Mutanda Kwesele Named Ballard FC’s Next Head Coach

After two years on former Head Coach James Riley’s staff, Mutanda Kwesele is now Ballard FC Head Coach. Kwesele will start his head coaching duties this fall with Open Cup Qualifying before the USL League Two season begins in the spring of 2026.

In 2024, Kwesele served as the First Assistant Coach for Ballard FC and played an invaluable role in the club’s second straight Northwest Division Title. That season was one of immense change with a new coaching staff, new stadium, and new additions to the roster, but Kwesele still managed to shine as a connector between the staff and players, helping raise team chemistry and morale throughout the summer.

After a great 2024 season, Kwesele was promoted to Associate Head Coach ahead of the 2025 season. Kwesele would go on to play an even larger role with the club in 2025 as the club won its second Western Conference Championship, a third straight division title, and made it all the way to the USL 2 National Final.

Now following the departure of Coach Riley, Kwesele is taking another big step with Ballard FC as he becomes the club’s next Head Coach ahead of the 2026 season.

When asked about the new role, Kwesele responded, “First, a huge thank you to coach James Riley for bringing me on board initially and for all his work the past two seasons. The level of passion and commitment that he constantly displayed in order to push players to be the best version of themselves has been incredible to witness. His achievements on the field speak for themselves, and his character as a person is next level and truly inspiring. Moving forward, we continue to have amazing people working in all departments at Ballard FC, a wonderful connection to our amazing fans, and fantastic players, so it’s an honor to lead this club as Head Coach. The opportunity to work with some of the most talented players in the region and share the joy of football with them is such a privilege and I don’t take it for granted. I’m excited to be on this journey with everyone at the club.”

The excitement is echoed by the front office which can’t wait to see what the Kwesele era will bring.

“Coach Mutanda has already had such a positive impact on the club, both on and off the pitch.” said club Co-Founder and President, Sam Zisette. “His tactical understanding of the game, his professionalism, and his ability to connect with players on an individual level make him perfectly suited for this role. Mutanda has long been deserving of a head coaching position and we are incredibly confident that he is the right person to take us forward.”

Kwesele has inspired confidence in the whole Ballard FC organization, and especially with his former boss. When discussing the Head Coach appointment, former Head Coach James Riley remarked, “I have the utmost faith in Mutanda and know he will do an outstanding job leading this club forward.”

The players have shared a similar sentiment. “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,” said 2025 Ballard FC co-captain, Joe Dale. “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.

“Mutanda stepped up last year to support our foundation, helping lead our work in the community as a Youth Program Manager. He cares deeply about our community-oriented mission and I’m thrilled he’ll now be leading the Ballard FC first team as well,” stated Camden Francis, Executive Director of the Bridges United Foundation. “It’s a perfect fit for his skillset and passion to use soccer as a tool for progress.”

When discussing his work with the Bridges United Foundation, Kwesele said, “This sport is first and foremost about building community and spreading joy. Along with that is a developmental component to help young people become better at navigating the demands of the game and, by extension, the demands of life. In that sense, the work that Bridges United does is very important in order to provide accessible and quality programming to more kids throughout the greater Seattle area. We have a lot of work to do as a society, to close certain gaps and improve how we serve the most marginalized among us, so it’s great to work with the club in that capacity as well.”

Looking ahead, Kwesele’s first test will be a month from now in Open Cup Qualifying as Ballard FC needs to win two straight single-elimination matches to qualify for the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

When asked about the unusual debut that his Ballard FC head coaching career will have, Kwesele remarked that “Everytime we step on the pitch representing Ballard FC it’s special regardless if the occasion is a pre-season friendly, an Open Cup match, or a National Final. Already in a relatively short time, the club is used to playing in big matches and competing for titles, so we’re looking forward to continuing that tradition. This year, that process begins with qualifiers, so we’ll prepare for those with the same attitude that we carry with us always; with gratitude for the opportunity and excitement for the challenge. We’re excited for the fight, humble in our work ethic, confident in our abilities, and we’ll approach the next USL 2 season with that mindset.”

Before joining Ballard FC, Kwesele had extensive coaching experience at local youth clubs, coached High School Soccer at Rainier Beach, and spent two years with the MLS’ Columbus Crew Academy as the head coach of their U-14 team. Currently, Mutanda holds a USSF National “A” Coaching License, is still serving as the Director of Coaching for Washington Youth Soccer’s EPD program, and he is the founder and director of The Rising Point, an organization dedicated to using soccer to empower young minds. As a player, Kwesele starred for Seattle Prep HS, walked on at Santa Clara University, and then played at Seattle University where he would also later earn a Masters Degree in Teaching. In addition to being a star collegiate player, Kwesele played at the USL 2 (previously PDL) level with the Tacoma Tide and Portland Timbers-U23s before gaining professional experience with FC Edmonton of the NASL. Mutanda and his wife, Jacqueline, are the proud parents of Matteo Sebastian Kwesele, who was born in Seattle in 2019.

Fans can see Head Coach Kwesele in action this fall with Open Cup Qualifying. To learn more about Ballard FC’s participation in the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, head to our Open Cup page.

Written by Max Dresbach