 | ||||
| Nicknames | PTFC Timbers Rose City | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | July 17, 2000; 25 years ago (2000-07-17)[1][nb 1] | |||
| Stadium | Providence Park | |||
| Capacity | 25,218 | |||
| Owner | Peregrine Sports | |||
| CEO | Heather Davis | |||
| Head coach | Phil Neville | |||
| League | Major League Soccer | |||
| 2025 | Western Conference: 8th Overall: 17th Playoffs: First round | |||
| Website | timbers.com | |||
 Current season | ||||
ThePortland Timbers are an American professionalsoccer club based inPortland, Oregon. The Timbers compete inMajor League Soccer (MLS) as a member of theWestern Conference. The Timbers have played their home matches atProvidence Park since 2011, when the team began play as an expansion team in the league.
The club was founded in 2009, when the city of Portland was awarded an expansion berth to Major League Soccer. The team operating rights are owned by Peregrine Sports under the majority ownership ofMerritt Paulson, whose companies had acquired the then-USL Pro team in 2007 and later established thePortland Thorns women's team in 2012 (all MLS franchises are centrally owned by the league itself, which grants operating rights and privileges to the individual club "owners," who are also shareholders in MLS). The team is aphoenix club, and the fourth soccer franchise based in Portland (secondtop-level) to carry the legacy of the Timbers name, which originated with theteam that competed in theNorth American Soccer League (NASL) from 1975 to 1982.
In2013, the Timbers finished the regular season in first place in the Western Conference, clinching both their first-everplayoff appearance and aCONCACAF Champions League berth. In 2015, the franchise won the Western Conference Finals in theplayoffs, and their first major trophy, theMLS Cup, becoming the first team inCascadia to do so. In 2017, the club again finished the regular season in first place in the Western Conference. In2018, the Timbers again made theplayoffs, advancing in three rounds, defeating archrivalSeattle in the semifinals along the way, and made theMLS Cup where they lost 2–0 toAtlanta United FC. In 2020, the Timbers won the one-offMLS is Back Tournament, defeatingOrlando City SC in thefinal, and once again qualified for the Champions League. In 2021, the Timbers won the Western Conference and once again were runners-up inMLS Cup, falling toNew York City FC 4–2 on penalties after a 1–1 score at extra time.
Portland has long-standing rivalries with nearby clubsSeattle Sounders andVancouver Whitecaps FC, with whom they compete for theCascadia Cup.
Professional soccer in Portland, Oregon can be traced to thesoccer team that competed in the top-levelNorth American Soccer League (NASL) as an expansion team from 1975 until the club's seventh season in 1982.[2] The club's major achievement was in their inaugural season during the league's playoffs, having won the league's division final, and runners-up inSoccer Bowl '75 losing to theTampa Bay Rowdies in the championship match.[3] In 1985, F.C. Portland had established and was a charter club in the Western Soccer Alliance League and competed until folding in 1990. Professional soccer was dormant in the city until 2001, when the USL Timbers was founded and competed in Division 2 soccer in USL pro until the club folded in 2010. The USL club finished with the best record in the league in both the 2004 and 2009 regular seasons.[4]
The announcement of the Timbers' entry into MLS was the culmination of a nearly two-year-long process forMerritt Paulson, dating back at least to May 2007, when Paulson led a group that bought thePortland Beavers and theUSL Timbers. The group included formerTreasury SecretaryHenry Paulson, Meritt Paulson's father.[5] The biggest issue for the city of Portland at that time was that due to league concerns about seating configuration, field surface and scheduling, obtaining an MLS club would require a new stadium.[6]
In October 2007, Paulson was told PGE Park could be upgraded for about $20 million, and a new baseball stadium (with 8,000 to 9,000 seats) would cost about $30 million.[7] By November 2008, Paulson toldThe New York Times he expected Portland taxpayers would spend $85 million to "build a new baseball stadium for his Beavers and renovate PGE Park—just remodeled in 2001 at a cost to taxpayers of $38.5 million—for soccer", and that in exchange, he would spend $40 million for the franchise fee to bring a new Major League Soccer team to Portland.[5] MLS was in support of the proposal, wanting to continue to expand the number of owners in the league (for a while, all of its teams were owned by three men:Philip Anschutz,Lamar Hunt, andRobert Kraft).[5]
Though supporting the acquisition of an MLS franchise raised numerous issues for MayorSam Adams and the Portland City Council,[8] the Timbers were announced as Major League Soccer's eighteenth team on March 20, 2009, by CommissionerDon Garber.[9] The announcement occurred during the first and second-round games of the2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament that were held in Portland.[10] The announcement noted that the team would retain the Portland Timbers name.[11]
Former forward and Colorado Rapids assistant coachJohn Spencer was named the first head coach of the Timbers on August 10, 2010. It was also announced that former head coachGavin Wilkinson of theUSL-1/USSF D-2 Timbers, was promoted as the general manager/technical director of the team.[12]
The Timbers signed five players before theMLS Expansion Draft on November 24, 2010. Three were part of the TimbersD-2 Pro League squad in 2010 (Steve Cronin,Bright Dike, andRyan Pore), one was signed from D-2 Pro League teamAustin Aztex (forwardEddie Johnson) and one was acquired via trade withNew York Red Bulls (midfielderJeremy Hall). On November 24, 2010, the Timbers, along with the other 2011 expansion team,Vancouver Whitecaps FC, participated in an MLS Expansion Draft, each selecting 10 players from existing teams.[13] Immediately after the Expansion Draft, the Timbers announced the trade of their first pick (midfielderDax McCarty), fromFC Dallas toD.C. United for defenderRodney Wallace.[14] The Timbers and Whitecaps also participated in the2011 MLS SuperDraft on January 13, 2011, with the Whitecaps having the first pick, and the Timbers having the second pick. Vancouver surprised some by selecting youngsterOmar Salgado and Portland swiftly selectedAkron midfielder/forwardDarlington Nagbe.[15]
The Timbers played their first MLS game on March 19, 2011, against reigning MLS championsColorado Rapids, but lost 3–1. The first goal in the Timbers' MLS era was scored byKenny Cooper.[16] In their first season, the Portland Timbers finished in 6th place in the Western Conference and 12th place overall.
