The 2026 FIFA World Cup comes to Seattle in 33 days, and local leaders said the city is ready to handle the roughly 750,000 fans expected to descend on the city. They hope a vast majority of those fans choose not to drive to the matches.
“Our goal is to have 80% of fans arrive at the stadium without a personal vehicle,” said Peter Tomozawa, CEO, SeattleFWC26. “That is an amazing goal, and we’re going to get there.”
Free shuttles, 60 new bus routes, and expanded water taxi service
On match days, there will be free waterfront shuttles available. There will also be 60 new bus routes on match days, and 40 on non-match days, as well as an expanded water taxi service for Vashon Island and West Seattle.
New Seattle waterfront shuttle launches next week
Next week, a new waterfront shuttle will begin running between Waterfront Park, Seattle Center, Pioneer Square, the Chinatown-International District, and the Stadium District. This service will be available through Labor Day.
“We are receiving some revenue to offset what those costs would be,” said Michelle Allison, general manager of King County Metro Transit. “It is not free for the system, but free for the user.”
Sound Transit to run 4-minute light rail on match days
Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine said the agency would run four-minute light rail service between the International District and Lynnwood all day on match days. There will also be special Sounder commuter trains in service from the north and south, Constantine said.
“We have delivered a world-class system, and now it is time to welcome the world aboard,” Constantine said.
The recently opened cross-Lake Washington connection expands access from the Eastside.
I-5 Ship Canal Bridge construction paused June 8 through July 10
In order to ease the commute for drivers, construction along I-5’s Ship Canal Bridge will be paused from June 8 through July 10.
“As someone who travels on that stretch of freeway on a very regular basis, I understand the challenges facing commuters,” Governor Bob Ferguson said. “That’s why we’re putting a pause on that so we can maximize the experience for this incredible event.”
There will be more incident response teams on the roads, coordinating with 24/7 traffic management centers, Ferguson said.
Washington State Ferries at full capacity with standby boats
The state’s ferry system is at “full domestic service,” according to Ferguson, with 18 vessels in the water. While the World Cup is in town, there will be two more boats on standby at Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge Island in the event of any service disruptions. Extra traffic attendants, sailors, and security personnel will be working along the routes between Seattle, Bainbridge Island, and Bremerton.
“We just want to make sure we’re doing everything possible on our end to make this experience as positive as possible for every match,” Ferguson said.
$846M economic impact expected
The state is expecting an economic impact of $846 million, including $593 million spent at local businesses, Ferguson said.
“We literally have a situation where the world is coming to Seattle,” Ferguson said. “That is an amazing opportunity for us as a state and as a city. It’s gonna be great for our economy.”
Seattle is among 11 U.S. cities hosting World Cup matches. More than 40 cities wanted to do so.
“Transportation is part of hospitality,” Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson said. “Good transit makes cities feel more open, more connected, and more accessible.”
Pioneer Square transforms into walkable pedestrian zone for World Cup
Last month, the city announced that Seattle’s Pioneer Square will be turned into a “walkable pedestrian zone” during this summer’s FIFA World Cup matches at Lumen Field.
According to a post on the Seattle Department of Transportation website, the changes are meant to improve safety and manage the large crowds expected around the stadium.
“The temporary pedestrian zones create more space for you to walk, roll, and gather, while uplifting event safety for visitors, workers, and residents,” the post stated. “This approach also helps manage the queuing for a single stadium entry point [north gates only], early gate opening [three hours prior], and heavy activation in Pioneer Square with watch parties, bands, and entertainment.”
The city also plans to add 200 more bike corrals in order to provide more bicycle parking.
‘Ready to Go’: Super Bowl parade served as stress test
Allison said the city and its transportation system are “ready to go.”
“[The] Super Bowl parade was a really good stress test where we had 750,000 folks in a very limited corridor, moving them quickly and efficiently with Sound Transit and King County Metro in a way where we were able to get back to regular service by the evening,” she said. “That was a really good planning exercise to show that we are ready for this level of operations.”
Seattle hosts 6 FIFA World Cup matches from June 15 to July 6
Seattle’s Lumen Field, which was temporarily rebranded as Seattle Stadium for the FIFA World Cup, is slated to host six games:
- June 15: Belgium v. Egypt
- June 19: USA v. Australia
- June 24: Qatar v. Bosnia-Herzegovina
- June 26: Egypt v. Iran
- July 1: Matchup to be announced
- July 6: Matchup to be announced
This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com
Frank Lenzi is the News Director for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here.