Pioneer Square became the heart of Seattle’s FIFA World Cup celebration this summer, drawing massive crowds for fan zones, watch parties and marches that delivered a major economic boost to neighborhood businesses.
For some businesses, the tournament brought the busiest days they have ever seen.
“It was amazing seeing the whole city come out, so many tourists and new faces in our city come through,” said Will Perry, owner of Footie on First, a soccer-themed pop-up bar in Pioneer Square. “Amazing energy for every game, every match.”
Perry said sales during tournament days were three to 10 times higher than a typical day, providing a critical financial boost.
“Big events, big moments just help bolster us a ton to help us get through some of the more quiet months, some of the quiet weeks, the events that don’t work out,” Perry said.
According to the Downtown Seattle Association, the neighborhood saw unprecedented foot traffic during the tournament. On June 19, Pioneer Square welcomed nearly 150,000 domestic visitors, the highest daily foot traffic recorded in the neighborhood since tracking began in 2019. That record was broken less than three weeks later. On July 6, more than 163,000 domestic visitors came to Pioneer Square alone. Across downtown Seattle, foot traffic surpassed 543,000 visitors that day. The visitor totals do not include thousands of international fans who traveled to Seattle for the matches.
While the tournament created a surge in visitors, community leaders say maintaining that momentum will require giving people reasons to return after the global event has ended.
“Of course there’s more foot traffic during the height of the tourism season with summer, but in the winter months, it can get skewed as people get more settled into home,” said Angela Nguyen, marketing manager for the Alliance for Pioneer Square.
The organization says the focus now is on turning one-time visitors into repeat customers.
“I think the real work comes in giving people an opportunity to keep coming back,” Nguyen said. “We’ve got to keep giving them opportunities to come and enjoy the neighborhood on a regular weekday or weekend.”
As the World Cup festivities wind down, businesses and neighborhood leaders are hoping the tournament’s economic impact is just the beginning of a busy summer in Pioneer Square, with festivals, events and other attractions continuing to draw visitors back to one of Seattle’s oldest neighborhoods.
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