With just over two weeks from Ballard FC’s season opener against FC Olympia, it’s time to preview the season, the opponents, expectations, a new head coach, and more.
A New Era
The 2026 season opener will be the first time since the 2023 National Final where Ballard FC will play a USL League Two match without James Riley as head coach. Following Riley’s departure at the end of the 2025 season, Mutanda Kwesele has taken over as Head Coach and will make his regular season head coaching debut on Friday, May 15th.
Kwesele served as Coach Riley’s lead Assistant Coach on both the 2024 and 2025 seasons, playing a crucial role in two straight NW Division Titles and last season’s run to the National Final.
There is a lot of excitement around Kwesele as head coach with 2025 Ballard FC co-captain, Joe Dale, saying that “Coach Mutanda was such an integral figure in our championship run last year. His insight continued to push us forward in key moments throughout the season. We all have tremendous respect for Mutanda and he earned that respect through his knowledge and personal connections with the players. Seeing him step into the Head Coach role feels like a natural next step, and I’m excited to watch him lead Ballard FC into this next chapter.”
In addition to his coaching role with the Ballard FC first-team, Mutanda has been very involved with the Bridges United Foundation, amplifying the club’s social impact and helping increase access to high-quality soccer training for youth all around Seattle. Kwesele served as one of the foundation’s Youth Program Managers and led programs throughout the summer and offseason.
Kwesele made his Ballard FC head coaching debut in the fall as part of U.S. Open Cup Qualifying, fielding a different roster made up of entirely non-college players. A few of these players, such as Omar Grey, will be part of Ballard FC’s 2026 USL 2 roster, but the majority of the roster will be comprised of players who competed with their respective college programs during the fall.
Unfinished Business
After falling just short of their ultimate goal in 2025, Ballard FC is looking to finish the job this summer. Last season, Ballard FC made their second National Final in three seasons after winning the NW Division and winning four straight playoff matches at Interbay Stadium. Then the club flew across to Burlington, Vermont to take on Vermont Green FC for the National Title. A 90th minute goal from the Green’s Maxi Kissel would ultimately be the difference as Vermont won their first USL 2 Championship and Ballard FC flew back to Seattle with a bitter taste left in their mouth.
This year, the club looks to exorcise those demons by making it back to another National Final, and this time coming out on top. To do so, Ballard FC will need to dominate the Northwest region once again and peak as they head into the postseason. As the club looks to win a fourth straight division title, let’s take a look at the 2026 USL 2 NW Division.
Divisional Makeup
The 2026 USL 2 NW Division is made up of eight teams across Washington and Oregon. With Lane United no longer in the league, each team will play each other exactly twice, once at home and once on the road.
Ballard FC and FC Olympia are now the two oldest teams in the division, with both clubs joining USL 2 in 2022. Last season, Ballard FC and Snohomish United were the two playoff representatives from the division and are favorites to compete for the division crown again in 2026. But the league’s lone Oregon representative, the Portland Bangers, will look to make some noise and shift the power structure this summer. Read the full NW Division Preview.
Stadium Updates
Ahead of the 2026 season, Ballard FC fans will get an upgraded experience at Interbay Stadium.
At this moment, the Interbay Stadium expansion is underway as a new 267 bleacher seats are being built on the southeast section of the stadium next to the home bench.
In addition to expanded seating options, the club has secured a expanded liquor license to allow alcohol to be taken out of the beer garden and back to the stands. Take a look at the updated stadium maps below to check out the new updates.
Roster Makeup
As mentioned previously, the roster is made up primarily collegiate players. 17 players from the 2025 Ballard FC roster are returning in 2026 as they look to make it back to another National Final. The returners are headlined by 2025 co-captains Christian Engmann and Luke Hammond, NCAA National Champions like Harrison Bertos and Cameron Cruz, and MLS SuperDraft picks like Zach Ramsey and Stockton Short.
There is a ton of talent amongst the new players as well, including duos from Penn, Portland, North Carolina, and Seattle University, with a few more additions still to be announced in the coming weeks. The roster looks set for another deep playoff run, this time under Coach Kwesele.
Get Tickets
With the season just around the corner, it’s time to secure your seats. Learn more about all of the different ticket options, and purchase yours below.
Written by Max Dresbach
