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The breadth and depth of Seattle's appearance on the world stage during the 2026 FIFA World Cup became clearer with Sunday's announcement of what sorts of matches Lumen Field will host.
Between June 15 and July 6, 2026, the Emerald City will see four group-stage and two knockout round matches. On June 19 the U.S. men's team will take the pitch against a to-be-determined opponent. The three other matches are set for June 24, June 26 and July 1.
The ongoing World Cup qualification rounds will decide which teams will join hosts Canada, Mexico and the United States for the quadrennial spectacle that is the world's most popular sporting event. King County Executive Dow Constantine says the six matches will be among the largest events in the region's history.
With the world watching Seattle — one of 16 host cities stretching between Vancouver, British Columbia, and Mexico City — the local organizing committee, SeattleFWC26, said in a press release it plans to "maximize economic development and community building, collaborating with partners, businesses and vendors throughout Washington."
The committee plans to work in at least 10 communities to host official fan events.
Cities across Washington are angling to get in on the action, with Renton and Spokane mayors on Monday promoting venues in their towns where teams could train.
Renton Mayor Armondo Pavone noted in the SeattleFWC26 release that Renton is the new headquarters of Seattle Sounders FC. The club's training facility would be "a perfect place for a premier team to call their home in 2026," he said.
Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown said her city "stand(s) ready to host a team to train at the great Gonzaga University."
SeattleFWC26's economic impact is unknown.
"Unfortunately it is too early for these estimates to be generated yet," SeattleFWC26 Chief Strategy Officer April Putney said in an email. "We do not yet know the origins of ticket purchasers, what other teams will be playing here, which impacts how many non-game attending fans will also show up, etc."
It's estimated the six matches will draw 360,000 fan visits to Lumen Field. The stadium has a 68,740-seat capacity, but thousands of seats will be blocked by cameras and other equipment needed for the expansive media coverage.
Some fans won't get tickets but will come for the roughly 25-day FIFA Fan Fest on the waterfront, potentially at the new Waterfront Park.
