LOCAL NEWS
FIFA 2026 World Cup announces Seattle as host city
Jun 16, 2022, 9:25 AM | Updated: 2:52 pm
Photo by George Rose
Update:
Seattle is set to be one of the 10 U.S. cities to host the 2026 World Cup, as announced by FIFA Thursday afternoon alongside 10 other U.S. cities.
And here’s the moment it was announced – #Seattle is a host city in @FIFAWorldCup 2026! pic.twitter.com/cnGANKFm5o
— Nicole Jennings (@nicoleKIROFM) June 16, 2022
The other cities in the west to host include Guadalajara, Los Angeles, Vancouver, and San Francisco.
Your #FIFAWorldCup 2026 Host Cities:
🇺🇸Atlanta
🇺🇸Boston
🇺🇸Dallas
🇲🇽Guadalajara
🇺🇸Houston
🇺🇸Kansas City
🇺🇸Los Angeles
🇲🇽Mexico City
🇺🇸Miami
🇲🇽Monterrey
🇺🇸New York / New Jersey
🇺🇸Philadelphia
🇺🇸San Francisco Bay Area
🇺🇸Seattle
🇨🇦Toronto
🇨🇦Vancouver— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 16, 2022
Original:
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is set to announce the final list of host cities for the 2026 World Cup, with Seattle on the short list of 17 U.S. cities to host a portion of the tournament.
The United 2026 bid was originally filed in 2017 as a joint effort alongside Canada and Mexico, beating out Morocco as host for the 2026 tournament in the 68th FIFA Congress.
Up to 12 of the 16 total game sites will be in the U.S. with 60 matches of the tournament set to play across the country.
Canada and Mexico which have already announced their picks for host cities will be hosting 10 games each.
The 2026 World Cup will be the first to be co-hosted by three countries, as well as the first to have 48 countries participating instead of the usual 32, making it the largest FIFA World Cup ever.
Seattle on list to host 2026 FIFA World Cup game
Seattle’s bid for hosting is based on the city’s long history with soccer as well as “a commitment to Soccer, Innovation, and Everyone,” according to a news release from the Sounders.
If chosen, Seattle Sounders FC’s home turf Lumen Field would be the stadium for matches.
The announcement is scheduled for 2 p.m., with watch parties for the announcement planned by the Sounders across Washington state, along with a celebration from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Pier 62 if Seattle wins its bid. Check back here for updates.
The crowd at the George and Dragon in #Fremont is excitedly watching as the @FIFAWorldCup 2026 cities are announced. Will #Seattle be one of the lucky hosts? It may be a British pub, but the atmosphere here is decidedly one of Seattle pride today! pic.twitter.com/U5bCMR93gR
— Nicole Jennings (@nicoleKIROFM) June 16, 2022
2022 FIFA World Cup is set to start November 21 in Qatar, which has faced a number of controversies including allegations of corruption, workers’ rights abuse and use of forced labor in the construction of new stadiums, according to Amnesty International.
