Match Forecast: Reign FC Returns to Lumen Field to Take on Portland Thorns FC
The coldest rivalry in the league takes center stage this weekend.
Seattle Reign FC returns home to Lumen Field for a classic Cascadia clash against Portland Thorns FC on Sunday, July 12. Just the fourth Reign match this season to take place in Seattle, the team will be looking to get back in the win column backed by a boisterous home crowd.
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 1:00 p.m. PT at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington.
WHERE TO WATCH: Fans can tune in to the match on ESPN. Full tune in information can be found here.
2026 NWSL REGULAR SEASON RECORDS AND STANDINGS (W-L-D): Seattle Reign FC: 4-6-2 (14 points, 11th place), Portland Thorns FC: 8-3-3 (27 points, 2nd place)
KEY INFO AHEAD OF THE MATCH
LAST MEETING
The Reign and Thorns met earlier this season in a dramatic match with two red cards, two debuts and two goals. Holly Ward and Sofia Cedeño both made their NWSL debuts as second-half substitutes in the Reign’s 2-0 loss. Cassandra Bogere and Reyna Reyes were both sent off for Portland, but first half goals from Pietra Tordin and Reilyn Turner decided the match.
The upcoming clash marks the 45th all-time meeting between the Reign and Thorns since the 2013 NWSL season. The Thorns are the Reign’s most common opponent, and currently the head-to-head series sits at 16 wins, 18 losses and 10 draws for the Reign.
SCOUTING PORTLAND
In second place with 27 points from 14 matches, the Thorns had a strong showing against Racing Louisville, downing the Kentucky-based team 4-0. Jayden Perry got the scoring started in the 13th minute and added two more goals before the first half was over, courtesy of Pietra Tordin and Reilyn Turner.
In the second half, Louisville came out on the front foot, but Portland scored the lone goal of the half from the foot of Sophia Wilson to bring the final score to 4-0.
RIVALRY VIBES
This Sunday marks the 45th edition of the Cascadia Rivalry and there’s much to look forward to. In recent history, the Reign has held it down at Lumen Field when playing Portland. The most recent meeting between the teams under Lumen’s arches was a 1-0 win for the Reign, featuring Maddie Dahlien’s first professional goal. Prior to that meeting, Lumen played host to two back-to-back scoreless draws.
A rivalry like no other, even a scoreless match packs the excitement. Perhaps the most iconic Reign vs. Thorns match at Lumen Field was played before the stadium was home to the Reign, as the team had an exclusive doubleheader with Sounders FC in 2021. The match featured a Megan Rapinoe brace en route to a 2-1 victory in front of 27,278 fans.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
For the Reign, midfielder Sally Menti provided the lone goal of the match in the Reign’s 3-1 loss over the weekend, displaying her full quality in the middle of the pitch. The Seattle native finished with three shots, a single-match career high.
Maddie Dahlien is another player to watch in the attack, as she previously scored her first career goal against the Thorns and recorded the most shots of any Reign player last Saturday against North Carolina (4).
Portland had their full attacking prowess on display against Louisville and have posted a strong attack all season long, recording 24 goals this season. Wilson headlines the team with six goals, followed by Turner and Moultrie with five apiece.