Ballard FC is an American soccer club based in Seattle, Washington, competing in the Northwest Division of USL League Two. They began play in the 2022 season and won their first league championship in 2023. The team plays their home matches at Interbay Stadium alongside their women's affiliate, Salmon Bay FC. Their temporary home venue for the 2024 season was Memorial Stadium at the Seattle Center.
History
The club was founded in 2021 and is owned by former Seattle Sounders FC player Lamar Neagle, Chris Kaimmer, and Sam Zisette. It is based in the Ballard neighborhood and would play home matches at the Interbay Stadium. The club's largest supporters' group is The Bridge Keepers.
Ballard FC made their league debut on May 21, 2022, defeating Lane United FC 6–1 in front of 1,200 spectators. The team finished second in the USL2 Northwest Division behind Oregon's Capital FC and qualified for the league playoffs. They advanced to the Western Conference Final in Des Moines, Iowa, where Ballard FC lost 2–1 to the eventual league champions Ventura County Fusion. Captain and defender Lesia Thetsane was a finalist for the USL2 Player of the Year Award and was one of 14 players to return for the club's second season in 2023.
Head coach Jason Farrell left the club in July 2023 after they had clinched a playoff berth and was replaced by Ethan O'Neill on an interim basis. Ballard FC secured their first Northwest Division title and hosted several playoff matches at Interbay Stadium. The club advanced to the USL League Two Championship, which they would host at Starfire Sports Stadium in Tukwila, Washington, against Lionsbridge FC on August 5, 2023. Ballard FC won their first championship 2–1 with a goal in stoppage time scored by Cameron Martin in front of a sellout crowd of 3,416. The club are the second from Washington to win the league's championship, after Kitsap Pumas in 2011, and earned qualification to the 2024 U.S. Open Cup.
On March 20, 2024, Ballard FC played their first U.S. Open Cup match at Memorial Stadium, their temporary home during year-long renovations to Interbay Soccer Field. The team lost 1–0 to Spokane Velocity FC, a new USL League One team based in the state. The two teams met again in the first round of the 2025 U.S. Open Cup and played to a scoreless draw in regulation time at Interbay Stadium in front of a record 1,508 spectators. Spokane won 1–0 in extra time.
Stadium
Ballard FC plays their home matches at Interbay Stadium, a 900-seat soccer-specific stadium in the Interbay neighborhood south of Ballard in Seattle, Washington. The stadium was built in 1997 for the Seattle Pacific Falcons collegiate soccer teams and is also used by semi-professional soccer clubs Ballard FC of USL League Two and Salmon Bay FC of the USL W LeagueBallard's sister team Salmon Bay FC. It has a grass pitch and a maximum capacity of 1,200 spectators when including standing areas. In 2023, Ballard FC signed a sponsorship agreement with Pagliacci Pizza, a local chain, to rename the pitch to the Pagliacci Pitch.
The team temporarily moved to Memorial Stadium at the Seattle Center for the 2024 regular season while renovations at Interbay Stadium were made to comply with accessibility requirements, returning to Interbay Stadium for the 2024 playoffs.
In March 2026, the club announced a privately-funded expansion project at Interbay Stadium, adding 267 seats along the southeast touchline ahead of the 2026 season. A future second phase is planned for 2027, contingent upon community support, and would increase capacity by an additional 267 seats while adding the stadium's first covered seating.
Club identity
The club crest, designed by a Ballard-based agency, was released alongside the founding announcement in December 2022. The crest depicts the Ballard Bridge over a sunset.
Ballard FC's primary jersey is cream-colored with red accents; the inaugural 2022–23 home jersey included a sublimated wave pattern derived the Flag of Seattle. The club collaborates with local artists for third jerseys each year, such as Seattle-based muralists Ryan Henry "henry" Ward, dozfy, and Stevie Shao. The 2025 and 2026 third kits in this artist series, created by Sarah Robbins and Victor Meléndez respectively, have been jointly worn by Ballard FC and Salmon Bay FC, with each club's crest applied lenticularly so as to both appear.
Home
Away
Third
Goalkeeper
Players and staff
Technical staff +Technical staff of Ballard FCPositionName Head coach James Riley First assistant coach Mutanda Kwesele Assistant coach Josh Chasan Head of goalkeeping Ben Dragavon Assistant GK coach Sean Rash Head of strength & conditioning Bo Pearson
Roster +Ballard FC rosterPositionNameNumber Defender Christian Engmann 2 Forward Austin Brummett 5 Midfielder Joe Dale 8 Forward Richie Aman 11 Midfielder Ray Mendez 15 Forward Elliot Spatz 17 Defender Isaac Ketcham 20 Midfielder Sean Sent 23 Forward Charlie Holmes 25 Midfielder Rafi Otero 8 Midfielder Andre Philibbosian 26 Midfielder Cameron Cruz 27 Goalkeeper Charlie Lanphier 30 Defender Luke Hammond 33
Year-by-year +Season records for Ballard FCYearDivisionLeagueRegular seasonPlayoffsU.S. Open Cup20224USL League Two2nd, Northwest DivisionConference FinalsDid not enter20234USL League Two1st, Northwest DivisionChampionsDid not qualify20244USL League Two1st, Northwest DivisionConference Quarterfinals1st Round20254USL League Two1st, Northwest DivisionRunners-up1st Round20264USL League Two1st, Northwest DivisionConference Finals4th Qualifying Round
Honors League USL League Two Playoffs Champions (1): 2023 Runners-up (1): 2025 USL League Two Western Conference Champions (2): 2023, 2025 USL League Two Northwest Division Champions (4): 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
Player +Honored players on Ballard FCYearPlayerCountryHonor2022Ian MejiaFWAll-Western Conference TeamLesia ThetsaneDF2023Lesia ThetsaneDFTeam of the YearStas KorzeniowskiFWNorthwest Division Player of the Year2024Christian EngmannDFTeam of the Year2025Abeselom ZemenfesMFWestern Conference Player of the Year
+MLS SuperDraft selections Draft Round Overall Player Team 2024 3 54 Stas Korzeniowski Philadelphia Union 2025 2 58 Demian Alvarez Seattle Sounders FC 2026 1 8 Richie Aman D.C. United 2026 1 17 Zach Ramsey Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2026 2 51 Joe Dale Seattle Sounders FC 2026 3 78 Austin Brummett Houston Dynamo FC 2026 3 81 Stockton Short Seattle Sounders FC
References
External links