Leaders prepare to welcome millions to Washington’s World Cup
Today the U.S. Women’s National Soccer team officially punched their ticket to the knockout round of the World Cup. Advancing against stiff competition, they are still in the hunt for an unprecedented third consecutive title.
Standouts like Sophia Smith and Lindsay Horan have scored stunning goals at this elite level competition. They won their opening match 3–0, with even more close shots that barely missed finding the back of the net.
“It was a good starting point for our team,” said forward Sophia Smith. “I also know we have a lot more that we can give, a lot more to do, little things to work on.”
With all this action, soccer fans in Washington have a ton to be excited about right now. Seattle’s National Women’s Soccer League team, the OL Reign, sent eight players to the national squad. And there are several Washingtonians playing in the tournament too — like Dom Randle who grew up in Sammamish, Alicia Barker from Woodinville, and University of Washington graduate Jessika Cowart. All three women are representing the Philippines in the World Cup this summer. The Philippines just won their first World Cup game ever, beating New Zealand in group play.
That’s not all. In just a few years, Washington is bringing the World Cup home. Seattle is officially one of the cities that will host games during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Bringing the World Cup to the Evergreen State
FIFA’s decision to hold games in the Evergreen State hinged on the work of the SEA 2026 committee. Comprised of executives from Washington’s business and nonprofit world, community leaders, and elected officials, the group made the case that Seattle was ready to host the world’s largest sporting event.
As part of the pitch, the committee asked Gov. Jay Inslee to speak with FIFA officials about Washington’s commitment to sustainability and inclusion — the primary themes FIFA wants these games to highlight. The governor spoke with FIFA’s officials about Washington’s leadership on climate change and commitment to making Washington’s cities more livable and energy-efficient, slashing greenhouse gas emissions, and stemming the tide of climate change.
Inslee also discussed Washington’s long tradition of hosting international soccer games, including exhibition matches and World Cup qualifiers.
“In 1969, my dad and I watched West Ham United take on Kilmarnock in Seattle. Being in that stadium and part of that crowd was an incredible experience,” the governor said. “We’re talking about the most popular game in the world. And whether you call it football or soccer, we can all agree it’s incredibly exciting that Washington will host the World Cup in 2026 for fans from across the globe.”
Their efforts paid off. FIFA officially named Seattle one of the host cities in June 2022. A year later, FIFA and the SEA2026 committee unveiled Seattle’s unique logo atop the Space Needle.
How Seattle is preparing for the games
Seattle showed it could handle major sporting and entertainment events recently when the city hosted Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game and a weekend of Taylor Swift concerts. With more than 100,000 people in attendance for the weeklong festivities, the All-Star Game likely generated $50 million in revenue. And Swift’s concerts broke Seattle’s record by generating $7 million in hotel room revenue in a single day, with 97 % of hotel rooms booked city-wide. The talented singer-songwriter’s fans broke another record with their earth-shaking dancing at Lumen Field, causing seismic activity equivalent to a 2.3 magnitude earthquake.
The World Cup promises to be even bigger — the equivalent of hosting four or five All-Star games in a row in the midst of a month-long festival. Planning for the tournament is a huge task, not unlike the effort that went into hosting the 1962 World’s Fair.
The city is doing what it takes to be ready. Mayor Bruce Harrell has said construction of Seattle’s waterfront park will be completed in time to serve as a staging area and gathering space for fans. With Olympic Mountains in the background, it’s hard to think of a better way to showcase Seattle’s charm for a global audience.
And transit will be key too for shuttling passengers across the Seattle area to Lumen Field. Seattle’s Sound Transit light rail system makes it incredibly convenient for fans to travel to the stadium. And new stops are scheduled to open between now and 2026, which will increase the availability of places to stay during the tournament. Funding for transit — including free transit for youth — received a huge boost last year thanks to the Climate Commitment Act, which established Washington state’s new cap-and-invest program.
With multiple practice fields in the greater Seattle area — Seattle University’s Championship field, Tukwila’s Starfire campus, and the Seattle Sounders’ training facility in Renton — players will have the infrastructure they need to prepare for the matches as well. Lumen Field will also see a few improvements before kickoff. Notably, the turf will be replaced with grass grown in Washington.
For Peter Tomozawa, the CEO of Seattle FWC26, the organization working with FIFA to prepare Seattle for the games, the World Cup offers a chance to leave a legacy focused on inspiring learning and fostering joy and community-building across Washington.
“The reason why we do this is to leave a lasting legacy,” said Tomozawa. “We will utilize the vast megaphone that FIFA provides, taking advantage of the platform to tell the stories of our communities throughout the state and recognize humankind universally to an audience measured in the billions.”
The charitable arm of the Seattle Sounders, the RAVE Foundation, is also using the World Cup as a channel to help build community. They’ve committed to building 26 community playfields statewide between now and the start of the World Cup. They have 13 completed so far, with the most recent field opening at New Holly in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood in May. The foundation is also providing year-round programming for these fields to inspire kids to get outside, play and learn.
Boosting excitement among Washington youth for outdoor education and sports
Research shows that participation in organized sports and outdoor recreation improves students’ physical and mental health and helps them build stronger critical thinking skills. In short, funding sports and recreation programs helps students prepare to pursue their goals and participate in Washington’s world-class economy.
The excitement surrounding major sporting events like the World Cup can help spur interest among children and youth in the outdoors and sports. This year’s budget included $12.4 million in new funding for equitable access to community outdoor athletic facilities. The governor also signed SB 5257 this year, which mandates that public schools must provide a minimum of 30 minutes of daily recess for all elementary school students.
Also included in the state’s newest construction budget are millions of dollars for projects that benefit youth sports, including upgrading and building playfields, stadiums and pools across the state. Examples include building lights at the Ridgefield Outdoor Ball Field in Enumclaw, financial support for construction of The Podium sports complex in Spokane, upgrading the turf at Celebration Park in Federal Way, building new irrigation systems at the DeWilde Rugby Fields in Ferndale, and maintaining and improving the playfields at the Kirkland Boys and Girls Club.
Initiatives like the governor’s No Child Left Inside program and OSPI’s outdoor education grants program also provide active, outdoor learning opportunities for young people.
Opportunities for kids to play are vital for their intellectual, physical and social development. It’s also about letting kids have fun. That’s why it’s key to ensure that growing Washingtonians have access to gyms and fields — and time in their daily lives to take advantage of those facilities.
If history is any guide, a few of the kids playing pickup soccer in Washington today will wind up playing in a future World Cup.
