Where to Eat, Play, and Stay During the 2026 Seattle World Cup Matches

Dubbed the “Emerald City” thanks to its forested terrain, Seattle is famous for its nature, among many other things: Starbucks, Nirvana, Grey’s Anatomy, and its rainy weather.

But one element that isn’t necessarily well-known to non-locals is its role in the global soccer scene. In fact, Seattle has been called the “capital of world soccer” (though it’s a title many cities may challenge). Given the city’s long-standing soccer history and present-day soccer fervor, it’s only fitting that Seattle will host six matches in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Soccer’s presence in the Emerald City can be traced back to the 1880s when Irish immigrants who worked in coal mines formed a league that eventually became the Greater Seattle Soccer League (in the 1920s). The legacy stuck, and eventually, the first iteration of the Seattle Sounders was formed in 1974 as part of the North American Soccer League (NASL), followed by a second iteration that played in the A-League from 1994 to 2008. Today’s version of the Seattle Sounders – one of the leading teams in Major League Soccer – was formed in 2009.

A few years later, the Seattle Reign followed as one of eight inaugural teams in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), and recently retired Seattle Reign FC midfielder and Seattle resident Megan Rapinoe is a prominent name in both soccer and the LGBTQIA+ community. Beyond the pro teams, Seattle’s soccer culture trickles down into its pre-professional leagues, Ballard FC and Salmon Bay FC.

In June and July 2026, Seattle will host six FIFA World Cup games at Lumen Field in Seattle’s SoDo District, where the Seahawks, Sounders, and Reign play throughout the year. Fortunately, the stadium is in the heart of the city and walking distance from many of Seattle’s famous attractions, making it an excellent location for travelers who want to catch a World Cup match and explore one of the best cities in the PNW.

Here’s what you need to plan your trip to the Seattle World Cup matches, whether you’re a first-time visitor or return traveler.

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In addition to soccer, Seattle, sandwiched between the Puget Sound and the Cascade Mountains, is a hub for sports and outdoor adventure. Go beyond tourist hot spots like the Space Needle and Pike Place by celebrating the city’s active spirit during your visit.

Photo: Alika Jenner/Getty Image

If you’re lucky, you may be able to snag tickets for one of the six World Cup matches in Seattle. If not, you can still honor the city’s soccer spirit by visiting Starfire Sports in Tukwila (about 12 miles south of downtown Seattle). Covering over 50 acres, the soccer-dedicated facility includes two indoor fields, restaurants, and athletic training. It’s used for Sounders and Seawolves training and is also home to youth summer camps.

Starfire hosts games throughout the year, and you might be able to catch a (non-pro) soccer game. You can also support other professional Seattle teams. Not far from Lumen Field, the Seattle Mariners will be playing MLB games all summer at T-Mobile Park. If you’re interested in a behind-the-scenes peek, you can also book a tour of T-Mobile Park and see highlights including the Mariners Hall of Fame and interview room.

Photo: Nick 1L/Shutterstock

An important stop on any soccer-inspired trip to Seattle is Pioneer Square. This historic neighborhood is distinguished by its leafy streets lined with late 19th-century Romanesque Revival-style buildings filled with art galleries and coffee shops. It’s also likely to be lively during the Seattle World Cup games, as it’s fan central during Sounders games.

It’s an MLS tradition called “March to the Match,” beginning in Pioneer Square. About an hour before each Sounders game, fans meet at Occidental Park (decked out in green and blue gear and Sounders FC scarves, of course) and march the three blocks to Lumen Field, singing and chanting along the way.

Check out The Ninety while you’re in the neighborhood, which doubles as the front office for the Sounders FC and a central gathering place for soccer fans and events. At The Ninety, you can also find displays of Sounders trophies and Posters by the People. Plenty of events are anticipated to take place in Pioneer Square during the Seattle World Cup matches.

Each host city will have at least one official FIFA Fan Festival. Photo: Luis Ayerves Photography/Shutterstock

Seattle is famed for its waterfront views, surrounded by Lake Washington, Lake Union, and the Puget Sound. During the World Cup in summer 2026, visitors can get a taste of this classic Seattle scenery at the official FIFA Fan Festival, hosted at the Pier 62 Waterfront Park. The historic pier in downtown Seattle is set against the backdrop of mountains and the Puget Sound. Throughout the World Cup, Fan Fest will host daily events to celebrate soccer’s past and present in the Emerald City, and show all matches throughout June and July on a big screen. It’s likely there will be other public events around the Seattle World Cup games in additional locations throughout the city; more information will be on the FIFA World Cup Seattle website.

Photo: oksana.perkins/Shutterstock

Paddle, kayak, sail, take a dip, or simply lounge on the shores of Lake Washington, Lake Union, or the Puget Sound. Seattle culture is inseparable from the water and a trip there is incomplete without dipping your toes in at least. A day at Lake Washington even comes recommended by Megan Rapinoe.

