Tacoma Defiance today announced that tickets for its inaugural MLS NEXT Pro season are on sale now. All tickets for Defiance’s 10 home matches at Starfire Stadium can be purchased online, as well as at the door before every match on a first-come, first-served basis. All tickets are $15 and required for ages three and up, with the entirety of sales benefiting RAVE Foundation. For those purchasing tickets online, an option exists to donate a ticket to a local youth. Information regarding tickets for Tacoma’s two matches at Cheney Stadium will be released to the public at a later date.
As previously announced, Tacoma Defiance is set to play 24 matches this season – 12 home and 12 away – over the course of 26 weeks with all matches being streamed on mlsnextpro.com. On top of the 10 matches played at Starfire Stadium, Defiance’s May 31 and June 4 matches are being played at Cheney Stadium.
Tacoma is joining MLS NEXT Pro’s Pacific Division, with its season starting on March 27 vs. Real Monarchs and concluding on September 18 vs. Portland Timbers 2, both at home. The club plays every team in its division – Real Monarchs, Earthquakes II, Timbers 2, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 – three times each, making up half its schedule. Head Coach Wade Webber’s side fills out its slate with a home-and-away series against each of the remaining teams in the Western Conference – Colorado Rapids 2, North Texas SC, Houston Dynamo 2, Sporting KC II, Minnesota United FC 2 and St. Louis City 2.
Funds raised through ticket sales support RAVE Foundation's mission to build 26 mini-pitches throughout Washington State by 2026. The fields prioritize locations that serve marginalized youth who are furthest from access to free play and also anchor culturally-responsive RAVE programs that use soccer as a vehicle to support whole, healthy children and communities.
Even though most regular-season home matches are taking place at Starfire Stadium this season due to baseball-specific scheduling at Cheney Stadium, RAVE Foundation still looks to make an impact in the city of Tacoma. RAVE built its first mini pitch in Tacoma in 2021 at Boze Elementary, and plans its second Tacoma Public Schools mini pitch this year at Larchmont Elementary.
