The 2026 NWSL season is coming in hot, firing up one of the league's most historic rivalries as the Portland Thorns host the Seattle Reign in Friday night's Cascadia Clash.
Both teams enter the game on a high after the Thorns topped the Washington Spirit 1-0 while the Reign dispatched the Orlando Pride 2-1 in last weekend's season-opening matches.
"They look pretty similar to what they were last year," Seattle head coach Laura Harvey said of her Pacific Northwest foe. "Young, hungry, work really hard for each other."
The Reign could have an additional disadvantage on Friday night, after travel headaches and a rain-delayed season kickoff cut into players' expected recovery time.
"We've just got to go with what we think and how people are feeling," said Harvey. "There's no one that you can look at and go, 'They're fresh and ready.' Everybody's sort of in the same boat."
"It's about balancing and preparing for them while also focusing on ourselves and our principles," said Portland midfielder Sam Hiatt. "No matter what shape or style they come out in, we want to be ready to read it and react accordingly."
How to watch the Portland Thorns vs. Seattle Reign
In just their second match of the 2026 NWSL season, regional rivals Portland and Seattle will kick off a Cascadia Clash at 10 PM ET on Friday, airing live on Prime.
