Key stakeholders from the SEA 2026 bid committee, Concacaf and FIFA gathered at Lumen Field on Monday to discuss Seattle’s efforts to become a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Topics of discussion varied from infrastructure and logistical planning to the rich history of soccer in this city. One common thread throughout the press conference centered on everything Seattle has to offer the pinnacle event for the beautiful game.
“We’ve endeavored to show them why this city is the greatest city in the world, and why it’s a place the World Cup should come,” said Sounders FC Owner Adrian Hanauer, who also serves as the Executive Committee Chair for SEA 2026. “We feel very good about the city and all it has to offer and, ultimately, we will continue to work with and dialogue with U.S. Soccer, FIFA, and hopefully bring this home for our city.”
The officials from FIFA, including Concacaf President & FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani and FIFA Chief Tournaments & Events Chair Colin Smith, were impressed by the hospitality and thoroughness of SEA 2026 representatives, as well as the historical support for all levels of soccer in this community.
“The presentation yesterday was very comprehensive,” said Smith. “Within the magical experience of a FIFA World Cup, as with any complex project, it’s made up of details at the end of the day and people delivering details. So, what we were looking at were areas such as accommodation, transport, and obviously the stadium, but sustainable event management is a key cornerstone of any World Cup now… Seattle is very much a leading force already in sustainable event management, and that’s simply great to see.”
Hanauer also outlined the importance of SEA 2026’s three pillars of their bid: Soccer, Innovation and Everyone.
“We believe Seattle stands out among all cities in this country for its devotion and adoption and foundation of soccer,” Hanauer said of the first pillar. “Starting way before I or any of us quite frankly got involved in this game, back to the 1800’s with coal miner camps… Along the way, fans have supported this game immensely and certainly we wanted to demonstrate and convey that whether Switzerland plays Ghana or Mexico plays Brazil, our fans will be here to support and fill the stadium.”
Additionally, Hanauer outlined how innovation and the city of Seattle have been inextricably linked throughout history.
“We tried to demonstrate that we think big in this community, in this region,” he said. “We don’t think about making a few airplanes, we think about transforming the commercial aviation industry. We don’t think about selling some stuff online. We created the whole category of online retail. We didn’t try to help with some software that people ultimately used in their computers, we revolutionized personal computing… It’s that sort of innovation that really sets this place apart.”
Lastly, Hanauer spoke to the importance of inclusion and making this global event accessible and beneficial to everyone.
“We want this event to be an open tent to everyone,” said Hanauer. “Everyone in this state, in this region, is able to participate in some way in this event. Whether through fan fests, being in stadiums, somehow connecting and leaving a legacy – because a big piece of the World Cup coming to a community is the legacy it leaves beyond. We’ve been really thoughtful in how that might play out in the aftermath of a World Cup coming to Seattle.”
You can watch the full press conference HERE.
