In July 2024, more than 1,000 Bellingham spectators cheered on Team USA during an Olympic Women’s Soccer watch party at Trackside. The party, sponsored by the Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026 Organizing Committee, offered a taste of what’s to come — Bellingham has been designated one of nine 2026 World Cup “Fan Zones” throughout the state.
Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund joined other elected officials and economic development directors from around Washington on Tuesday, Jan. 14 at Lumen Field in Seattle for the Fan Zone announcement.
“We have been working for months to secure this opportunity for our community and are actively assembling a team to make this an unforgettable experience for fans to come together,” Lund said during a press conference.
“Bellingham is unique — we are a soccer town, but we are uniquely located between the Seattle games and the games in Vancouver, British Columbia, and we are thrilled to showcase what we think is the gem of the Pacific Northwest and abundant recreational opportunities,” she continued.
The Seattle organizing committee is partnering with FOX 13 Seattle to support fan zones. Programming in Bellingham may include live entertainment, food and interactive fan activations. Specific locations for events in the city will be announced closer to the World Cup.
“I think we’re going to see each of these city’s and county’s fan zones sparkle a little bit differently,” said Leo Flor, chief legacy officer for the Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026. “They’re each going to show what’s special about their community, about their part of the state.”
During the cross-border North American soccer tournament, touted as “the biggest sporting event in history,” three countries and 16 cities will host 104 matches in June and July 2026. Six of those matches will take place at Lumen Field and seven will happen at BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, making Bellingham a key stopover on the I-5 corridor between the two host cities.
Up to 750,000 fans are expected to visit the region. The Seattle World Cup Organizing Committee oversees local logistics, planning and coordination for operations, safety and transportation. It will be a formidable undertaking but also a boon to Puget Sound. Visit Seattle has projected the World Cup will have a major economic impact on the region, generating at least $929 million for King County and more than $100 million in state and local tax revenue.
Julia Tellman writes about civic issues and anything else that happens to cross her desk; contact her at juliatellman@cascadiadaily.com.
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