The Vancouver Whitecaps and Seattle Sounders have historically had one of the best rivalries in MLS. Now the two clubs will test each other on the international stage when they face off in the round of 16 of the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup.
The Whitecaps will host the first leg of this Cascadia Derby on March 12 at BC Place before travelling for the decisive return match on March 18. Due to renovations at Lumen Field, which the Sounders share with the Super Bowl champion Seahawks, the second leg will be staged at Spokane's One Spokane Stadium.
Here’s what you need to know about Vancouver’s round-of-16 series vs. Seattle Sounders in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
What is the Concacaf Champions Cup?
The Champions Cup is an annual tournament that brings together the best clubs from across Concacaf, which is the soccer region covering North and Central America, and the Caribbean.
Essentially, it’s the North American equivalent of the UEFA Champions League. In fact, the competition was formerly known as the Concacaf Champions League from 2008-23 before reverting to its original name of the Champions Cup, which was first played in 1962.
In addition to being crowned the best team in Concacaf, the winner of this year’s tournament also qualifies for the 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
How does the Champions Cup work?
This year’s tournament consists of five rounds featuring 27 clubs from all over the Concacaf region.
Five teams were granted first-round byes and automatic berths into the round of 16: Inter Miami (2025 MLS Cup champions), Seattle Sounders (2025 Leagues Cup champions), Deportivo Toluca F.C. (Mexico’s Liga MX champions), Costa Rica’s Liga Deportiva Alajuelense (2025 Central American Cup champions) and Jamaica’s Mount Pleasant (2025 Caribbean Cup champions).
The remaining 22 teams were paired off, and the 11 winners in each of the first-round series advanced. The round of 16 is from March 10-19, followed by the quarterfinals (April 7-16), semifinals (April 28-May 7) — all of which are two-legged, home-and-away series. The one-game final will take place on May 30 and will be hosted by the highest seed.
Whitecaps get past C.S. Cartaginés in 1st round
Vancouver booked its spot in the round of 16 after defeating C.S. Cartaginés of Costa Rica in the first round last month.
The two teams played to a 0-0 draw in the first leg before the Whitecaps rolled to a comfortable 2-0 win in the return match at BC Place, courtesy of goals from Kenji Cabrera and Sebastian Berhalter.
The winner of the Vancouver-Seattle series advances to the quarterfinals, where it will face the winner of the round of 16 between FC Cincinnati of MLS and Mexican club Tigres.
Vancouver is riding a hot streak
The Whitecaps have been in sensational form so far in 2026, going unbeaten in five games in all competitions with four victories.
Aside from a win and a draw against C.S. Cartaginés, Vancouver has reeled off three consecutive victories to start its MLS season. The Whitecaps began their domestic campaign with shutouts at home over Real Salt Lake (1-0) and Toronto FC (3-0) before posting a 4-1 decision away to the Portland Timbers last weekend.
Vancouver defender Tristan Blackmon scored the game-winner against Portland and also registered eight defensive clearances, while midfielder Sebastian Berhalter had a goal and an assist.
Whitecaps’ quest for international glory continues
Vancouver’s hot start to 2026 shouldn’t come as a major surprise, considering the sensational campaign it enjoyed a year ago.
The Whitecaps won a fifth Canadian Championship (its fourth in a row) and finished fifth in the overall MLS regular season table with a club record 63 points. Danish manager Jesper Sørensen also led Vancouver to two finals in his first year in charge, as the Whitecaps lost to Inter Miami (3-1) in the MLS Cup and to Mexico’s Cruz Azul (5-0) in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
Even with the off-season exits of Canadian internationals Ali Ahmed (sold to Norwich City) and Jayden Nelson (traded to Austin FC), the core of last year’s Whitecaps squad largely remains in place – including top scorer Brian White (who has a career-high 16 MLS goals), Tristan Blackmon (last year’s MLS defender of the year) and U.S. international Sebastian Berhalter (regarded as one of the best midfielders in the league).
The Whitecaps have the quality and depth to go far in this year’s tournament. Could last year’s experience put them over the top and see them win it all? Time will tell.
Sounders enter the fray in the round of 16
The Seattle Sounders were given a first-round bye and direct entry into the round of 16 by virtue of winning the 2025 Leagues Cup.
Seattle won this competition in 2022 when it was still known as the Concacaf Champions League. But it failed to qualify in each of the next two years and then bowed out in the round of 16 in 2025 when it lost 4-1 on aggregate to Mexico’s Cruz Azul, who went on to win the tournament.
Led by veteran captain Cristian Roldan, the Sounders enter this midweek game against the Whitecaps on the back of a 1-0 road win over St. Louis City SC in MLS action last weekend. It was the second clean sheet win for Seattle through their opening three matches of the campaign.
This is the fifth time that Seattle has reached the round of 16, having previously come out on top when they beat Santa Tecla FC of El Salvador in 2018 and FC Motagua of Honduras in 2022.
A rematch 10 years in the making
This won’t be the first time that Vancouver and Seattle have met in a Concacaf competition.
These teams squared off in the group stage of the 2015-16 Concacaf Champions League, having played to a 1-1 draw at BC Place before the Sounders earned a 3-0 home win.
Tim Parker scored for the Whitecaps in the first leg, while Lamar Neagle replied for the Sounders. Seattle then ran roughshod in the return leg thanks to a brace from Neagle and a goal from Chad Barrett.
Player to watch for Vancouver
It’s difficult to look past Thomas Müller, the German icon who brought global attention to MLS last August when he signed with Vancouver as a free agent. The Bayern Munich legend hit the ground running for Vancouver by scoring nine goals in 13 games across all competitions in 2025 and has followed that up with another two goals in five appearances this year.
Player to watch for Seattle
Danny Musovski had a breakout MLS campaign for the Sounders in 2025 by scoring a career-high 14 goals in 31 games. He’s only made three appearances off the bench so far this year, but Seattle clearly thinks highly enough of him to have signed him to a contract extension earlier this week.
John Molinaro is one of the leading soccer journalists in Canada, having covered the game for over 27 years for several media outlets, including Sportsnet, CBC Sports and Sun Media. He is currently the editor-in-chief of TFC Republic, a website dedicated to in-depth coverage of Toronto FC and Canadian soccer. TFC Republic can be found here.
