Seattle, WA
Paige Monaghan sets career mark in Utah Royals’ 2-1 loss to Seattle in road finale
SEATTLE — Since Paige Monaghan was drafted with the No. 10 overall pick by then-Sky Blue FC in the 2019 NWSL college draft, she wasn’t asked to be any of her team’s primary goal scorers.
But she’s shown she can be in her second season with Utah Royals FC.
Ainsley McCammon scored the first goal of her NWSL career, and Sofia Huerta added the 38th of her own as the Seattle Reign clinched a berth in the NWSL playoffs with a 2-1 win Friday night over Utah at Lumen Field.
In between them, Monaghan set a career mark of her own.
Monaghan’s fourth goal of the season is a career-high for a single campaign in her six seasons in the NWSL. The 28-year-old winger came to Utah with limited goal-scoring options, but has found her footing in manager Jimmy Coenraets’ system with the second-most goals on the team behind striker Mina Tanaka’a six.
“I think for me, it’s just been about repetition,” Monaghan said after the match. “I’ve always been the player that repetition helps me be the best I can be.”I really credit the staff taking the time, and then my teammates every time I get the ball and their faith in me.”
Monaghan and her club agreed prior to the season to a contract extension through the 2027 season. Her leadership was the most important role she played on the team, donning the captain’s armband.
The goal production? That’s all bonus — and a welcome one for the team with the fewest goals scored with one match left in the 2025 regular season.
“I think she was upset to miss out on 4-5 months to help her team,” Coenraets said of his captain, a versatile left and right winger who has also played wingback in 2025. “She came back with a mission, and she’s doing an amazing job.”
The Royals (5-13-7, 22 points) were eliminated from playoff contention following last week’s 3-2 home loss to San Diego, a loss that snapped the team’s franchise-record run of eight consecutive matches without a loss.
The Reign, meanwhile, were still in the thick of playoff contention. A win could clinch a berth, even, and had everything to play for a week after club mainstay Lauren Barnes announced her retirement earlier this week after 13 seasons.
But it was Utah that controlled much of the game early, out-shooting the Reign 9-2 and holding Seattle without a shot on goal. That is, up until the second minute of first-half stoppage time — when McCammon broke free to give the hosts a 1-0 halftime lead.
The teenager who captained the United States at last year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup rose up in the penalty box to finish a cross from Maddie Dahlien to score her first career goal with her header.
Monaghan scored a goal from distance in the 60th minute, finishing her fourth goal of the year on a breakaway to equalize just after the hour mark.
Surprising? Ambitious? Maybe for somebody who hasn’t watched Monaghan, who has foul goal contributions in her last six matches. But not for her teammates.
“I see her work every day,” explained Ana Tejada, who moved back to center back for the second straight match in the absence of starter Kaleigh Riehl (hamstring). “She’s really an example for all of us, because she’s our captain. I have so much respect for her.”
For Monaghan, there are no boring goals. Every one of them is to be appreciated after she started 13 of her 15 matches this season.
“I think for me, it’s just been repetition,” Monaghan said. “I’ve always been the player that repetition helps me be the best I can be.”I really credit the staff taking the time, and then my teammates every time I get the ball and their faith in me.”
Huerta helped the Reign (10-7-8, 38 points) re-take the lead just five minutes later, converting from the penalty spot after video review for a foul in the box just after the 65th minute to put Seattle back in front.
Utah out-shot the Reign 13-8, including four shots on target, and maintained 54% of possession in the loss.
The Royals close the seasons Sunday, Nov. 2 against the Washington Spirit. Kickoff at America First Field in Sandy will be announced at a later date.
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
Seattle News Weekly S1E44: FIFA Frenzy hits the PNW
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is off and running as Seattle prepares to host the United States vs. Australia match on Friday. With more matches to be played in the Emerald City after that, FOX 13’s David Rose, Dan Griffin and Austin Lane are taking a closer look at the biggest stories surrounding the international tournament. Dan is hearing from fans on Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s decision to turn on CCTV cameras during the World Cup, Austin is taking a deeper dive into why ties are a good thing in the group stage, and David revisits the lessons learned from the first match hosted in Seattle between Egypt and Belgium.
SEATTLE – The FIFA World Cup has taken Seattle by storm, bringing global excitement to our city and visitors from across the world.
On this week’s episode of the ‘Seattle News Weekly’ podcast, David Rose, Dan Griffin and Austin Lane discuss the top headlines of the week that have emerged alongside the buzz about the FIFA World Cup 2026.
A Massive Tournament Expansion
The hosts open the podcast with a discussion on how historically large this year’s FIFA World Cup is compared to years past. Expanded to 48 teams (up from 32), the tournament features a record 104 matches over 39 days across 16 host cities. Seattle is hosting six of those matches.
