PORT ORCHARD, WA—Port Orchard Football Club is a connector between Kitsap County and the world’s game. In 2026 that game arrives in a big way when Seattle hosts FIFA World Cup matches. New POFC Head Coach Max Sampson sees exciting synergy in a chance to have a few talented international players compete with his team during the same time Seattle hosts fans from around the globe.
Just hours after Sampson was announced as head coach, he began receiving congratulations messages from current and former players, including some from overseas who had been to the northwest to play for South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia. Sampson’s early recruiting efforts with the Clippers often focused on finding international talent to come over and help build his program. Now he’s pondering putting what he’s learned about that process into his debut season in Port Orchard. It all depends on finding the right folks in the community who can take those players in for the season.
POFC Homestay Program Could Make It Possible
“I think bringing in high quality persons that have different cultures but have the shared love of soccer (football) can be really valuable for Homestay Families,” says Sampson. “Especially of you have a youth soccer player in your home. Maybe this will provide a role model for them. Maybe there is some sort of language cultural exchange. In homestay programs that I have witnessed in the past…that could mean having fun, maybe having a cookout with food from their culture…there are so many benefits. I’ve even had American families of homestay players go and visit them in their country afterwards. They become an extended part of the families.”
Joscha and Kai
Foreign players have already been a part of POFC. Kai Pahl (Guam) has featured for the club over two seasons. He’s stayed in the US during the summer thanks to relatives on Fox Island. He got rides to and from Olympia from the Hills family. Joscha Schulte-Holtey (Germany) played some of the 2024 season in Port Orchard as he was finishing school (dorm accomodations) at SPSCC.
Australian Nationals In Seattle AND Kitsap?
One of the first players to congratulate Coach Sampson on his gig with POFC was former player Daniel Latinovic. The towering 6’5″ Australian defender played for Max at Lane College in 2022. During that season Lane made a run for the NWAC title. Since then Daniel has returned home and continues to compete in the NPL, most recently with Launceston City FC.
Daniel is a good example of the kind of talent that fans in Kitsap could enjoy at POFC. In fact, in his exchanges with Coach Sampson he made it clear that he’d love to come back to the USA and compete in a summer league.
Imagine having USA play Australia in the FIFA World Cup over in Seattle on June 19 the same week as Daniel suits up in west sound with Port Orchard FC. Good stuff. The kind of thing that brings the world together, one kick at a time.
“International players are so grateful,” Sampson says. “They are living out their dream to visit America, to play soccer. Anyone who takes them in is instantly going to become family for them. So I think it’s critical, especially for a club our size, to be able to offer something like that.”
Join The POFC Homestay Family Email List
Interested families can keep in touch with POFC’s progress towards building a homestay program by sending an email to Club Coodinator David Falk at david@gopofc.com. For his part, Falk is excited about what could be a next big step for the club in 2026. “The World Cup vibe is international connection,” Falk says. “We can have that on our own small scale if we have a Homestay Program. A few talented players who have been screened as good candidates for a few months with an American family…adding to the world’s game right here in Kitsap County with POFC.”
Homestay Program
Players visiting the US to play soccer would get paperwork assistance from Head Coach Max Sampson and the club. There are details to work out with host families in terms of insurance, and what they are able to provide their player. A room of their own to sleep in is preferred. Helping them get around to training and matches is important. Feeding them is required. It is also possible more than one family could split those duties up for a player. POFC plays May-July. Homestay families would receive POFC home match season passes free of charge.
