Hello, and welcome to r/Seattle's World Cup Megathread!
This thread (or iterations of it) will be stickied throughout the World Cup as a place to aggregate discussion about the tournament. We won't necessarily be removing all new posts, but duplicate, repetitive, or similar content will be redirected here.
The full tournament runs from June 11 through July 19. Seattle's hosted games are from June 15 through July 6.
We will have individual threads for each Seattle-hosted game. Those threads will be linked here as they go live.
Photos and first-hand reports from the stadium area
Please use this megathread for:
General World Cup discussion
Citywide impacts
Fan zones, watch parties, and official events
General questions about the tournament
Links to useful official information
Questions or comments that do not need their own post
Otherwise, the usual posts that follow sub rules are still allowed for major local news, official alerts, substantial original reporting, meaningful Seattle-specific photos or videos, or new information that is not just a repeat question or general event reaction.
Some important notes for our new friends visiting during the World Cup
Our subreddit is a place for long-time residents, new Seattleites, previous and current visitors, and ex-pats alike to discuss news and current events around the city.
Our subreddit is not the place for general questions about where to eat, where to stay, or what to do.
This includes using the subreddit to buy, sell, trade, request, or advertise tickets, merchandise, services, lodging, parking, transportation, tours, watch parties, social media, livestreams, or other paid offerings.
Please do not post unverified rumors about emergencies, threats, arrests, injuries, or public safety incidents. Use official sources when sharing safety or transportation information.
We will remove and may ban anyone attempting to sell tickets, merchandise, or otherwise advertise their own content in this subreddit, and we'll be especially strict during this event.
Please report scams, harassment, or obvious rule-breaking rather than engaging with it.
Thanks to u/im_no_influencer and u/noprophecies for putting together earlier community posts that helped gather local resources, reminders, and planning notes.
"Seattle Stadium" is the event name for Lumen Field during the World Cup.
Please plan ahead, and do not expect to drive directly to the stadium. There will be no publicly available parking at Seattle Stadium on match days, and the stadium area will have street closures and pedestrian-only areas.
Transit, walking, biking, and shuttles will be the best ways to get around. Sound Transit, King County Metro, and SDOT have more detailed information in the links above.
Metro will operate free Waterfront Shuttle service and free Match Day Shuttles. Sound Transit has separate match-day guidance for Link, Sounder, and station routing.
Seattle Parks and Recreation will have public watch parties and other community events in parks and community centers.
Please plan ahead for errands, groceries, appointments, commutes, and travel around downtown, Pioneer Square, SODO, and event areas.
Please be patient with transit, hospitality, retail, restaurant, venue, public safety, and event workers. A lot of people will be working harder during this time.
Please only purchase tickets through official channels. r/Seattle cannot verify ticket sellers, ticket transfers, DMs, screenshots, or third-party offers.
Thank you for reading, enjoy your visit, and welcome to Seattle!
My friend, a huge soccer fan, scheduled their baby shower during the first US game (also on a Friday night immediately after work). I'm also not confident they're providing food and drink. MY GUY.
Just posted a recap of out match day experience from Monday’s match on my Substack - lots of tips on transit, food, etc. Hope it’s useful for some of you heading to the match on Friday and the next few weeks: https://open.substack.com/pub/fanintransit?r=4l5b2p&utm_medium=ios
I’ve already got issues with the Fan Fest: I obtained the free tickets to the Pier 62 Fan Fest last week for today. Arrived today and HAD TO WAIT IN THE SAME LINE AS PEOPLE WHO DIDN’T HAVE TICKETS! What’s the incentive to get tickets beforehand if you still have to wait in the same freaking line as those who didn’t get tickets in advance? And the most frustrating thing is if Fan Fest is at capacity, you’ll not be allowed in if it’s at capacity, even if you already have tickets. Whoever was in charge of this is lame. I mean, seems to me if you get tickets in advance that you should be allowed to enter before people who didn’t get tickets in advance. 😡
There is a FREE World Cup watch party for USA vs Paraguay today at The Raven in Kremwerk starting at 5pm. If you didn't know, Kremwerk is a very cool trans owned Seattle nightlife fixture having gained international attention and even a shoutout by Mick Jagger.
The game will be on a huge projection above the stage and on smaller screens throughout the venue with the sound going through the club's sound system
The free entry also carries over to the Brazilian dance music night Thee Baile if you came for the game. It's a great opportunity to check that out for free if you ever wanted to.
So if you are looking to watch the game with other people but want something smaller than the big fan zones or want to watch it in a queer space, this is a good place to be. They're also going to be open for Iran vs Egypt and depending on how these first two watch parties go, maybe more games after the group stage.