On July 9, 2012, John Spencer was fired after a 0–3 loss toReal Salt Lake.[17][18] Gavin Wilkinson took over on an interim basis for the rest of the season.[19] The Timbers finished 2012 with the third-worst record in the league and was 8th out of 9th in the Western Conference.[20] They did, however, win theCascadia Cup in MLS for the first time.
.jpg)
The 2013 season began with new head coachCaleb Porter, who was previously head coach of theUnited States U-23 team and theUniversity of AkronZips men's team from 2006 to 2012. Under Porter, the Timbers achieved immediate success in the 2013 MLS regular season. They finished in first place in the Western Conference and third place in MLS overall. An important player wasDiego Valeri, whom the Timbers had acquired fromClub Atlético Lanús on loan with an option to purchase (which they exercised later in the season). In the2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament, the club reached the semifinals, where they were eliminated by Real Salt Lake. The Timbers also earned their first MLS playoff appearance in franchise history. They defeated their archrivalSeattle Sounders FC in the conference semifinals 5–3 on aggregate. The Timbers were eliminated in the conference finals, again losing to Real Salt Lake in a two–game aggregate series (5–2 aggregate). Due to a change by the United States Soccer Federation of how American-based MLS teams can qualify in the CONCACAF Champions League, the Portland Timbers qualified for the2014–15 CONCACAF Champions League, which was their first international tournament they would later take part in.[21]
In the 2014 MLS season, the Timbers could not replicate the success they had in the previous season. They struggled defensively in the beginning of the season with a 1–3–6 (W-L-D) record over the first ten games. They were able to mount a comeback late in the season, still having a chance on the final weekend to appear in the MLS playoffs but ultimately failing to qualify.[22] The Timbers finished the season in 6th place in the Western Conference, 11th place overall. For the2014–15 CONCACAF Champions League, the Timbers were drawn withClub Deportivo Olimpia andAlpha United in the group stage of the tournament. They were eliminated in the group stage on away goals.[23] During the offseason, Portland's main focus was to avoid a slow start as they did in the 2014 season, made more difficult with Diego Valeri and Will Johnson being unavailable for the first several weeks due to injuries suffered in the final games of the 2014 season. New acquisitions includedNat Borchers from Real Salt Lake and Ghanaian/Norwegian keeperAdam Larsen Kwarasey.[24][25]
The 2015 season, marked the franchise's fifth season as an MLS franchise, and the fortieth anniversary of the Timbers' legacy that traces back to the original North American Soccer League, which has been recognized by the team.[26]
In 2015, the Timbers began their campaign without Diego Valeri and Will Johnson, who were still recovering from their injuries they obtained in the previous season. They would eventually return later in the season. The 2015 U.S. Open Cup pitted Portland against arch-rival Seattle in the fourth round of the tournament, where the Timbers eliminated the Sounders 3–1 in overtime. Seattle finished the match with only seven players after three were given red cards, includingClint Dempsey, who received his in dramatic fashion by tearing up the referee’s notebook, andObafemi Martins, who left the match with a groin injury. Portland would be defeated by Real Salt Lake in the fifth round. In a highly competitive Western Conference, the Timbers once again qualified for the MLS Playoffs, finishing strong in the final matches of the regular season which included a 5–2 win againstLA Galaxy.[27] Portland finished the regular season third in the Western Conference, fifth overall.
Portland played against Sporting Kansas City in the MLS playoffs' Knockout round that went to penalties after Sporting's Kevin Ellis scored a late tying goal in the final minutes of regulation ending in 1–1.Maxi Urruti scored late in overtime tying 2–2 after Sporting had the lead from a goal from Kristen Nemeth in the 97th minute. The penalty shootout to decide the game went 11 rounds, with Sporting's Saad Abdul-Salaam unbelievably missing a potential game winning kick off of both posts. Kwarasey scored the winning goal and made the winning save in the 11th round of penalties.[28] The game has been since dubbed, "The Double Post".[29] The Timbers advanced to defeat Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the second leg of their two-game series, winning the Conference Semifinals 2–0.[30] Portland defeated FC Dallas in the Conference Final series 5–3 aggregate with a 3–1 win at home and tying 2–2 in the second match in Toyota Park, becoming Western Conference Champions and advancing to their first-ever MLS Cup appearance. The Timbers won the2015 MLS Cup againstColumbus Crew SC 2–1 from the fastest MLS Cup goal from Diego Valeri, followed by a header from Rodney Wallace in the first half. Despite conceding a goal from Columbus strikerKei Kamara, the Portland Timbers held on to win their first MLS Cup and in doing so became the first team in the Cascadia rivalry to win the championship.[31]
Portland's 2016 offseason consisted of transfers of key players including Jorge Villafaña, Will Johnson, Maxi Urruti, and Rodney Wallace. For the Timbers' 2016 campaign as defending champions, the season began with a win in a rematch against Columbus Crew SC. Portland's season in 2016 overall was described by head coach Caleb Porter as "A tale of two seasons."[32] Although the team had a strong record at home, that performance was not reflected on the road, and the team dealt with injuries to key players throughout the season. The Timbers did not win a single match away from Providence Park in the season, finishing with a road record of 0–11–6 away from home and 12–14–8 (44 points) overall.[33]
.jpg)
