The USL League Two announced the full divisional makeups across the nation on Tuesday morning with eight teams competing in the Northwest Division.
The seven teams vying to knock Ballard FC off the top spot in the division are all familiar opponents as all seven will be competing in at least the second USL2 season.
With Lane United not competing in 2026, the two oldest teams in the division are Ballard FC and FC Olympia as both teams joined USL2 in 2022.
Since 2022, Ballard FC have made four straight playoff appearances, won three straight NW Division titles, won two Western Conference Championships, and one USL2 National Title. In just four seasons, Ballard FC have established themselves as one of the premier clubs in the entire nation. New Head Coach Mutanda Kwesele will hope to lead the defending division champions to a fourth straight NW Division Title and another deep playoff run in 2026.
FC Olympia has had an up and down four seasons in USL2. Their best season came in 2023 where they made the playoffs after finishing second in the division. They won their first round playoff match before falling to Ballard FC in the Western Conference Semifinal. Last season, Ballard FC and FC Olympia faced off only once and in the season opener. Ballard FC won 3-0 thanks to a goal from Christian Engmann and a brace from Austin Brummett.
As we head closer to Seattle, let’s look at the three teams that joined the division in 2024: Midlakes United, West Seattle Junction FC, and the Tacoma Stars.
Midlakes United are based in Bellevue, WA and play their home matches at Bellevue College. Last season Ballard FC won both meetings, winning 5-0 on the road and then clinching a playoff spot and NW Division Title with a 3-0 win at Interbay Stadium. Ahead of 2026, Midlakes United have announced Ryan Faithfull as their new Head Coach.
West Seattle Junction FC also have a new Head Coach heading into the 2026 season as Bellevue Athletic’s Mike Mata has taken over as the man in charge. Former Ballard FC Assistant Coach, Josh Chasan, has joined Mata’s coaching staff ahead of the summer season. In 2025, Ballard FC only faced off once with the Junction in a match that finished 0-0.
After a great start to life in 2024, the Tacoma Stars have been one of the worst teams in the division for the past 1.5 seasons and will look to rectify that in 2026. In 2024, the Stars managed four points against Ballard FC with a win and a draw. However in 2025 it was a different story as Ballard FC won both meetings, including a club-record 11-0 victory in Tacoma.
Lastly, we have the trio of teams that joined the NW Division last season: Bigfoot FC, Snohomish United, and the Portland Bangers.
Bigfoot FC are based in Maple Valley, WA. The club is owned by West Coast Goalkeeping, a popular soccer brand specializing in goalie gloves. Last season, Ballard FC won both meetings in what were very fierce contests. In the 3-1 Home Opening victory for Ballard FC, both teams received first half red cards while the hosts were powered by a Joe Dale brace. Then a few days later, Ballard FC won 2-1 on the road as Dale struck again with a late winner.
Snohomish United are based in Snohomish, WA and are strongly affiliated with the Crossfire (XF) Premier Academy. In 2025, Snohomish United joined Ballard FC as the playoff representatives from the Northwest Division after finishing second. Ballard FC and Snohomish United met three times last season. The two teams drew 1-1 in Snohomish in a match that had double digit yellow cards. Then, Snohomish United won 2-1 in the regular season finale at Interbay Stadium, as the visitors needed the win to clinch their playoff spot. In the playoffs, Ballard FC got their revenge as they won 2-1 in the Western Conference Semifinal.
The Portland Bangers are the lone Oregon team in the 2026 Northwest Division. Part of the Portland Pickles organization, the Bangers were an instant viral sensation when they announced their team brand and mascot (Saucy, a gigantic hot dog). In 2025, Ballard FC and the Bangers had a heated rivalry as the two clubs began a new chapter in the Seattle v. Portland battle. Ballard FC won 1-0 at Interbay Stadium, while the Bangers won 1-0 in Portland. This year, one of the two rivals will look fully establish supremacy and win the PNW Keg Cup.
After making the national final in 2025, Ballard FC will be favorites to win the NW Division again in 2026, but all seven opponents will be eager to knock off the three-time defending champs.
Written by Max Dresbach