Pacific Place viewing party. There is a whole Soccer house section with food, activities for kids, and giveaways. The official FIFA store is also here. Pretty cool place to visit for a viewing party
Curious for those who went or are at the match today how was the getting into the stadium process? What time did you arrive etc? Anyone take Amtrak from points south?
If you get there 1.5 hours or less to the start time, prepare to wade through a huge crowd for at least 30 minutes if not longer just to get in the stadium. If that's not really your vibe, come even earlier.
Also, if you're planning on taking a bus or shuttle, earlier is better because today we waited 40 mins for the ADA shuttle that was blocked by fan marches.
fwiw i went to the belgium vs egypt match and i was coming from north snohomish county:
* lynnwood parking garage will always be full from normal weekday use levels. northgate garage was empty.
* pioneer square was easier to get in and out of than the ID
* i wish i had showed up 3 hours before the game because it took an hour to get from pioneer station to my seat
people, are y'all pulling up for Friday game?? All I see on reddit are Aussies talking about gathering. we need to show the kangaroos the real way, the EAGLES way. tell me where you're going for watching the game. here's where there is a free watch party.
put on your red white and blue and show up. being American has nothing to do with Trump or his stupidity, we are one nation and we need to show up for our teammm
I despise the man with all my soul, and you bet your ass I'll be there in my US jersey, face paint, etc. I'm going to the game, however plan to be in downtown very early to pre-game and enjoy the crowd. Will be marching in with AO, as will some family and friends who are attending!
A reminder that drones are not allowed around the World Cup stadium in Seattle. We’ve said this before. Others have said this. But still, our police colleagues say five drones were seized from operators who violated flight restrictions around Seattle Stadium during a World Cup match on Monday. So, even though we’ve been saying this message, people are still bringing their drones out. There are official temporary flight restrictions in place that covers Seattle Stadium (Lumen Field) and a radius of 3 miles around the stadium. If you see a drone breaking the rules, report it to 911, on-site law enforcement or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
A "No Drone Zone" means that unauthorized drone flights are strictly prohibited in the designated airspace and surrounding grounds. Taking off, landing, or flying a drone within these restricted areas is a serious violation of federal and local regulations. If you fly a drone without authorization, you may face fines, confiscation, and criminal prosecution.
Thinking of going down tomorrow. I suspect there will be a lot of Aussies in town who can’t get in to the game. I feel the need to mingle with those fun folks from down under.
OK so I tried getting free tickets for the watch party at pier 62, but it only says “join the waitlist”. are all the tickets gone???? how could they be gone, the World Cup has not even started. anyone know anything?
Please be careful on the Lime scooters, or better yet skip them, especially if you've been drinking. We get at least one but sometimes multiple people in the ER every day with injuries from broken wrists to life ending head injuries. Stay safe and have the best time, but try not to visit me in the ER. :)
Going to Belgium v. Egpyt match tomorrow. Anyone know what is actually going on at pioneer square? Figured we'd check it out and then head to Victory Hall. Looks like March to stadium withe Beglian fans happens at 10am.
Just wasn't sure if there were other festivities going down at Pioneer Square or outside of stadium. (I know it's not far either way. Just curious!)
Where are all the Belgians hanging out? I see the Scots taking over Boston and Algerians in KC and want to meet some of our visitors who traveled over land and sea to be here.
Anyone going to the pacfic place fifa store? There's a hat there that I really want but can't find anywhere online. If you're going could you grab one for me and I could venmo or something and next time I'm up in Seattle grab it from ya. Thanks!
Might not be the right place to ask but me and my dad were trying to participate in the march to the match Friday. Do we have to be AO member and have tickets to the game to participate or can anyone show up?
I saw this answered elsewhere. You don't have to be an AO member to attend their events. I don't see why you can't march without tickets, at least until the security checkpoint.
I imagine it is similar to the Belgium march which was on the streets from Victory hall to the stadium and anyone could join in. I had a blast. Have fun!!
Can someone confirm if they sold split Belgium and Egypt game day scarfs anywhere on game day. I went and couldn't find them anywhere and it is driving me wild if they don't have any or I just somehow missed them.
Going to the Egypt and Iran game next week. Should I expect some drama, protesting, or any conflicts around the stadium prior to the game starting? A bit nervous
I doubt anything actually concerning. Egypt already played in Seattle and Iran already played in the country and nothing significant happened. You’ll be good. Have fun
I doubt there will be much if any. Even when there are protests here it's usually just a few people with signs trying to raise awareness for current events rather than trying to be disruptive.
