 Even before the first cities in the United States were chosen to host Major League Soccer teams, Seattle was considered a viable location for a professional team.In 1994, as the U.S. was preparing to host the FIFA World Cup, more than 30 cities were pursuing the rights to an MLS team, Seattle being among them.However, despite the strong soccer fan base in Seattle, the absence of a soccer-only stadium was a drawback to establishing an MLS team.