12s, Seattle businesses get ready for Seahawks home opener
Sep 9, 2026, 7:02 AM
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
Thousands of people are expected to flood Pioneer Square and the SoDo neighborhood as the Seattle Seahawks prepare for their home opener, a prime-time Super Bowl rematch against the New England Patriots.
Kickoff for the game is scheduled for 5:20 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9.
The 12s will see the team raise their Super Bowl 60 banner right before kickoff. The high-profile matchup follows last year’s home opener, which drew more than 154,000 people to Pioneer Square and the surrounding stadium areas.
Seahawks fans are preparing for the team’s return to the field.
Norb Caoili, a Seahawks fan, noted the significance of the matchup and the championship celebration.
“Super Bowl Champs. We get to unveil the banner. Rematch against the Patriots!” Caoili said. “I think we, as Super Bowl champs, we’ve just been dying to get out there and just cheer and explode and root for the Seahawks.”
The excitement is also visible in fan merchandise available around the stadium. Colleen Clancy, a Seahawks fan, commented on the team’s championship apparel.
“They have these fan jerseys with now the Super Bowl patch right there,” Clancy said. “It’s going to be so wild.”
Local businesses near the stadiums are preparing for an influx of customers on game day.
Robert Vanalstine, a manager at The Hall on Occidental, expressed optimism about the expected foot traffic.
“We’re going to start off with a bang. Go into it with some good speed and hopefully our Seahawks can keep up with it,” Vanalstine said.
James Sido with the Downtown Seattle Association highlighted the strong local support for the team and how big games can be for downtown.
“The city and the downtown really get behind this franchise. And I think you’re going to see that tomorrow night in huge form,” Sido said.
Sido added that national television coverage offers major exposure for the region.
“Every bump shot in this game and in this telecast, it’s essentially free add space for the city and for downtown,” Sido said.
