Seattle will host four group stage matches and two knockout matches at Lumen Field at the Men's 2026 FIFA World Cup. Games will begin on June 15th, with the U.S. men's national team facing off on June 19th.
As the host nation, the Stars and Stripes automatically qualified for the quadrennial tournament. The group stage opener will be played on June 12th at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
FIFA announced the 104-game schedule on a worldwide broadcast on Sunday. This will be the largest tournament ever held in 16 cities across Mexico, the United States and Canada.
USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter said of Seattle during the broadcast: “I can already picture the bus going to the stadium, weaving through the city, looking at the fans, marching to the game.” . “It's not just about the community hosting the World Cup, it's about all the communities across America really rooting for us and creating this wave of support that pushes the team to reach new heights. It is.”
The 2026 World Cup begins on June 11th at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. This will be the third time that the opening round of the World Cup will be held in the city.The championship match is scheduled for July 19th at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
FIFA has anointed the United States in the past three World Cups. These finals were held at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles (1994 men's tournament, 1999 women's tournament) and at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California (2003 women's tournament).
Canada will make its debut as World Cup host on June 12 in Toronto. The tournament will also include five group stage games and two knockout matches in Vancouver, for a total of 13 World Cup games in the Pacific Northwest.
Most games will be held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Adrian Hanauer, majority owner of the Sounders, said in a statement: “Hosting a FIFA World Cup game is a big deal in itself, but watching the U.S. men's national team play in the Emerald City, the world's biggest stage, is an honor.'' That's true.'' release.
The USMNT has played 10 games in Seattle and has an 8-1-1 record since 1976. The most recent match was the Copa America Centenario quarter-final against Ecuador at Lumen in June 2016. The Stars and Stripes won 2-1 behind goals from Clint Dempsey and Gyasi Zardes. The only World Cup ties were the October 1976 USMNT Qualifier at the Kingdome and the 2013 USMNT Qualifier at Lumen.
“As a born and raised Seattleite, today's news is remarkable and has the potential to take our sport to new heights,” Hanauer continued. “For all soccer fans in our region, 2026 is going to be truly special. And for fans across the country and around the world who will be visiting Seattle, we extend a warm welcome to you.”
The full schedule for Lumen in 2026 includes group stages on June 15th, 19th, 24th, and 26th. Round of 32 matches will be played on July 1st and Round of 16 on July 6th at Lumen.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said countries would be grouped by region to make travel easier for participants and to make kick-off times more reasonable for viewers around the world. The football extravaganza will be expanded to include 48 countries in 2026, an increase from 32 countries participating in Qatar in 2022.
Seattle FWC26, the city's organizing committee, began securing hotels and recruiting corporate sponsors once the city was announced as the host city in June 2022. Waterfront Park was also declared the site of the city's Fan Fest.
With the dates confirmed and one team identified, Seattle FWC26 CEO Peter Tomozawa said it solidifies the framework for the committee's goal of leaving a legacy. .
Tomozawa said the USMNT game, held on Juneteenth, which celebrates the day enslaved black people in Texas were informed of their freedom in 1865, will highlight “community, culture and children” through soccer. This applies to the plan.
“It's very special,” Tomozawa said. “[We]celebrate the history of African American heritage not only in this country but with the world.”
With approximately 850 days until the World Cup Opening Ceremony, the main focus now is on security and resolving the lack of space for visitors that could arise during the games in Seattle.
The Sounders are scheduled to officially open their training facility in Renton next week, and Tomozawa said it could be used as the national team's home base. The USMNT is scheduled to play three group stage games on the West Coast, with a base in California and a base under construction in Atlanta that will likely be used during the World Cup.
SeattleFWC26 is responsible for securing a practice range in the area, even if it is not a state-designated home base.
Lumen has also made changes to accommodate fans and media. One detail has already been worked out, Tomozawa said, and the 2026 FIFA-approved turf is currently being grown at an undisclosed location in Washington.
“I'm really happy with the progress we've made so far,” Tomozawa said. “We're so excited. This is huge… we couldn't have asked for a better deal for the stadium and the state. If you want to see the U.S. Men's National Team, you have to come to Seattle. .”
Those interested in volunteering can sign up through SeattleFWC26. Fans can pre-register for his 2026 World Cup tickets at fifa.com/tickets and his hospitality packages at fifa.com/hospitality.
Sounders earn shutout victory
The Sounders won 3-0 in the second friendly at Spain's Marbella Football Center. Sweden's IFK Norroping was competitive on defense but could not stop Seattle's midfielder Albert Rusnak, winger Leo Choo and midfielder Dylan Taves from scoring.
