Peter Kingston has been rewarded for seizing his brief first-team opportunities: the Seattle Sounders announced on Friday that the 24-year-old midfielder has signed a contract with the club’s MLS roster after impressive short-term loan appearances.
Kingston earned his long-term promotion after an 85-minute start in a 1-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes and a two-assist cameo off the bench against the Vancouver Whitecaps in Concacaf Champions Cup play. “Peter has earned this contract through the work he’s put in every day,” Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer said in the club’s announcement. “He’s been consistent in training, taken coaching well and made the most of his opportunities with both Tacoma Defiance and the First Team. He’s stepped in with confidence when called upon and shown he belongs at this level. We’re excited to fully integrate him into our group and see how he can continue to help the team.”
Kingston’s path to the Sounders first team followed a familiar but winding local route. A product of the Sounders Academy and a member of the club’s 2018 GA Cup champions, he made five early appearances with Tacoma Defiance before opting for college. Kingston spent three seasons at Seattle University before transferring to the University of Washington for two more campaigns. Between college seasons he also starred for Ballard FC in USL League Two, scoring 10 goals and supplying 22 assists in 50 appearances and helping that side win the league’s national title in 2023.
Not selected in the MLS SuperDraft, Kingston returned to the professional ranks last year by signing with Tacoma Defiance, Seattle’s MLS Next Pro affiliate. Over the 2025 season he recorded three goals and six assists across all competitions while filling multiple roles on the pitch — versatility the Sounders cited as a factor in his promotion. Kingston becomes the 13th player on Seattle’s first-team roster to have begun his professional career with Tacoma Defiance, underscoring the club’s continued reliance on its developmental pipeline.
The contract formalizes what had been a trial-by-opportunity period for Kingston, who had been appearing for the first team under short-term agreements that allow MLS clubs to call up affiliate players for specific matches. The Sounders did not disclose the length or financial terms of the deal in Friday’s announcement.
With Seattle balancing MLS, Concacaf Champions Cup and other competitions, Kingston’s elevation adds homegrown depth in midfield and attack — areas where the team has frequently turned to academy and Defiance graduates. The club’s statement framed the signing as both a reward for Kingston’s progress and a step toward “fully integrat[ing] him into our group,” suggesting he will be part of the senior squad’s preparations going forward.