Latest confirmation that Clint Dempsey is kind of a big deal is that the Sounders have sold out the entire CenturyLink seating manifest for the new star’s home debut Aug. 25 against Portland. The Sounders said Tuesday they will expand capacity to include 400 additional upper-level bleachers and standing room only.

The expanded seating is a first for a Sounders MLS match.

For two other games, Sept. 13 against Real Salt Lake and Oct. 27 vs. the Los Angeles Galaxy, the Sounders have created a two-match ticket package. The tickets are available 1-877-MLS-GOAL or online at SoundersFC.com.

The Sounders again lead the league in attendance for a fifth consecutive year at more than 40,000 a game. As of Aug. 1, attendance was up 2.8 percent in 2013, while MLS overall was down three percent.

Dempsey, captain of the U.S. Men’s National Team, was lured back from a six-year stay in the English Premiership by the Sounders’ offer of a $24 million deal over 3½ years, plus a $9 million transfer fee to Tottenham Hotspur. His first game with the Sounders is Saturday in Toronto. The Sounders play Aug. 17 in Houston before the home match with the Cascadia Cup rival.