Seattle Is Now a World Cup Draw: ‘Just a Great Soccer City’
The New York Times • • sports
Key Points:
- Seattle was excluded from hosting matches during the 1994 FIFA World Cup due to uncertainty about venues and facility concerns, a disappointment still remembered by local soccer fans.
- For the 2026 World Cup, Seattle secured a hosting spot with Lumen Field, a stadium designed with soccer in mind and home to the popular MLS team Seattle Sounders and NWSL’s Seattle Reign.
- Seattle has become a prominent soccer city, attracting top American players like Clint Dempsey and Megan Rapinoe, and maintaining strong fan support with large attendance figures.
- The city’s sports scene is thriving overall, with recent successes including the Seahawks’ Super Bowl win and the Mariners’ near World Series appearance, alongside new developments like the NHL’s Seattle Kraken.
- Seattle’s sports community continues to grow, with potential NBA return talks and lingering hopes to overcome past heartbreaks such as the relocation of the SuperSonics in 2008.