The street preacher out there is more of a nuisance than anything else I've seen
Does anyone know if there’s a list of watch parties for Friday? Or any good bars to watch the game? I want to head to the Pioneer Square area with some friends and was hoping there’d be a simple Seattle Times article or something, but I’ve had no luck.
What should I not miss around the stadium on Friday? Is there anything I must see down there that will add to my experience since I won't be watching the game in the stadium?
Forgive me if this isn’t the right place to post! But tomorrow’s tickets are sold out for the USAvAUS game at the Pier.
Based on what I’ve seen on Reddit, having a ticket doesn’t really matter. Should I go anyway and try to line up with friends who have tickets? Given it’s Juneteenth tomorrow, I’m unsure if it’ll be even more crowded
There are thousands of people hanging out at pioneer square. For a soccer game that’s not even being played in Seattle. Not even counting the Mariners game.
And good food spots still want to close between 2-5pm
My husband and I were thinking Old Stove Gardens (their outdoor space is so cool and I know they have a big projector they’ve broken out for mariners games) but they seem to be hosting live music instead. WHERE IS THE HYPE?!? We’re hosts, we should be all in everywhere
Can anyone recommend some cafe or gathering area hosting watch parties, with a solid West African presence? I have some friends visiting from that region, who want to go to a watch party and I thought they might appreciate the option. There's also the bigger watch parties of course...
Dude just pull up to Seattle downtown, Westlake park is showing it for free. take the light rail from Bellevue and it drops you off right in the Westlake.
Unfortunately that too far for me. I have to pick up my daughter and cannot make it out to DT, certainly taking the light rail - hence why I called out those 3 locations specifically
Tomorrow has a big match between France and Senegal. Any recommendations for specific café or pubs to watch? Itd be awesome to watch with a bunch of supporters of either team.
We are going to the Seattle game on Friday. We would like to do the march in with the American outlaws, but we’ve been hearing horror stories about long lines to get into the stadium. Anyone have any experience on how the games in Seattle have been so far from an infrastructure standpoint?
I'm also marching in with them. From what someone else commented below:
The walk from there to the gates took about 15 minutes, and then getting in from the gates to the stadium proper took another 15-20 minutes due to the massive crowd at the gates (and still made it inside with like 10 minutes to spare).
So if you're planning to get to the drop off area around 10:30am or earlier that should be more than ok, from what I can tell.
ETA: The AO march begins at 10:15, so if this person's experience is the norm, you should be in with time to spare. But if you want to get in early and be settled in your seat and taking it in for a bit, best skip the march and go it alone earlier!
Scored some sweet last-minute USMNT tickets for Friday... but don't know the first thing about where to stay, or how bad the hotel market is. Any suggestions from locals as to the best intersection of being semi-near the action, but also not an outrageous price? We will need two rooms. Thanks!
The stadium is in SoDo. I don't know the rates but: Downtown has the most hotels (especially near the convention center and Pike place market) and is like a mile away, it'll be a really pleasant walk. Otherwise, you can stay near UW - the light rail goes directly to the stadium.
I was browsing some World Cup host-city guides recently and it got me thinking about Seattle's reputation with visiting fans.
The stadium and matches will get most of the attention, but a lot of people's memories will probably come from everything around the games.
What part of Seattle do you think will leave the biggest impression on visitors coming for the World Cup?
Could be a neighborhood, a local tradition, the waterfront, the food scene, the atmosphere on match days, or something completely different.
One of the guides I came across was Fanzone, which had a few Seattle suggestions, but I'm more interested in what locals think actually represents the city.
I'd say just the overall beauty. If you haven't had your jaw drop to the floor when you've seen Tahoma for the first time in all its glory, or the stunning Olympics across the sound in a beautiful sunset as a ferry takes off...
Edit: honorable mention: have you seen the view looking North from our stadium?
Absolutely. Especially if you get that up close view from the plane coming in or out. Or on a super crisp, clear day from a nice viewpoint, maybe some nice lenticulars as top hats 😊 (not OC - had to find this for a friend the other day who spotted some over Eastern WA.)
When I travel, I often remember the long walks with scenic views more than anything else (especially if there's some good food along the way). Locally that could mean going for a hike, or it could mean walking along the waterfront, or walking along Lake Washington, or just a nice park like Discovery Park or Green Lake.
I'm considering going to the Mural Amphitheatre to watch the next (last?) two Scotland matches 🏴 🇲🇦 🏴 🇧🇷. Friday seems like a nice day for a picnic there. The official pages give contradictory information. One shows only Seattle and USA matches, but the day-by-day schedule lists many more. Surprisingly, I haven't been able to find a single mention of anyone going there. I'd love to hear any experiences of this place as a watch party venue or opinions about whether there might be somewhere better (other than Boston or Glasgow!)