In 2017, the team made it a priority to improve the team's defense, an issue the previous year, along with adding reinforcements in the midfield.[34] Portland acquiredRoy Miller andDavid Guzmán fromC.D. Saprissa. Nat Borchers, who was injured in 2016, was not offered a new contract with the Timbers, and ultimately the veteran defender decided to retire. The Timbers also signedSebastián Blanco, who had been a teammate of Valeri at Lanús, fromSan Lorenzo. Mid-season the Timbers also acquired center-backLarrys Mabiala from the Turkish clubKayserispor. In the second half of the season, midfielder Valeri scored in nine consecutive games, setting a new MLS record.[35] Portland qualified for the playoffs once more in their second-to-last match of the regular season, a 4–0 rout ofD.C. United atProvidence Park.[36] The Timbers finished the season in first place in the Western Conference, also winning the Cascadia Cup for the second time as an MLS team. Portland were eliminated by theHouston Dynamo in the Western Conference Semifinal. For the first time a Timbers player received MLS'sLandon Donovan MVP award, given to Valeri for scoring 20+ goals and earning 10+ assists, among other accomplishments; it was the most goals ever scored by a midfielder in MLS.[37]
In the off-season, Caleb Porter resigned as head coach on November 16, 2017, parting ways with the franchise.[38]
On Dec 18, the Timbers officially announced formerNew York Cosmos head coachGiovanni Savarese as the team's new head coach, making him the third non-interim head coach for the Timbers since entering MLS.[39] Despite starting their 2018 season without a win in their first five games, Savaraese and the Timbers finished their campaign strong, and would earn their second trip to the MLS Cup on December 8, 2018, where they would be defeated 2–0 by Atlanta United.[40]
The 2019 season was overshadowed by the large renovation to Providence Park, which resulted in the addition of 4,000 seats on the east side of the stadium. The extensive construction meant that the Timbers played the first 12 matches of the season away from home.[41] The team emerged from this extensive road trip with a marginal record of 4–6–2. Portland would largely fail to improve in their remaining home games. The Timbers finished the season with 49 points overall, which placed them 6th in the Western Conference. They went on to faceReal Salt Lake in the 2019 playoffs in Salt Lake, which resulted in a 2–1 loss.[42]
The Timbers began the2020 Major League Soccer season with a loss at home againstMinnesota United FC and a win against MLS expansion sideNashville SC. On March 12, 2020, the season then entered a lengthy suspension due to theCOVID-19 pandemic in North America.[43] On June 10, MLS announced that abracket format dubbed the "MLS is Back Tournament" would begin July 8 atESPN Wide World of Sports Complex inWalt Disney World, and end with the final on August 11.[44]
Portland began the tournament drawn withLAFC,LA Galaxy, and theHouston Dynamo in Group F, which was dubbed the "Group of Death" by the media.[45] The Timbers defeatedChicharito and the Galaxy 2–1 to open the tournament, downed Houston by the same score 5 days later, and then, assured of passage to the next round, came back to tie LAFC 2–2 while playing mostly their reserves to finish on top of the group.
In the Round of 16, Portland ledFC Cincinnati before a late gaffe from goalkeeper Steve Clark forced the Timbers into a tie and penalty kicks. Cincinnati’s players celebrated the equalizer by humorously mimicking a “parked bus” after defending for most of the match. Clark redeemed himself in the shootout and Portland won 1–1 (4–2) to advance to the next round of knockout games. In the Round of 8, Portland fell behindNew York City FC after conceding an early goal but scored 3 in a row in the second half to cruise to an easy 3–1 win, which was capped off by a stunning outside-the-box strike fromAndy Polo.[46] Playing thePhiladelphia Union next in the semifinals, the Timbers rose to the challenge with goals fromJeremy Ebobisse andSebastián Blanco and held on to score a 2–1 victory and advance to the finals for the club's first title game appearance since the 2018 MLS Cup.
In the MLS is Back Tournament championship game against hometown Orlando City, Portland opened the scoring with a diving header fromLarrys Mabiala off a pass fromDiego Valeri in the 27th minute. Orlando equalized in the 39th minute, but Portland scored again in the 66th minute after defenderDario Župarić scored his first goal as a Timber, and Portland's defense held on to win 2–1, making the Portland Timbers under Savarese the MLS is Back Tournament champions.
On August 26, 2020, Portland Timbers players, as part of the2020 American athlete strikes, voted to strike and not play their game against theSan Jose Earthquakes that night.[47] The game was then rescheduled to September 16.[48]
In 2021, the Timbers finished fourth in the Western Conference, then upset top-seededColorado Rapids and staved off a hot underdog inReal Salt Lake en route to their third Cup final as an MLS club. For the first time sinceSoccer Bowl '77, Portland would host the championship of top-flight American soccer as the Timbers facedNew York City FC in the final. After a 94th-minute goal from forwardFelipe Mora that canceled out a first-half score from league top-scorerValentín Castellanos, the Timbers and NYCFC finished extra time levelled at 1–1. The Timbers had two penalties saved in the shoot-out and lost the Cup after a 4–2 result, marking their second loss in MLS Cup finals.
In late September 2021,The Athletic published an investigation intoNorth Carolina Courage head coachPaul Riley, alleging that Riley had sexually coerced and verbally abused players on his teams, including during his two-year tenure as Portland Thorns head coach in 2014 and 2015. More than a dozen players from every team Riley had coached since 2010 spoke to the publication and two named players, both former Thorns, went on the record with allegations against him. In the article, Riley denied the allegations.[49] The investigation led to widespread fan discontent, focused primarily on the fact that Riley was both hired and fired by Timbers/Thorns owner Paulson and GM Wilkinson. Wilkinson was placed on administrative leave from the Thorns in early October, but retained his positions with the Timbers. (He was eventually replaced byKarina LeBlanc.)
