Cristian Roldan could take the field at Seattle Stadium on Friday, June 19, when the USMNT faces Australia at noon PT. Every day he stays on the roster, the Sounders collect $5,000 from FIFA.
That's the rate under FIFA's $355 million Club Benefits Program, which pays clubs for releasing players to the tournament. The clock started when the World Cup opened on Wednesday, June 11. Three days in, Roldan has earned the Sounders an estimated $15,000, according to the Seattle Times. The number grows daily as long as the U.S. stays alive.
Roldan, 31, is the lone Sounder on the USMNT roster. He didn't play in the 4-1 win over Paraguay on Friday, June 12, at SoFi Stadium, but the program pays regardless of minutes.
For context: the Sounders received $826,757 from the same fund after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when four players participated. Manchester City topped that list at $4.6 million.
"For me in my backyard, and my adopted city, to be able to have three group-stage games in the cities that I spent my whole life, I mean, it's a beautiful story, honestly," Roldan told NBC News.
The Sounders captain has logged more than 400 appearances across 12 seasons in Seattle. He played at the University of Washington, won two MLS Cups (2016, 2019), and tucked his phone into his pocket during a Sounders team meeting on Friday, May 22, waiting for the WhatsApp buzz confirming he'd made his second World Cup squad, according to the Greenwich Time.
Getting to the June 19 Match From Your Neighborhood
USA vs. Australia kicks off at noon PT on Friday, June 19, at Seattle Stadium (Lumen Field under its FIFA-required name). The match airs on FOX and Telemundo, with streaming on Fubo and Peacock. Confirm the final kickoff time at fifa.com, as some broadcast listings differ.
Resale tickets were running around $918 as of June 9, per MyNorthwest.
From Ballard: Take the D Line or drive to a Link light rail station, then ride south to International District/Chinatown Station. Free Match Day Shuttles also connect downtown destinations to the stadium.
From Queen Anne: The Seattle Monorail at Seattle Center drops you at Westlake Station. Link light rail runs south to the stadium from there. The free Waterfront Shuttle also stops at Seattle Center and runs to Pioneer Square and the stadium.
From Magnolia: Metro Route 24 connects to downtown, where you can transfer to Link light rail or catch the Match Day Shuttle. The Pioneer Square Pedestrian-Only Zone activates four hours before kickoff, so plan to arrive by transit or bike.
A 3-Day PugetPass costs $21 ($18 plus $3 card fee) and covers unlimited Link, Metro bus, water taxi, and streetcar rides all summer.
Watch Parties and Fan Zones
The Sounders' barge at Pier 62, visible from Magnolia Bluff, offers a ticketed viewing experience with a mini pitch. The Waterfront Park fan zone at Pier 62 is run by the Sounders and Reign FC. In Ballard, the Australian pub in the historic Carnegie Library building is hosting Socceroos watch parties, including for the June 19 match, according to Seattle Met.
What's Next
The U.S. plays its third group match against Türkiye on Thursday, June 25, at 7 p.m. PT at SoFi Stadium. Sounders teammate Obed Vargas is also at the World Cup, representing Mexico.
FIFA will release final Club Benefits Program figures after the World Cup final on Sunday, July 19. The longer Roldan stays with the squad, the more the Sounders collect.
