Real Salt Lake Opens Home Season Against Seattle Sounders This Weekend

SANDY, Utah (Feb. 28, 2025) — Real Salt Lake kicks off its home portion of the 2025 Major League Soccer season Saturday at 2:30 p.m. MT at America First Field against the Seattle Sounders FC. Tickets are available for the highly anticipated match, which is expected to be a sellout and will also be streaming live via Apple TV+ / MLS Season Pass.

Following a recent stretch where RSL played only six of its last 24 days at home, the team is eager to make a statement in front of its fans against its Western Conference rival. RSL holds a favorable all-time record of 12 wins, 1 loss, and 4 ties against Seattle when playing in Utah, with the Sounders not having secured a regular season win in Utah since 2011.

The upcoming match represents an opportunity for RSL to improve on its previous home opening record of 9 wins, 2 losses, and 9 ties. The club only slipped in its home curtain-raisers against Los Angeles FC in 2018 and Austin FC in 2023. “Every year, we look at the season opener to set the tone for what’s ahead, and playing at home makes it even more special,” said RSL head coach Pablo Mastroeni.

This season’s kickoff follows last weekend’s disappointing 4-0 loss against the San Jose Earthquakes, marking RSL’s heaviest opening day defeat since 2007. “We need to be better, and I trust that we will be,” Mastroeni added, emphasizing the team’s resilience, which has been a trademark during his tenure.

RSL is looking to bounce back from that defeat and reaffirm its strength at home. The team only lost three home games across all competitions last year, finishing with a dominant 12-3-5 record at America First Field. “We’ve worked hard to protect this fortress,” Mastroeni said. “It’s important to turn things around right away.”

In addition to its current efforts in the MLS, RSL is also focused on advancing in the ongoing 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup, where the team fell to Costa Rican sides CS Herediano on Wednesday. RSL was eliminated in the first leg of the series last week after a goalless draw, needing a win at home to proceed further.

One of Mastroeni’s key approaches has been enhancing the team’s performance each year, with an annual improvement in point totals noted across the last three seasons. RSL’s point total escalated from 47 in 2022 to 59 in 2024, aiming for a fifth consecutive postseason appearance in the upcoming campaign.

“This is a new year, and we have to ensure that we capitalize on each opportunity,” Mastroeni remarked, referring to RSL’s ambition to maintain its competitive edge in the league. “We have a strong roster, and we need to leverage that.”

With a significant turnout anticipated from the local fanbase, RSL is prepared to make its home opener an event to remember. The match against Seattle will not only mark the start of the 2025 home schedule but also a test of the team’s character and goals for the season.