Timbers attendance declined during the2022 season as the team failed to sell out all but five games.[citation needed] The smaller crowds were attributed in part to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as discontent among fans over the club's handling of abuse allegations and other controversies.[50] The organization was also accused of supporting a "toxic workplace environment" for women by several employees, particularly from upper management.[51] In addition, the club terminated the contract of recently re-signed forwardAndy Polo following allegations of domestic abuse from his ex-partner.[52] However, during the season, the Timbers and Thorns hosted their first mixed-team charity match, PTFC for Peace, which raised over $600,000 for UNICEF’s humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine
TheYates Report, released on October 3, 2022, found further transgressions by members of the Timbers and Thorns organization, including alleged inappropriate conduct by president Mike Golub.[53] The report and pressure from fans prompted Alaska Airlines, Tillamook, KeyBank, and other corporate sponsors to withhold, redirect, or cancel their financial contributions to the club.[54][55][56] Paulson announced he, along with general managerGavin Wilkinson (who was extended prior to the season) and Golub, would step away from the Thorns. On October 5, 2022, Wilkinson and Golub were fired from the club altogether.[57]Ned Grabavoy handled Timbers front office duties in the interim.
On the pitch, the Timbers would lose the last game of the season againstReal Salt Lake, knocking them out of playoff contention and lifting RSL in their place by one point. After a strong showing in the newly expanded2023 Leagues Cup, where they played well against two top-levelLiga MX teams, the Timbers fired Giovanni Savarese midway through the 2023 season following a 5–0 road loss to the Houston Dynamo. Savarese, the winningest coach in the club’s MLS history to date, had led Portland to two MLS Cup finals (2018, 2021) and secured the MLS is Back Tournament title in 2020. At the time of his departure, the Timbers were 12th in the Western Conference with a 6-10-8 record. Following his dismissal, assistant coachMiles Joseph was appointed as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. After narrowly missing with Miles, the playoffs yet again, the club would go on to hirePhil Neville as coach the next season, which brought ire from fans due to past sexist comments on social media.
The Timbers started their 2024 season with a 4−1 defeat of theColorado Rapids and a new shirt sponsor in the roofing company DaBella. The shirt sponsorship was canceled on February 28 due to sexual harassment allegations against the company's owner,[58] which had further implications due to the strained relations the club had achieved with fans in the wake of the NWSL fallout (the Thorns were sold in the 2023 offseason).[59] Ultimately,Tillamook would become the replacement sponsor.[60] For the second time in MLS era history, the Timbers and Thorns played a co-ed charity match at Providence Park, the Green is Gold Charity Match, raising around $100,000 for the environmental nonprofitsThe Nature Conservancy and Keep Oregon Green.
The Timbers' attack shone through an otherwise difficult season for the club, as Brazilian attackerEvander and Uruguayan forwardJonathan Rodriguez, and Chilean forwardFelipe Mora combined for 45 of the side's 65 total MLS goals.[61] The team itself finished ninth in the Western Conference, good enough to make a play-in game in the2024 MLS Cup playoffs. Hosted at Providence Park due to scheduling conflicts at eighth-seedVancouver Whitecaps'BC Place, the Timbers would fall decisively to Vancouver, 5−0. In the 2024−25 offseason, amidst public discontent from Evander regarding Timbers management,[62] the club sold their star attacker andMLS Best XI honoree toFC Cincinnati, utilizing the new MLS intra-league transfer method, for $12 million.[63]
The Timbers would end their2025 season in eighth place and back in the Western Conference play-in spot, with the punctuation mark being a 4−0 home loss to expansion sideSan Diego FC on the last day of the season.
The Portland Timbers' MLS logo incorporates elements of the former USL design. The primary reference to the original crest is the circular shape that represents unity, wholeness, and the pursuit of perfection. The axe pays homage to thePacific Northwest'slogging industry, as loggers traditionally usedaxes to cut down trees. There are three chevrons organized to resemble a pine tree that refer to the Timbers' membership in three separate leagues: the originalNorth American Soccer League, theUnited Soccer Leagues, and Major League Soccer. The team's colors,ponderosa green andmoss green, represent the state of Oregon'sforests.[64][65]
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor | Right sleeve sponsor | Left sleeve sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011–2020 | Adidas | Alaska Airlines | — | — |
| 2021–2023 | TikTok | |||
| 2024 | DaBella | Apple TV | ||
| 2024–2025 | Tillamook | |||
| 2025–present | — |
It was announced in September 2010 that the Portland Timbers' jerseys would be sponsored byAlaska Airlines.[66] On December 9, 2010, the jersey was revealed at a runway show atPortland International Airport. The home jersey was a two-tone halved green shirt,[67] while the alternate jersey was red in honor of Portland being known as the Rose City.[68]
On February 23, 2021, it was announced that Portland had made a deal withTikTok, as team's sleeve sponsor beginning in the same year. Part of the deal included collaborative work for the company's 'TikTok for Good' campaign.[69] Alaska withdrew their sponsorship at the conclusion of the 2023 season, a year after it donated a portion of its financial contributions to theNWSLPA in response to allegations of abuse within the Thorns organization.[70] They were replaced in November 2023 by DaBella, an Oregon-based home renovations contractor with 46 locations.[71] The sponsorship was terminated one game into the regular season by the Timbers on February 28, 2024, after DaBella CEO Donnie McMillan Jr. was accused of sexual harassment.[58] Beginning with the launch ofMLS Season Pass in 2023, the Timbers began featuring their first left sleeve jersey sponsor,Apple TV+.[72]
On May 12, 2024, the Timbers announced a multi-year deal with theTillamook County Creamery Association as their new front of jersey sponsor.[73] For the 2025 MLS season, Apple created custom-designed Apple TV patches for the left sleeves of all clubs' kits, with the Timbers' patch featuring green and gold. The right sleeve spot is currently vacant at the start of the 2025 season, with the long-termTikTok deal having ended at the conclusion of the 2024 season.[74]
Home, away, and alternative uniforms.