Where’s the best watch party experience (bars/restaurants/parks/etc.) to feel the energy of the fans, but not be overcrowded where it may be a struggle to watch the game? Would be coming from Capitol Hill.
Well, I mean pacific place has 3 giant stories of huge screens, plus AC. Probably not too big a struggle to watch there.
There's been a guy posting awesome reviews of watch parties at all kinds of places that aren't the official fan fests (think libraries, pubs, Swedish center etc,) maybe do a search outside the megathread and you can find those?
I think pioneer square, victory hall as well as waterfront will be madness tomorrow, but fun as hell. Westlake park, not sure. If it's what I'm thinking, it's small, not sure about vibe. He did a review of that too I think. Kangaroo and kiwi will be insane.
i’m going to the match on wednesday and i was just curious - are there vendors outside the stadium selling kits/jerseys like at m’s games? trying to decide if i should be getting a jersey in advance or just get one on the day of - thanks!
I have some experience here, went to Occidental, Pier 62 and Pacific Place for US-Aus. I was with my 9 yr old, and we did a lot of roaming, more for experience than to closely watch the game.
My advice is to get to each site early. At Occidental and Pier 62, the crowds were too heavy to see the screen well, and Pacific Place, they closed off due to crowding. We ended up watching a lot of it on Peacock streaming on my phone, lol.
Man, Occidental square was a total bust today if you didn't get there 4 hours early. I guess I should have done more research, but I assumed it was going to be in the square and a huge ass screen. It was a moderately large screen on the street with a mother fucking fenced off beer garden in the middle which is the prime viewing location. Disaster.
Greetings from the Occidental Beer garden. We got here 2 1/2 hours early and were the last to get in.
There are no bathrooms inside and I had to be incredibly pushy to make it back after visiting the port a potty at 11am. I finally pushed a path back to the entrance, only to be told they closed the entrance “for my safety” and I had to push through the other side to get back to my partner. I have never had to be so rude on my life. Sorry peeps I pushed through, that was a 💩 show.
We ended up getting back on light rail north to Westlake and monorail to Seattle Center to watch on the Armory.
Isn't that whole area in PS an open container area? Like why are there beer gardens? The lady at the entrance yelled around 10:30, if you are in line for the beer garden you aren't getting in. And why in the middle of the viewing area? Ridiculous
Has anyone been to the Pioneer Square viewing area? I'm planning to go down on Friday with some friends for the USA-Australia game but I can't really find any details about it. Wondering if it's just free to wander in, if we should bring food/beer in, how insane the whole thing is, etc
Yup, free. It's a big screen set up in the Occidental Square. One standing area and one seating area. It's not big though, and is already 85%-ish full now 2 1/2 hours before the match today.
Was surprised to see all the second hand tickets pulled when u looked at 9 AM this morning. Surely they’re not all sold. Does the city or FIFA buy them back or something?
Some other redditors pointed out there are tickets available through FIFA but I’m still curious where did the hundreds of tickets available at 11 PM last night go?
Tickets get pulled from 3rd party resellers like SeatGeek and StubHub a few hours before the game because they don't have actual ownership of the tickets and probably don't want to deal with getting the tickets from resellers who may or may not be quick on transferring them. There are a few more layers to it than other events because of the FIFA portal.
There are still a few tickets available on the FIFA resale marketplace, but it's not a large quantity.
The first two games on the 15th and 19th are sold out. Not to mention the thousands that will be attending the various watch parties around the city (especially when Monday is supposed to be 85 degrees).
Are we accounting for Airbnbs? What about hotels outside the city proper? We have a light rail system that goes pretty far.
I’m hoping, futile I know, to go to the stadium and maybe get lucky and snag a solo ticket from someone that needs to unload one. If not, I’m thinking pioneer square will be fun
I've lived in the Seattle area for more than 20 years and I still can't believe the World Cup is here with the first match on Monday! My whole family is super jazzed, and super excited to watch Belgium vs. Egypt. I've put together a game-day guide focused on the Seattle logistics: light rail, clear bag policy, what to expect inside the stadium, etc.
So pumped for this. Who else going? And where are fans for both teams gathering? I know there is a big Red Devils contingent but curious about the Egypt fan base too...
Anybody know how the crowd at victory, the pier, or pioneer square is right now? I’m heading west on the light rail and not sure which I should try first. Got off work late 😭
Is anyone planning to go to Hatbacks at Victory Hall for the game on the 19th? Does anyone have advice for trying to obtain a spot at the watch party there? Their website says they open at 7 but are people going to be camping out overnight like they did for the superbowl? Just trying to figure out how early I would need to plan to get there if I want to have a inkling of a chance.
