Men’s and women’s pro soccer coming back to Tacoma: Stars, Galaxy debut this spring
Lane Smith was thinking one day recently about the 2026 World Cup coming to the United States. Several games will be played in Seattle — as much celebrations of the world’s game on the biggest stage as they will be soccer matches.
He looked around the sports landscape in Tacoma and felt there was a hole. Outside of the Tacoma Rainiers Triple-A baseball club, there isn’t much in the way of professional sports in the city of destiny. So Smith, the owner of the Tacoma Stars — which has played in various leagues since the club’s inception in 1983, and was later revived in the early 2000s as a Major Arena Soccer League club — got to work.
Now, Tacoma will welcome a pair of new semi-professional soccer clubs: the men’s Tacoma Stars program, which will compete in League Two of the United Soccer League (USL) and the Tacoma Galaxy, a women’s program which will compete in the Northwest Division of the USL W League.
“We need to have some high-level soccer back in Tacoma,” Smith told a group gathered on Friday morning at Bellarmine Prep’s Memorial Field in Tacoma, where both teams will play their home games beginning this spring. “That’s kind of what started this whole journey for me.”
In attendance at Friday’s event were a few players from both teams, Smith, U.S. congresswoman Marilyn Strickland, Tacoma mayor Victoria Woodards, Bellarmine Prep president Kelly Goodsell and athletic director Kevin Meines and others.
The clubs will be mostly formed of college and amateur players. The Stars will be coached by Liviu Bird and the Galaxy by Scott Ford.
“The USL brings the best players of soccer’s future here to Pierce County,” said Stars’ general manager Nick Perera.
There was excitement around both teams, particularly the women’s program, given the positive trajectory of women’s sports in the United States. The Galaxy are hoping to ride the wave of momentum started by former Iowa college basketball star Caitlyn Clark, who now plays in the WNBA.
“With the attention women’s sports are getting, this is the moment to do something special,” said Strickland, who attended Mount Tahoma High School. “We know sports are so important to the city of Tacoma and to the south Puget Sound. More girls are playing sports, there’s such a benefit to it.”
Added Woodards: “Sports have always been an integral part of our city’s identity and our own Tacoma Stars have an iconic history in our community.”
The hope is the USL will be home to both programs for years to come.
“Soccer is just blowing up everywhere,” Smith said. “I want to emphasize we’ve been around for a long time on the indoor side. We’re adding onto that long term with an outdoor team for both men and women. … We plan to be here forever. This is just another league that puts us in a year-round (competition).”
With the Seattle Sounders’ MLS Next Pro affiliate Tacoma Defiance no longer playing games in Cheney Stadium — they have since moved games to Starfire in Tukwila — there was a hole to fill in the Tacoma soccer scene.
The USL League Two features a couple local teams, including FC Olympia in Olympia and defending league champion Ballard FC in Seattle.
Bellarmine Preparatory, a private high school, has played host to professional soccer before, hosting the OL Reign for training on its grass field recently.
“These partnerships are vital for supporting young women in our community,” said Kevin Meines, Bellarmine’s athletic director. “The city of Tacoma knows the importance of these partnerships and Bellarmine will always look for ways to support the dreams of all athletes in the Tacoma-Pierce County area.”
The Stars will open their season against defending League Two champion Ballard FC at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 19 at Bellarmine’s Memorial Field. The Galaxy open their season on May 26.
TICKETS
- The two clubs are selling an all-inclusive ‘253 Season Ticket Package’ for $253. It includes access to all the USL2, USLW, and Tacoma Soccer Center indoor soccer events in 2024, as well as a scarf.
This story was originally published May 10, 2024, 1:16 PM.