         2011–12 |     2013–14 |      2015–16 |      2017–18 |      2019–20 |      2021–22 |      2023–24 |      2024– |
    2011–12 |    2013 |      2014–15 |      2016–17 |      2018–19 |     2020–21 |      2022–23 |      2023– |
    2012–13 |      2014–15 |      2024– |
The Timbers play atProvidence Park in downtown Portland, which they share with thePortland Thorns of theNational Women's Soccer League. Before joining MLS, the Timbers played at PGE Park, which was renamed Jeld-Wen Field in 2011 for the inaugural MLS season, and later became Providence Park in 2014. What is now known as Providence Park has existed in Portland since 1893 and as a complete stadium since 1926, when it was constructed by the nearby Multnomah Athletic Club, which still borders the stadium on the southern end. Providence Park is the oldestsoccer-specific stadium in Major League Soccer and one of the most historic grounds used by any United States professional soccer team.
The stadium has played host to many watershed moments in United States soccer history, including theSoccer Bowl '77, the1999 and2003 FIFA Women's World Cups, the2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the2014 MLS All-Star Game, the2015 NWSL Championship Game, andMLS Cup 2021. Providence Park has been the home of the Portland Timbers in all of their iterations since 1975.
In July 2009, thePortland City Council approved a $31 million renovation to make the stadium ready for the2011 Major League Soccer season, reconfiguring the grounds primarily for men and women's soccer.[75][76] Operational capacity was 18,627 for the 2011 MLS season and expanded to 20,323 for the 2012 season.
On February 10, 2014, the Timbers signed a long-term stadium naming rights sponsorship withProvidence Health & Services, a non-profit health care provider. The stadium will be known as Providence Park until at least 2028.[77]
In December 2017, the Portland City Council approved for construction aUS$85 million expansion project to increase seating capacity for Providence Park.[78] The project, whose terms were already approved in June of the same year, added an additional 4,000 seats to the near 22,000 seats already built, increasing overall capacity by 20%. The stadium plan was in the works for several seasons as the Timbers had a season ticket waitlist of approximately 13,000.
The new remade steel stand was inspired by the legendaryBoca Juniors' stadiumLa Bombonera as well as the classic raised stage ofShakespeare's Globe Theatre, creating a unique layered appearance that also paid homage to the original, unfinished 1926 Multnomah Field plans.[79] Spelled out across the green seats on the East End in white lettering is "SC USA", a direct nod to Portland's history as "Soccer City USA".[80]
The expanded Providence Park opened for the first time on July 1, 2019, as the Timbers hostedLAFC, selling out the capacity of 25,218. The expansion gave Providence Park the 4th-highest seating capacity of any soccer-specific stadium in MLS. Included in the renovation were the addition of three decks of new seats, two new video boards and a modern edge-to-edge roof, as well as updated LED lighting throughout the park.[81]
| Years | Capacity |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 18,627 |
| 2012 | 20,323 |
| 2013–2018 | 21,144 |
| 2019–present | 25,218 |
The Timbers sold out every home game from their transition to MLS in 2011 until the pandemic of 2020–2021, a league-record streak of 163 games.[82][83] The Timbers cap season-ticket sales at 15,300, and at one point had a waitlist of 10,000 season tickets, larger than almost every college football team.[84][85]
The main supporters group of the Portland Timbers is theTimbers Army. Its members are known for their loud, enthusiastic support and the raucous atmosphere they create at Timbers games, as well as their leftist political positions.[86][87][88] The Timbers Army is consistently referred to by American media as one of the best, or very best, supporting groups in the country, with Timbers fans often given the same distinction.[89][90][91][92]
The Timbers Army was founded in 2001 as the Cascade Rangers,[93] a reference to theCascade Range of mountains in thePacific Northwest region ofNorth America. The group began congregating in section 107 ("The Woodshed") ofPGE Park ("The Piggy") to create a European-style rooting section for the club, complete with drumming, flags, scarves, smoke bombs and constant chanting and cheering. By 2002, the group had changed its name to the Timbers Army in order to lose any perception of partiality toward Scottish soccer clubRangers and because the Timbers uniforms at the time resembled those of Rangers rivalCeltic.[94] By 2012, the Timbers Army numbered more than 4,000 people in the north-end on match day.[citation needed]
In 2019, the Timbers Army made national news as they clashed with the MLS front office over the use of theIron Front symbol on flags flown by Timbers supporters. MLS banned the anti-fascist symbol along with far-right regalia in a blanket ban of "political signage", which the Army contested, arguing in a statement that opposition to fascism, racism, and sexism was not political.[95] A protracted public battle between the Army and MLS brass occurred, culminating in a protest during the August game against Seattle where the TA deliberately stayed silent for the first 33 minutes of the nationally televised clash to commemorate 1933, the year that the Iron Front was disbanded in Nazi Germany.[96]
After the protests by the Timbers Army gained media exposure, Major League Soccer officials announced they would meet with the Army and other supporter groups around the league. A month later, on September 24, 2019, the league announced it would be reversing the policy that prohibited the Iron Front, allowing Timbers supporters to use the symbol again.[97] This was a rare instance in American sports (and one of the first in MLS) that a supporter group had directly taken on the league with an organized response and forced a change in policy.[98]
The Cascadia Cup is a trophy and competition between the three soccer clubs of theCascadia bioregion: the Timbers,Seattle Sounders FC, andVancouver Whitecaps FC. Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver were rivals back in the originalNASL during the 1970s and all 3 were together in theUSL from 2001 to 2008.
In 2004 supporters of the three clubs created the Cascadia Cup, a yearly trophy handed out to the club with the best overall head-to-head record between the Pacific Northwest three. The Cup moved to MLS in 2011 as all three clubs again played together in the same league. Portland has won the Cup six times: in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2017, 2022, and 2024.
Portland became the first team in Cascadia to win the MLS Cup, doing so in 2015.
The Portland Timbers have a long-running rivalry withSeattle Sounders FC dating to the original North American Soccer League, as far back as 1975.[99] Natural regional rivals from 1975 to 1982 in theNorth American Soccer League and from 2001 to 2008 in theUSL First Division, thePortland Timbers–Seattle Sounders rivalry was continued after Portland entered MLS as an expansion team in 2011.
