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The city has set aside millions in preparation for the international soccer tournament, which could bring about 750,000 visitors to the city.
With the 2026 World Cup approaching, the city of Seattle is thinking of ways to use the massive international soccer tournament as a catalyst for permanent improvements downtown.
Between planning reserves, improvements to parks and art activations, the city has set aside millions of dollars in the 2025-2026 budget for the World Cup, for which the city will host four group-stage matches and two knockout round matches at Lumen Field.
Deputy Mayor Greg Wong said improvements to the Westlake Park area downtown are one focus of Mayor Bruce Harrell’s plan to create an impact in the city that lasts after the World Cup ends next summer. The park is just over a mile north of the stadium, at 401 Pine St.
“It used to kind of be a hub of downtown, and it hasn’t been as much,” Wong said. “We’re really starting to look at how we can totally reimagine that space.”
Seattle Parks and Recreation plans to invest $1.3 million this year and $2.3 million next year to upgrade Westlake Park, according to the budget. Although Wong said the city is still in early discussions around specifics, the city budget mentions a stage renovation, electrical systems upgrade, removal of the out-of-commission fountain, and paving repairs as potential fixes.
The budget also includes $494,801 for arts, culture and festival activations, which Wong said are a major investment focus ahead of the World Cup as Seattle looks to showcase itself to tourists. There is also $2 million set aside for World Cup planning and operations reserves, and $6.2 million in reserves for capital improvement projects. Wong said this money is set aside for unplanned needs and expenses tied to the World Cup.
Along with SeattleFWC26, Seattle’s World Cup organizing committee, the city will work to land state and federal funding, according to Wong. He added that other areas of focus for the city include Pioneer Square’s Occidental Square, Seattle Center and downtown’s Third Avenue corridor.
Beyond activations and creating a lasting impact, Seattle’s other major World Cup investment buckets include transportation and safety. Increased police presence is one aspect of safety, Wong said, as are car barricades, increasingly top of mind after the deadly New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans. As for transit, Wong said expanded bus and rail service is on the table.
Lumen Field, which holds more than 68,000 fans, will host tournament games from June to 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.
Seattle Center will be an official World Cup fan celebration hub, hosting about 20,000 fans during matches. SeattleFWC26 will announce nine other hubs across Washington in the coming months.
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 it will support over 20,700 jobs and bring about 750,000 visitors to Seattle, roughly equal to the city’s population.
Sara Nelson, president of the Seattle City Council, said she has put in a request for road construction that usually happens in the summer to be planned well in advance. That will allow tourists to freely explore the whole Seattle area with minimal impact to local small businesses.
“These (tourists) are going to be exploring, hopefully, the region as well,” Nelson said.
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 clubs or franchise teams, including the Seattle Sounders, rather than national teams.
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