Austin explains the value of “ties” in the group stage—especially with the new format where 32 teams advance to the knockout stage instead of 16—meaning a single point from a tie carries significant weight.
At the time of recording, the US had already defeated Paraguay and is preparing to face Australia at “Seattle Stadium,” where a win would guarantee advancement.
Transit Tactics
Dan Griffin reports on the city’s transit system, noting that while the light rail is moving a massive influx of people smoothly, transit authorities are actively “throttling” passengers.
This practice involves controlling crowd flow onto platforms to ensure safety, which has caused wait times of over an hour for some fans on TikTok. Transit officials recommend that fans walk to stations slightly further away from the stadium district to get moving faster.
The CCTV Security Debate
The hosts talk about how security is a major focal point. The FBI has already had to confiscate drones being flown illegally downtown. More prominently, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson activated controversial closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the Stadium District following “general but credible threats” identified by law enforcement.
While an activist group called Community, Not Cameras expressed fears that the surveillance puts vulnerable populations at risk due to federal agency presence, visitors and fans interviewed largely welcomed the extra layer of security. The cameras are expected to be turned off after the World Cup concludes.
Cultural Celebrations and Fan Experiences
The hosts play a clip from reporter Lauren Donovan who provides a colorful look at the fan festivities happening in the city. She highlights the “March to the Match,” describing Monday morning where Belgian fans swarmed Victory Hall alongside middle school band directors from the Stanwood-Camano district who were recruited to drum for them.
She also joins celebrating Egyptian fans, whose match against Belgium ended in an enthusiastic tie. The hosts note that international fans (like those from Australia) are already flooding local attractions, including Seattle Mariners baseball games, turning the sporting event into a broader West Coast vacation.
Seattle News Weekly is a podcast that goes in depth and gives context to the stories that matter to the western Washington community. Check back every Thursday for a new episode on your favorite podcast platform, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Audible or YouTube.
MORE WORLD CUP NEWS FROM FOX 13 SEATTLE
USA players want to lay off the ‘Layup’ chatter ahead of Australia matchup
How Seattle is preparing for USMNT vs. Australia World Cup match on Juneteenth
FIFA World Cup billboards in Seattle spark sexual health conversations
Seattle’s Ballard to host Pride celebration, FIFA watch party on June 26
Seattle reviews FIFA World Cup 2026 transit options after post-match congestion
Egypt’s World Cup pride, Mohamed Salah’s legacy and one fan’s love for the Pharaohs
To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.
Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
The Mariners’ electric right-hander could not have rebounded in a more emphatic way.
World Cup fans land in Seattle for first Belgium-Egypt game
Fans from around the globe arrived in Seattle for the FIFA World Cup matchup between Belgium and Egypt Monday, June 15 — the first of six games to be played at the downtown Seattle Stadium.
Seattle’s World Cup party on the waterfront just got a little bit bigger.
On the eve of the next USMNT game (U.S. vs. Australia, June 19 at 12 p.m. PT), Fox will be broadcasting live from Pier 62 in Seattle, according to a social media post.
Fans will have a number of options when it comes to watching the US take on Australia in their second group stage match, including from a floating barge, a 70-foot screen and a number of bars across the city.
Former Sounder Clint Dempsey, former USMNT player Alexi Lalas, Rob Stone and Stu Holden will broadcast live from downtown Seattle from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Where can you watch the broadcast online?
FOX ONE will be streaming the broadcast online at www.fox.com.
What other World Cup games are happening Thursday?
- 9:00 A.M. – Czechia vs South Africa (Group A) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia
- 12:00 P.M. – Switzerland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina (Group B) at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California
- 3:00 P.M. – Canada vs Qatar (Group B) at BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia
- 6:00 P.M. – Mexico vs South Korea (Group A) at Estadio Akron in Zapopan, Jalisco
Full USMNT 2026 FIFA World Cup Schedule
Game 2: USMNT vs. Australia
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Date: June 19, 2026
- Kickoff: 12 p.m. PT
- TV: FOX, Telemundo
- Streaming: FOX One, Fubo, Peacock
Game 3: USMNT vs. Turkey
- Location: Inglewood, California
- Date: June 25, 2026
- Kickoff: 7 p.m. PT
- TV: FOX, Telemundo
- Streaming: FOX One, Fubo, Peacock
Full World Cup 2026 schedule
- Group stage: June 11-27
- Round of 32: June 28-July 3
- Round of 16: July 4-7
- Quarterfinals: July 9-11
- Semifinals: July 14-15
- Third-place game: July 18
- Final: July 19
Zachary Fletcher is a trending news reporter with USA TODAY Network’s Washington state team. Keep up with him on X (@zdfletch), BlueSky (@zfletcher.bsky.social) or reach him at zfletcher@usatodayco.com.
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