With the close proximity of the two cities, traveling fans of both sides witness hostile environments while visiting the opposing stadium. According to many players, the Seattle–Portland rivalry is one of the only truederbies that is present in American soccer.[100] The rivalry has been cited by multiple sources as one of the most intense rivalries in not just MLS but North American soccer.[101][102][103][104]
The Seattle-Portland rivalry rose to higher levels when they faced each other in the 2013 MLS playoffs in their two-game series where the Timbers eliminated their arch-rivals in their first-ever MLS postseason matchup. Portland faced the higher-seeded Seattle in the2018 Western Conference Semifinals in another two-game series, forcing the Sounders into a dramatic tie on aggregate in extra time in their home stadium and subsequently advancing to the Conference Finals on penalty kicks.
While to date, Portland has never lost to Seattle in the MLS Playoffs, they have lost several times to the Sounders in US Open Cup play with Seattle defeating them 3 times on the way to title victories.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC, the other Cascadian team in the tri-rivalry from the NASL and USL, moved to MLS along with Portland in 2011. They compete along with Portland and Seattle in theCascadia Cup. Portland and Vancouver's historic rivalry dates back to 1975 in the original North American Soccer League.[99]
Compared to Portland-Seattle, Portland-Vancouver is considered "friendlier" on both the pitch and the stands. Members of the supporting groups between the two clubs even jointly celebrated together after Vancouver eliminated Portland from the 2010 USL Playoffs due to the shared move to MLS the next year.[105] One reason for the less-intense rivalry for the time being could be simple geography (Portland is closer to Seattle than Vancouver) or Vancouver not attaining a similar level of sustained MLS success as the two other Cascadia clubs.
Many Whitecap players point to the Timbers as being their biggest rival, even while Vancouver has off-and-on rivalries with other Canadian teams.[106] As of 2020, Portland holds a 12–7–7 W-D-L advantage over Vancouver in MLS play.[107]
During the Timbers'2015 MLS Cup run, they defeated Vancouver 2–0 on aggregate over a two-game series in the Western Conference semifinals.
Portland fans in all sports have traditionally embraced a hatred of Los Angeles teams, and that has been no different in recent years in MLS play.[108] Portland had a testy matchup withLAFC in the2018 US Open Cup and followed it up the next year with an even more physical battle in the first game at the revamped Providence Park, leading MLS writer Brian Taylor to describe the matchup as a "new rivalry".[109] In January 2020, Timbers midfielder Sebastian Blanco said that LAFC was Portland's biggest rival outside of Cascadia, and that he "loves to play those games" against them and theLA Galaxy.[110] In the 2020MLS is Back Tournament, Portland drew both LAFC and LA Galaxy in the initial group stage, where they defeated the Galaxy and came from behind to tie against LAFC en route to finishing on top of the group and winning the trophy.
During the NASL and USL years the team's mascot was a grizzledlumberjack namedTimber Jim.[111] On January 24, 2008, Jim announced his retirement. His final farewell was a game played againstPuerto Rico Islanders on April 17, 2008, which the Timbers won 1–0.[112]
Timber Joey served as the unofficial mascot from then on, and was inaugurated as the new official mascot at an exhibition game vs Juventus Primavera on June 14, 2008,[113] a game the Timbers won 1–0,[114] and has served in that capacity ever since, leading into their MLS inauguration in 2011. Joey continues Jim's trademark of cutting a round (or "cookie") from a large log with achainsaw every time the Timbers score a goal. This round is presented to the goal-scoring player after the game. If the team achieves a shutout (clean sheet), the goalkeeper also receives a round. Timber Joey has his own custom jersey with Portland-based outdoor tool manufacturerLeatherman as the shirt sponsor.
From 2023, every Timbers match is available to stream viaMLS Season Pass on theApple TV app. Prior to Apple, the Timbers were a regular staple on local television in the Portland area, both cable and over-the-air.
Before 2023, regular-season games not televised by Major League Soccer's national television partners were broadcast byRoot Sports Northwest. Selected games were broadcast in English byFox affiliateKPTV (channel 12) or its co-ownedMyNetworkTV affiliateKPDX (channel 49). It was formerly broadcast in Spanish byEstrella TV affiliateKGW-DT3 (channel 8.3) from its inception until 2018 with the station ended its affiliation on the subchannel. Beginning in 2012, the team launched a regional syndication network, the Portland Timbers Broadcast Network, which provides the Timbers' over-the-air game coverage to additional markets. Partners of the network included the second digital subchannel ofNBC affiliateKTVZ (channel 21.2) inBend, Fox affiliateKEVU (channel 23) inEugene and MyNetworkTV affiliateKFBI-LD (channel 48) inMedford.[115] KPTV also airs a weekly highlight show,Timbers in 30, on Friday evenings; any future Timbers content remains unaffected by the 2023 Apple deal and teams will still be allowed to have local TV partners.
