuously add new content, so be sure to return often.

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Explore our history. Click on any of the panels below to learn what happened that year.
Husky Stadium Among World Cup Proposed Sites
September 30, 1987

The U.S. Soccer Federation proposes 18 potential sites, including Seattle's Husky Stadium, in its bid to stage the 1994 World Cup. A maximum of only 12 stadiums will be used. Brazil, Chile and Morocco are also expected to submit bids to FIFA, which will then conduct on-sight inspections and private hearings on each before announcing its decision in June 1988.

Sounders Born Again
March 1, 1994

Seattle officially joins the American Professional Soccer League, otherwise known as the A-League, and takes the name of the former NASL club, the Sounders. Fellow expansion clubs Houston and Toronto bring the league to eight franchises. Colorado, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Montreal and Vancouver are existing members of the APSL, a Division II league which originally included FC Seattle. Houston's franchise is terminated for financial reasons after just two matches.

Dempsey Becomes Milestone Signing
August 3, 2013

In the club's biggest signing to date, Clint Dempsey, captain and star of the U.S. National Team, comes home to America to sign for Sounders FC. Dempsey, 30, returns from England after a U.S.-record 57 goals with Fulham and Tottenham of the Premiership. His 35 goals for the USMNT ranks No. 2 all-time. Majority owner Joe Roth introduces Deuce to the crowd before a 3-0 win over Dallas, and he debuts a week later at Toronto.

No. 4 PLU Upsets No. 1 Western
October 3, 1987

Pacific Lutheran effectively usurps Western Washington atop NAIA women with a 1-0 upset in Bellingham. Sonya Brandt's goal with 15 minutes remaining proves the difference while Gail Stenzel saves 13 Vikings shots for her sixth straight shutout. WWU keeper Trina Angehrn bats down Emilie Portell's cross, but Brandt is there to put away the loose ball. The following week, PLU replaces Western at No. 1 in the national rankings.

Peterson Scores USA Winner
May 16, 1985

Mark Peterson scores the winner with just 1:40 remaining as the U.S. National Team opens the next stage of World Cup qualifying by beating Trinidad & Tobago, 2-1, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Peterson, out of contract with the Tacoma Stars and out of the national team for 20 months, gets the close-range winner on a feed from Erhardt Capp. Peterson's youth teammate from Tacoma's Norpoint Royals, Jeff Durgan, also starts. Neither plays when the U.S. is eliminated May 31 by Costa Rica.

UW Women Gathering Momentum
November 3, 1996

Katey Ward's overtime goal put Washington ahead of Oregon State for good in a 3-1 road win at Corvallis. It's the eighth win in 10 games for the resurgent Huskies, who started 3-4-0. It completes a UW road sweep. Erin Pochman and Jana Wilson scored the game-winner in the first-ever meeting with Oregon two days earlier.

Michelle Akers and the U.S. on the victory stand at the Olympic Games. (Courtesy Michelle Akers)
1996
Boeing Airplane Co., founded in Seattle in 1916, soon formed its own state league side, this in 1922. (Courtesy Boeing/Mike Pavone Collection)
1949
Seattle's Mike England and the Cosmos' Giorgio Chinaglia do battle in the air at Giants Stadium as Bobby Moore looks on. (Courtesy NASL Jerseys)
1978
One of the first published encounters was a Christmas Day 1890 encounter between Tacoma AFC and Portland. (Courtesy Seattle Times)
1919
Thor Ronning, an attacking force for the Vikings, was unable to score and stop Buchan Bakers from winning their first state league title. (Courtesy Seattle Times)
1953
George P.
1950
Marcus Hahnemann was loaned by Fulham to England's Rochdale in 2001, and they nearly made the promotion playoffs. (Courtesy Marcus Hahnemann)
2001
In 2025, former UW and Reign star Kate Deines Kreiger guided Mount Si to its first state 4A girls championship. (Jay Peters)
2025
The final, final standings for the Western Washington Soccer Conference.
1971
(Courtesy Western Washington archives)
1970