Shaq DJs in Pioneer Square, adding to array of celebrities who visited Seattle for World Cup
Jun 22, 2026, 1:30 PM | Updated: 4:13 pm
Shaquille O'Neal performs as DJ Diesel in Pioneer Square in Seattle. (Photo: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest)
(Photo: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest)
Shaquille O’Neal was in Seattle over the weekend, but not for basketball. The NBA Hall of Famer played a DJ set to a packed crowd in Pioneer Square on Saturday.
Shaq, who performs as DJ Diesel, brought his signature dubstep set to Seattle the day after Team USA beat Australia 2-0 in the World Cup at Seattle Stadium.
Not only did he bring the energy, but he also brought local fans onstage to celebrate and capture the moment, one of those being a man in a tree whom Shaq nicknamed Spider-Man.
Shaq wasn’t the only big name in town for the World Cup
Another basketball star, Devin Booker, was in Pioneer Square. A fan said, “Bring back the Sonics,” to which Booker responded, “I would like that.”
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There were a variety of other sports celebrities in the area for the match, including Seattle Seahawks legend Marshawn Lynch, who was taking photos at the game.
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Lynch wasn’t the only former Seahawk in attendance. Cliff Avril and Russell Wilson were also there, along with Wilson’s wife, singer Ciara. The couple was seen celebrating Team USA’s win with other soccer fans at the Extra Time after party on the Seattle Soccer Celebration barge.
Paris Hilton, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Andrew Giuliani, son of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, were also spotted in Seattle Stadium, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
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On the soccer side, former Seattle Sounder Kasey Keller shared a suite with women’s soccer star Alex Morgan. To top it off, U.S. women’s national team standout Trinity Rodman delivered the match ball pre-game.
The next World Cup match in Seattle is Wednesday, when Bosnia-Herzegovina takes on Qatar. Egypt plays Iran on Friday, and the remaining two matches, on July 1 and July 6, will be determined by the tournament bracket.
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