On the radio, all Timbers games are broadcast in English onKXL (750 AM, "The Game") and are simulcast in Spanish onKXET (1150 AM and 93.FM, "La Gran D"). KXL also airsTalk Timbers, a weekly radio show dedicated to the team and soccer.[116]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
| No. | Player | Position | Nation | Tenure | No. ret. | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Clive Charles | Defender |  United States | 1978–1981 | 2003 | [118][119] |
| Title | Name |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | Phil Neville |
| Technical Director | Jack Dodd |
| Assistant Coach | Liam Ridgewell |
| Assistant Coach | Shannon Murray |
| Assistant Coach | Dave van den Bergh |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Guillermo Valencia |
| Head of Health and Performance | Nick Milonas |
| Director of Scouting | Nacho Leblic |
| Head Video Analyst | Connor Ceballos |
| Title | Name |
|---|---|
| Owner | Merritt Paulson |
| CEO | Heather Davis |
| Chief Administrative Officer / Chief Financial Officer | Sarah Keane |
| Chief Operations Officer | Ashley Highsmith |
| Chief Revenue Officer | Joe Cote |
| Chief Communications Officer | Collin Romer |
Source:Portland Timbers
| Name | Nat | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| John Spencer |  Scotland | December 1, 2010 – July 9, 2012 |
| Gavin Wilkinson |  New Zealand | July 9, 2012 – October 28, 2012(interim) |
| Caleb Porter | United States | January 8, 2013 – November 17, 2017 |
| Giovanni Savarese |  Venezuela | December 18, 2017 – August 21, 2023 |
| Miles Joseph | United States | August 21, 2023 – November 6, 2023(interim) |
| Phil Neville |  England | November 6, 2023 – present |
| Name | Nat | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Gavin Wilkinson | New Zealand | 2009–2022 |
| Ned Grabavoy | United States | 2023–present |
| Name | Nat | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Jack Jewsbury[120] | United States | 2011–2013 |
| Will Johnson[121] |  Canada | 2013–2015 |
| Liam Ridgewell[122] | England | 2015–2018 |
| Diego Valeri[123] |  Argentina | 2018–2021 |
| Diego Chara[124] |  Colombia | 2022–present |
Given to those involved with the Portland Timbers deserving of special honors. Currently there are only six members of this exclusive group:
| Inductee | Date of induction |
|---|---|
| Clive Charles | August 29, 2003 |
| Timber Jim | April 17, 2008 |
| John Bain | March 19, 2011 |
| Jimmy Conway | |
| Mick Hoban | March 8, 2014 |
| Diego Valeri | July 15, 2023 |
Those inducted have their names displayed in the upper northeast corner of what is nowProvidence Park.[125]Clive Charles' number was retired in a halftime ceremony on August 29, 2003, just three days after his death.[126]Timber Jim's number was retired in a halftime ceremony on April 17, 2008.[127]Timber Jim is currently the only non-player to be inducted to the Ring of Honor.[128] BothJohn Bain andJimmy Conway were unveiled as new members at halftime of the club's first ever MLS home game on March 19, 2011.[125]Mick Hoban was inducted on during a halftime ceremony on March 8, 2014.[129][130]Diego Valeri is the first MLS-era player to be inducted into the Timbers Ring of Honor, which took place on July 15, 2023, during a match against Columbus Crew SC at Providence Park.
Portland Timbers 2 (T2) is thefarm club of the Portland Timbers. In October 2014, Merritt Paulson announced the creation of their USL Pro team, Portland Timbers 2 (T2). T2 began play in the 2015 USL pro season, havingMerlo Field as their stadium to play for their home games. The purpose of T2 is to bridge a gap between the academies and the first level team, while having a better way to observe the players' progress and development as well.[131]
This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Timbers. For the full season-by-season history, seeList of Portland Timbers seasons.
| Season | League | Position | Playoffs | USOC | Continental / Other | Average attendance | Top goalscorer(s) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Div | League | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD | Pts | PPG | Conf. | Overall | Name(s) | Goals | ||||||
| 2019 | 1 | MLS | 34 | 14 | 13 | 7 | 49 | 48 | +1 | 49 | 1.44 | 6th | 11th | R1 | SF | DNQ | 25,218 | Brian Fernández | 15 | |
| 2020 | MLS | 23 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 46 | 35 | +11 | 39 | 1.70 | 3rd | 8th | R1 | NH | Leagues Cup MLS is Back Tournament | NH | 25,368 | Jeremy EbobisseDiego Valeri | 9 | |
| 2021 | MLS | 34 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 56 | 52 | 4 | 55 | 1.62 | 4th | 5th | RU | NH | CONCACAF Champions League | QF | 25,368 |  Felipe Mora | 11 | |
| 2022 | MLS | 11 | 10 | 13 | 53 | 53 | 0 | 46 | 1.35 | 8th | 15th | DNQ | Ro32 | DNQ | DNQ | 23,341 | Dairon Asprilla | 10 | ||
| 2023 | MLS | 13 | 10 | 46 | 58 | -12 | 43 | 1.26 | 10th | 18th | DNQ | Ro32 | Leagues Cup | Ro32 | 23.102 |  Evander | 9 | |||
^ 1.Avg. attendance include statistics from league matches only.
^ 2.Top goalscorer(s) includes all goals scored in League,MLS Cup Playoffs,U.S. Open Cup,MLS is Back Tournament,CONCACAF Champions League,FIFA Club World Cup, and other competitive continental matches.