Kayak and paddle board rentals are available at shops around the city. On Lake Washington, you can rent from spots like Agua Verde Paddle Club and the Waterfront Activities Center near the University of Washington, or rent Alki Kayak Tours on the Puget Sound, which also has rentals and guided tours around the Sound in West Seattle.

Photo: Airbnb

You can sail around Seattle, just like how Team USA will hopefully sail into victory in the city. Experience Seattle’s sailing culture by joining lifelong sailor Captain Grant for a day on the Puget Sound. The Airbnb Experiences tour sets sail from Shilshole Marina in Ballard, and visitors will learn some sailing basics while looking for marine life, and catching sunset over Mount Olympus. The tour starts at $115 per person and is offered every day of the week during the summer.

Seattle has a fun food scene influenced by its maritime culture and is also renowned for its buzzing coffee shops and craft breweries. Here’s where to get a taste of Seattle beyond its diverse range of soccer bars.

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Experience Seattle’s coffee culture beyond Starbucks (locals will rarely be spotted there, anyway) and instead, try out some of the city’s independent coffee joints. The best place to start for soccer fanatics is Santo Coffee. In the Roosevelt neighborhood in north Seattle, Santo was dreamed up by former Sounders FC player Fredy Montero and his wife in collaboration with another husband-wife duo. The stylish space brews Colombian coffee – a nod to Montero’s home country.

Santo Coffee Co.: 1325 NE 65th St, Seattle, WA 98115

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Just across the street from Lumen Field, Hatback Bar and Grille is a staple in the Seattle sports scene. Hatback was created around the celebration of sports history in the Pacific Northwest, from baseball to soccer. The spacious bar is convenient for pre- or post-game libations or bites and with 20 TVs, the bar has optimal viewing for Seattle World Cup match days even if you don’t have tickets for the game. Microbrews, fresh seafood, and pub classics pay tribute to the region’s culinary scene.

Hatback Bar and Grille: 1201 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98134

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Opening in the summer of 2025, Pitch the Baby will be the go-to spot for all fans of female sports. Tucked among the tree-lined streets of North Capitol Hill, this newcomer is a new sports bar for women, by women. Pitch the Baby, launched by three female culinary powerhouses in Seattle, will be a place to celebrate local teams like the Seattle Reign and Seattle Storm, all while eating elevated, Mexican-inspired bites.

Pitch the Baby: 600 19th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112

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A few years back, the Sounders FC recommended several BIPOC and minority-owned restaurants in Seattle. Support the local community and explore Seattle’s diverse ethnic make-up by filling up at some of these locally owned, Sounders-endorsed spots. Great options include family-run Phnom Penh Noodle House, opened by Cambodian refugees in the 1980s and specializing in Cambodian noodles, and Young Tea (a women-owned shop specializing in Taiwanese milk tea) are perfect for game-day fare. Both spots are in Seattle Chinatown-International District, a neighborhood steeped in history and a short walk from the Seattle World Cup matches at Lumen Field.

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It doesn’t have a storefront, but look out for events and wine tastings hosted by Vino FC. Started as a passion project by Washington native and former Sounders player Kelyn Rowe, Vino FC is a monthly wine club featuring hand-selected wines by Rowe. For out-of-towners, Vino FC occasionally hosts tastings in-person. So keep an eye out for events happening around the World Cup, and you may have the chance to sample wines with Rowe.

Photo: Booking.com/Populus Seattle

Lumen Field is as convenient as can be to downtown Seattle, so you don’t need to travel to the suburbs to catch the matches. That means you can decide where to stay based on what neighborhood you want to explore or what hotel you’re keen to try, rather than trying to find a hotel next to a public transportation system or close to the freeway.

Read more about the best hotels near Seattle’s Lumen Field.

Populus Hotel opened its doors during the late spring of 2025 and brought a new shade of “green” to the Emerald City, adopting biophilic practices that made it Seattle’s first carbon-positive hotel. In Pioneer Square, Populus is a five-minute walk to Lumen Field, making it as convenient as it is environmentally friendly. Rooms start around $380 per night in the summer, plus taxes and fees.

Modern, efficient, and no-fuss, citizenM’s Pioneer Square location is complete with clean, high-tech rooms that don’t break the bank. CitizenM is an easy 12-minute walk to the stadium and has a stylish bar and coffee shop downstairs to fuel up pre- and post-game. Rooms start around $170 plus taxes and fees in the summer.

This modern, three-bedroom, three-bath house in the south Seattle neighborhood of Georgetown is an ideal home base if you’re traveling with a group of friends or a family to the Seattle World Cup games. Georgetown is about a 10-minute drive from both downtown and Pioneer Square and has plenty of local restaurants and breweries. The media room’s 130-inch projection screen and popcorn maker, as well as the outdoor grill and fireplaces, would be a great spot to barbeque and watch the matches from home.