Listen to this article 5 min
The fan hubs will be in addition to the one at Seattle Center, which is expected to host up to 20,000 fans during matches.
Seattle’s World Cup organizing committee on Tuesday named the nine Washington cities that will host fan zones for the quadrennial soccer tournament in 2026.
The host cities are Bellingham, Bremerton, Everett, Olympia/Lacey, Tri-Cities, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver and Yakima. The committee said in a news release the sites, which will serve as an official fan celebration hubs, could have live entertainment, fan experiences, food and beverages.
They will be in addition to the one at Seattle Center, announced in October, that is expected host up to 20,000 fans during World Cup matches. The fan zone sites in the other host cities were not announced.
“I look forward to showcasing our vibrant local community on the global stage, and celebrating soccer in a way only Tacoma and Pierce County can. We invite fans near and far to experience the dynamic energy, diversity, and spirit that define Tacoma and Pierce County,” Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards said in the release.
FOX13 Seattle, a broadcast partner for the 2026 World Cup, is working with Seattle’s World Cup organizing committee on the fan zones.
The Seattle Center zone will broadcast all six of the 2026 World Cup matches hosted at Lumen Field, and it will offer entertainment, educational displays, food and drinks. It will also establish a business opportunity zone for small and minority-owned businesses.
Lumen Field, which holds more than 68,000 fans, will host four group-stage matches and two knockout-round matches in June and July next year. Forty-eight clubs will participate in the World Cup, with games spread across cities in Mexico, Canada and the U.S. Team USA, Canada and Mexico get automatic bids as host nations.
Visit Seattle in December released a report forecasting the 2026 World Cup will generate at least $929 million for King County, including more than $100 million in state and local tax revenue. The report estimates the tournament will support over 20,700 jobs and bring about 750,000 visitors to Seattle, roughly equal to the city’s population.
The 2022 World Cup final had almost 1.5 billion viewers, according to FIFA, the international soccer governing body. By comparison, last year’s Super Bowl drew 123.4 million viewers.
Lumen Field will also host matches for the 2025 Club World Cup, which is a precursor to the World Cup. It will feature 32 pro teams, including the Seattle Sounders, rather than national teams.
For more stories like this one, sign up for the Business Journal’s free morning and afternoon daily newsletters or download our free app.
Sport Business Forum
Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with key leaders from top sports franchises, industry experts, and fellow business professionals.
2025 Corporate Citizenship Awards
Nominate a socially responsible business in the area of Arts, Basic Needs, Education, Environment, Health Care, Economic Opportunity, Global Giving and Neighborhoods & Communities.
© 2025 American City Business Journals. All rights reserved. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated August 13, 2024) and Privacy Policy (updated December 17, 2024). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of American City Business Journals.