All regular-season home games since the Timbers' entry into MLS in 2011 until theCOVID-19 pandemic in 2020 had been sold out, with the 100th such sell-out on September 10, 2016.[132]
| MLS Season | Reg. season | MLS playoffs |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 18,827 | DNQ |
| 2012 | 20,438 | DNQ |
| 2013 | 20,674 | 20,674 |
| 2014 | 20,744 | DNQ |
| 2015 | 21,144 | 21,144 |
| 2016 | DNQ | |
| 2017 | 21,144 | |
| 2018 | ||
| 2019 | 25,218 | N/A |
| 2020 | 25,218[a] | N/A[b] |
| 2021 | 21,284 | 23,876 |
| 2022 | 23,841 | DNQ |
| 2023 | 23,103 | DNQ |
| 2024 | 22,054 | 19,143 |
| 2025 | TBD | TBD |
DNQ = Did not qualify
| Season | Player(s) | Nation(s) | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Kenny Cooper Jack Jewsbury | United States | 8 |
| 2012 | Kris Boyd | Scotland | 7 |
| 2013 | Diego Valeri | Argentina | 12 |
| 2014 | Diego Valeri | 11 | |
| 2015 | Fanendo Adi |  Nigeria | 18 |
| 2016 | Fanendo Adi | 18 | |
| 2017 | Diego Valeri | Argentina | 21 |
| 2018 | Sebastián Blanco Diego Valeri | 10 | |
| 2019 | Brian Fernández | 15 | |
| 2020 | Jeremy Ebobisse Diego Valeri | United States Argentina | 9 |
| 2021 | Felipe Mora | Chile | 11 |
| 2022 | Dairon Asprilla | Colombia | 10 |
| 2023 | Evander | Brazil | 9 |
| 2024 | Jonathan Rodríguez |  Uruguay | 16 |
| 2025 | TBD |  Unknown | N/A |
Portland has qualified for theCONCACAF Champions League three times, the first time being the2014–15 edition of the tournament.[133]
| Season | Round | Opponent | Home | Away | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | Group stage |  Alpha United | 6–0[134] | 4–1[135] | 2nd |
 Olimpia | 4–2[136] | 1–3[137] | |||
| 2016–17 | Group stage |  Dragón | 2–1[138] | 2–1[139] | |
 Saprissa | 1–1[140] | 2–4[141] | |||
| 2021 | Round of 16 | Marathón | 2–2[142] | 5–0[143] | 7–2 |
| Quarter-finals |  América | 1–1[144] | 1–3[145] | 2–4 |
| Season | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | Group stage | 9th of 24 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 6 |
| 2016–17 | Group stage | 10th of 24 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 7 | ||
| 2021 | Quarter-finals | 7th of 16 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 6 | ||
| Totals | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 31 | 19 | ||
| Rank | Position | Player | Nation | Portland Career | MLS | USOC | Playoffs | CCL | Leagues Cup | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Midfielder | Diego Chará | COL | 2011– | 387 | 12 | 21 | 8 | ? | 428 |
| 2 | Midfielder | Diego Valeri | ARG | 2013–2021 | 259 | 13 | 22 | – | 302 | |
| 3 | Midfielder | Darlington Nagbe | USA | 2011–2017 | 214 | 8 | 12 | 5 | – | 239 |
| 4 | Forward | Dairon Asprilla | COL | 2015–2024 | 203 | 17 | 4 | ? | 232 | |
| 5 | Midfielder | Sebastián Blanco | ARG | 2017–2023 | 173 | 9 | 11 | – | ? | 193 |
| 6 | Midfielder | Jack Jewsbury | USA | 2011–2016 | 157 | 8 | 10 | 3 | – | 178 |
| 7 | Midfielder | Cristhian Paredes |  PAR | 2018– | 157 | 9 | 6 | ? | 175 | |
| 8 | Defender | Larrys Mabiala |  COD | 2017–2024 | 150 | 7 | 11 | 4 | ? | 172 |
| 9 | Forward | Fanendo Adi | NGA | 2014–2018 | 126 | 6 | 6 | 7 | – | 145 |
| 10 | Forward | Rodney Wallace | CRC | 2011–2015 | 120 | 9 | 4 | – | 139 |
USOC =U.S. Open Cup;CCL =CONCACAF Champions League
Bolded players are currently on the Portland Timbers roster.
.jpg)
| Rank | Position | Player | Nation | Portland Career | MLS | USOC | Playoffs | CCL | Leagues Cup | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Midfielder | Diego Valeri | ARG | 2013–2021 | 86 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 100 |
| 2 | Forward | Fanendo Adi | NGA | 2014–2018 | 54 | – | 2 | 4 | 0 | 60 |
| 3 | Midfielder | Sebastián Blanco | ARG | 2017– | 33 | 5 | 3 | – | 0 | 49 |
| 4 | Midfielder | Darlington Nagbe | USA | 2011–2017 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 31 |
| 5 | Forward | Jeremy Ebobisse | USA | 2017–2021 | 26 | 2 | 1 | — | 0 | 29 |
| 6 | Forward | Jarosław Niezgoda |  POL | 2020– | 19 | 2 | 0 | – | 0 | 23 |
| 7 | Forward | Felipe Mora | CHL | 18 | – | 2 | 0 | 0 | 20 | |
| Forward | Maximiliano Urruti | ARG | 2013–2015 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 20 | |
| 9 | Forward | Rodney Wallace | CRC | 2011–2015 | 16 | 1 | 2 | – | 0 | 19 |
| Midfielder | Will Johnson | CAN | 2013–2015 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
USOC =U.S. Open Cup;CCL =CONCACAF Champions League
Bolded players are currently on the Portland Timbers roster.
| Rank | Position | Player | Nation | Portland Career | MLS | USOC | Playoffs | CCL | Leagues Cup | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Midfielder | Diego Valeri | ARG | 2013–2021 | 90 | – | 8 | 2 | – | 100 |
| 2 | Midfielder | Sebastián Blanco | ARG | 2017–2023 | 42 | 1 | 1 | – | ? | 44 |
| 3 | Midfielder | Darlington Nagbe | USA | 2011–2017 | 30 | 2 | – | – | 33 | |
| 4 | Midfielder | Diego Chará | COL | 2011– | 27 | – | ? | 30 | ||
| 5 | Forward | Rodney Wallace | CRC | 2011–2015 | 17 | 3 | 1 | – | 22 | |
| 6 | Midfielder | Jack Jewsbury | USA | 2011–2016 | 16 | – | 2 | – | – | 18 |
| 7 | Forward | Fanendo Adi | NGA | 2014–2018 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | 17 |
| 8 | Midfielder | Kalif Alhassan |  GHA | 2011–2014 | 12 | 2 | – | 16 | ||
| 9 | Midfielder | Dairon Asprilla | COL | 2015–2024 | 10 | 4 | 0 | ? | 15 | |
| 10 | Defender | Jorge Villafaña | USA | 2014–2015, 2018–2020 | 13 | 0 | – | 14 |
USOC =U.S. Open Cup;CCL =CONCACAF Champions League
Bolded players are currently on the Portland Timbers roster.
Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders will renew their intense rivalry. Longtime adversaries in the USL, A-League, and NASL, the Timbers and Sounders don't generally get along.
Links to related articles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
