The first FIFA World Cup 2026 game played in Seattle took place on June 11. After that, it seemed like there were nonstop soccer games at venues across 16 host cities in Mexico, Canada, and the United States. For the first time, Seattle was a host city, and, as expected, tens of thousands of fans packed the stadium and spilled into the streets to celebrate local games as well as those in other host cities.
Maybe soccer isn't America's favorite sport, but for the three weeks the games were here, people seemed overcome by the fanatical enthusiasm seen in international soccer fans. And although the primary economic benefits were felt in Seattle's downtown core, some of that enthusiasm for the "beautiful game" spread to community watch parties and neighborhood bars as people got into the spirit. The biggest watch parties occurred on the waterfront and in Pioneer Square, Westlake Park, Pacific Place, and Seattle Center. But there were also smaller events held in local communities, like the Central District, Columbia City, Beacon Hill, and the Chinatown-International District (CID).
On June 19, community members gathered in Midtown Square in the Central District to watch the U.S. play Australia. ARTE NOIR partnered with FIFA to create "Freedom and Football," an event to honor Juneteenth and celebrate soccer. It featured an indoor soccer area, food, and a giant viewing screen. Although the day was blisteringly hot, dozens of enthusiastic community members and neighbors came out to cheer on the U.S. in its 2–1 victory.
In Columbia City and Hillman City, people gathered at local bars, and the monthly Columbia City Beatwalk held a special World Cup event on June 25. Sports bars, like Rough & Tumble, Rookies, and Machine House Brewery, were packed with soccer fans. Amy Bensinger, who lives near Machine House Brewery, said she and her husband weren't interested in going downtown because of the crowds, but they wanted to see the match in their neighborhood pub. "We could watch it at home, but it's more fun to support Bill [the owner] and Machine House, and, quite frankly, the beer is good — and who says no to that?"
Peter Berbrugge, who has lived on Beacon Hill for 30 years, had watched Mexico play during a World Cup viewing party at El Centro de la Raza in 2022, so he contacted the organization to find out if it was going to hold an event this year. He said he received a nice reply and was thrilled to learn there was a watch party scheduled for June 27, for the Panama vs. England and Colombia vs. Portugal games. "I may be the only Englishman here, but that's okay," he said. "I've had a great time, and no one does it better than El Centro de la Raza."
Even though the CID is near Seattle Stadium, where all six local games took place, local businesses reported little economic impact. Several watch parties were held in Hing Hay Park and were relatively well-attended. Although the final U.S. match, against Belgium, was a heartbreaker for U.S. fans, with a 4–1 loss, Hing Hay was packed.
From the first game to the last played in Seattle Stadium, the city welcomed the international soccer community with open arms — and had fun doing it. Now, everyone will have to wait to see who wins the final on July 19, when Spain takes on Argentina at the New York New Jersey Stadium.
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