FIFA Men's World Cup 2026

The International Federation of Association Football, more commonly known by its French acronym FIFA, was founded in 1904 to provide unity among national soccer associations.

The FIFA World Cup is the world's premier international soccer competition that takes place every four years. The 2026 World Cup is poised to be the largest tournament that has ever taken place in the world with its new format expanding the competition for the first time to 3 host countries across North America, 16 host cities, 48 participating teams and 104 matches.

Tournament timeline

June 11 - July 19, 2026

Seattle will host six matches - two in the knock-out round and four in the first-round group-stage including matches on Juneteenth welcoming the US Men's National team and a kickoff to Pride weekend:

• 6/15 Group Match #1
• 6/19 Group Match #2, Team USA
• 6/24 Group Match #3
• 6/26 Group Match #4
• 7/1 Round of 32 Match
• 7/6 Round of 16 Match

Seattle is one of 16 host cities in North America. Using a One Seattle approach, the Mayor’s Office and City Departments are engaging with the Seattle FIFA World Cup Local Organizing Committee and regional, state, federal, and community partners to plan and prepare for this unprecedented event.  

The City of Seattle’s vision for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup is to maximize the unique opportunity it presents to our city. We will:

• Deliver a world-class sporting event on the global stage for residents, visiting fans, participating teams, and FIFA.
• Create safe, vibrant, and inclusive gatherings around the games and the city.
• Use the games to strengthen civic pride, community involvement and our neighborhoods, particularly those around the stadium.
• Seize opportunities to create investments that build a thriving, sustainable city for our residents beyond 2026.

The city is preparing for safety and security, which includes multiple departments: Seattle Information Technology (IT), Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), Seattle Police Department (SPD), Seattle Fire Department (SFD), the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), and Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR).

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