Call it soccer or fútbol. It was the summer of 1994 when the United States last hosted the FIFA World Cup. Now, 32 years later, the 2026 FIFA World Cup has landed across North America. Seattle will host six matches starting today, June 15. Officials expect some 750,000 fans to attend the matches and bring an estimated $846 million to the region.
The South Seattle Emerald headed to Beacon Hill last week to check in with local Latinos about what it means for Seattle to host the World Cup.
At Carnitas Michoacan, a taqueria on Beacon Avenue South, Jaime Moreno said he was very excited about the World Cup. Moreno is actually the manager of La Esperanza Mercado next door. But here he stood behind the register helping out. He said he was holding out hope on getting tickets, checking constantly for a drop in ticket prices. Those prices currently range from about $600 to nearly $1,500 for the first Seattle game. But if he was being honest, Moreno said in Spanish, he would rather spend time with his family and "spend $200 on getting food for my family of five and have everyone be together to watch the game." That would be more enjoyable, he said.
The taqueria is a family business operated by the Santacruz family. Uncles, parents, and siblings all pitch in. Moreno is related to the family through marriage. The restaurant has a few TV screens and plans to stream matches for customers to watch. Moreno said the restaurant doesn't usually like letting customers linger to watch TV, but for the World Cup he hopes more people will come in and eat food and stick around and buy a beer and watch the game.
Two workers at nearby Benito's Ice Cream shop said they were excited about the World Cup once they knew it was happening. They identified themselves by their first names — Lupita and Guadalupe. Lupita said growing up her family had watched the World Cup and said she would probably do the same this year. Guadalupe said she knew about the matches but did not really care.
But while being interviewed in Spanish, they began to wonder what they could do at the ice cream shop for the World Cup. With a large television, they thought about streaming the tournament and inviting the community in, providing an alternative to those who would rather not spend money on a streaming service.
The Emerald spoke to workers doing inventory at La Esperanza, pedestrians on Beacon Avenue, and workers selling agua frescas on the street. Beacon Hill is just three light rail stops away from the stadium. Most people said they couldn't afford the cost of a ticket. Some also said they were afraid about an event that would draw hundreds of thousands and cause traffic. A few people said they were afraid of the law enforcement that would be present at the World Cup games.
A restaurant worker who asked to remain anonymous said he knew all about the upcoming World Cup and was excited to watch the games, but would not attend in person with "everything going on" about possible ICE activity.
About the World Cup, Malou Chávez, the executive director at Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP), said, "You would think it'd be a celebration. But it almost feels heavy in many ways for our communities, given the state of the federal administration enforcement."
In February, Todd Lyons, ICE's acting director, said ICE agents would be a "key part" of the security at the FIFA World Cup. But April Putney, chief strategy officer and a member of Seattle's FIFA organizing committee, said immigration officers will be focused on preventing human trafficking.
Advocates note there are precautions that people can take if they decide to go to a match, like knowing their rights. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) provides digital versions of tarjetas rojas or red cards that spell out these rights and advise people what to do in the event they are stopped by ICE.
"Maybe you decide that this is not a game you're going to go to watch … or maybe you decide to go, but you're going to be ready to practice your rights and be aware of your surroundings," Chávez said. Chávez's organization, NWIRP, has lawyers and volunteers who have been preparing for the World Cup in case legal help is being sought.
In an email to the Emerald, a spokesperson for El Centro de la Raza declined to comment on "ICE activity, safety protocols, or community concerns surrounding immigration enforcement. In an effort to protect the safety, privacy, and well-being of the communities we serve, we keep our internal safety and response protocols confidential and do not discuss them publicly."
El Centro de la Raza is hosting a World Cup watch party on June 27 at Plaza Roberto Maestas on Beacon Hill. Panama vs. England plays at 2 p.m., and Colombia vs. Portugal plays at 4:30 p.m.
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