Sounders, Vissel Kobe partnership paves way for future growth opportunities at both clubs

Three decades ago, the Seattle Sounders established a partnership with J1 League side Vissel Kobe in solidarity over the destructive Kobe Earthquake that took place in Seattle’s sister city. Last week, the two clubs announced a renewal of their historic partnership, establishing a framework for future growth and collaboration.

What started as a couple friendlies to support relief efforts in 1995 evolved into something much bigger; whether it be the ongoing support from both clubs from a technical standpoint, the cultural involvement the two teams displayed in each other’s communities or supporting one another from a marketing perspective, Vissel Kobe and the Sounders formed a bond that would benefit both parties for years to come.

And while the connection between the two clubs slowly faded in the early 2000’s, Sounders FC Majority Owner Adrian Hanauer reached out to Vissel Kobe President Yuki Chifu to reignite the relationship.

“When I got involved [with the Sounders] at the end of 2001, I did not understand how valuable a partnership this was, and so as I was trying to figure out how to run a soccer club, time just sort of ran out on the relationship,” said Hanauer.

He continued, “It was one of the regrets I had as someone who has tried to be a steward of this franchise, was letting that partnership expire, and it had been on my mind for the past few years as we were approaching 30 years of the Kobe earthquake.”

After reaching out to Chifu regarding the clubs’ previous relationship and his interest in recommencing it, the Vissel Kobe executive was thrilled by the proposal. This proceeded to a series of Zoom calls and eventually a visit to Seattle from Vissel Kobe, along with a potential player prospect from the club. It wasn’t until the end of December, however, where the final steps of the process took place.

“I went to Japan at the end of December, and part of going there was to go spend the day with Vissel Kobe and I got a chance to see all of their facilities and spend a lot of time with them, including Vice Chairman Kenichi Mikitani. We finalized the conversations and the confirmation that we really did want to re-establish the relationship,” said Hanauer.

On January 17 in Japan, — the 30th anniversary of the earthquake in Kobe — it was official: the partnership between the sister city clubs was resurrected.

“Vissel Kobe have been an extraordinary club, just coming off two years straight winning the J League, great producer of players, Sister City to Seattle, it just seemed like even without the history and the connections between our cities, it would have been a fantastic partnership,” said Hanauer. “But given the history and what happened in ‘95, it just feels like the absolute right thing and a great opportunity for both clubs.”

The outcome of the renewed collaboration has already begun, with Vissel Kobe loaning Japan Youth National Team prospect and centerback Kaito Yamada to the Sounders’ MLS NEXT Pro side, Tacoma Defiance, for the team’s 2025 season.

The hope is to continue these types of transactions in the future while bringing the two clubs together even closer through ventures like commercial opportunities, technology usage, and the ability to tap into each other’s scouting networks.

“I think it is kind of a blank canvas, and we will continue to evolve and hopefully, create an even tighter and more integrated partnership,” said Hanauer. “I look forward to spending more time there and having people in our organization spend time there and vice versa, and getting to know each other better over time.”