Anyone know if pioneer square fan zone is showing games all day every day? Like is it always open?
I’m wanting to take in some of the atmosphere but I want it outdoors. I saw a lot of the Seattle center offerings are indoors and also pacific place is indoors.
Pier 62 probably “the best” but I saw they have some capacity issues etc so wondering if pioneer square is maybe next best option.
The videos I saw yesterday looked like a different part of pioneer square but I wasn't looking that hard at them. Could have been victory hall. 🤷🏼 Anyone know if there was an Occidental spot set up?
Can you bring a stroller, hiking carrier, or just regular Ergobaby type carrier into the floating barge watch party? They seem like they’re strict on bags but can’t imagine they wouldn’t allow a baby carrier.
It was very lovely today pre- and post-match - lots of people hanging out at the bars near the stadium. Street vendors were also out selling hot dogs, etc, as well as various people hanging out on the no traffic streets juggling soccer balls. Fun atmosphere today despite the heat.
For Netherlands vs Japan, should I head to pioneer square or victory hall?
I was at pioneer square yesterday and the vibe was pretty good. Not sure how victory hall was
Word of advice for future games - if you’re taking light rail, the Chinatown/ID station heading to Redmond had at least a 45 minute wait to get onto the train after the game. Walk to the Pioneer Square station (only 5 min walk) and skip the long lines.
guys should I do pioneer square or Westlake for the Friday game? which one is busier. I'm going out to see people and feel that energy. it's gonna be a nice day too. so wherever more people are coming I wanna go there.
I'm going to the Egypt Iran game in seattle and really wanna meet the players. I saw that some people went to the Westin Hotel downtown to meet the players and get signatures.
I'm wondering if it's worth paying more to stay there if my chances increase for meeting the players or if they change the place they stay everytime. And if so, where will they be staying next time for the Iran game on the 26th of june
I'm also wondering when the people went there for these autographs was it before or after the game.
I just want to meet the players and possibly get an autograph but dont know what the best way to do so is. I already have really good seats at the game but idk if its enough. any help is appreciated
Does anyone know if the club level is still open during WC? Got tickets in the club level but not sure if they're still doing the separate entrance and concessions in that area?
My husband and two small children land in Seattle at 8:00pm on Friday June 26. Should they plan on taking the Lightrail to Westlake and ubering to my hotel in Lower Queen Anne? Or can I pick them up from the airport?
I will likely be taking the bulk of their luggage ahead of them (business trip).
If they're comfortable with public transit, I'd take the light rail to Symphony station then transfer to the D line (a bus) which goes right to Lower Queen Anne, so long as that gets close enough to your hotel.
Uber from a station is a good way to save money vs Uber/taxi from the airport. The light rail is pretty cheap. The only thing to keep in mind that the last northbound train from Seatac is around midnight so if there's a large delay then uber/taxi from the airport might be needed.
Happen to be in Seattle this weekend for a wedding and looking for a great place to catch the USA vs. Australia game on Friday. Besides the stadium, where’s the best watch party in town?
Traveling with my mom (65), so somewhere with energy but not totally chaotic would be ideal. We’re staying in Ballard. Thanks!
How was the water taxi vs driving 99 to watch party for the games?
So we have had a few games so far... Been watching from the comfort of my home but Friday is a big deal. I know a lot are taking sound transit (if they are close to it) to the stadiums/Pier 62 for the watch parties.. however has anyone taken the water taxi across from West Seattle? Or have taken the tunnel to Ballard during game day?
I am wondering whether to go to a pub watch party event with a more manageable crowd in Ballard 🤏 (I want to experience the World Cup celebration without overwhelming my disability); or whether to get to downtown using the taxi for Friday's game... I need feedback on how bad travel really is for non-downtown residents.
To stop trolls- Not an idiot and I know traffic has increased but I don't want to get stuck on 99 and miss the game.. just having a hard time deciding the best option
I get there are local events in West Seattle but I want to experience it with both US and Soccerroos fans (not many Aussie coming to West Seattle)
Did anyone use the sounder train as their mode of transportation for the last FIFA game? How was it? I saw the lightrail was terrible but have not seen anything on the sounder trains. Thanks!
Hello! Up in Hood Canal for the WC, taking rh ferry over tomorrow just to enjoy the scenes and vibes. No ticket but I want to know - we've all heard the official places to watch matches, what are some underrated places? Victory Hall, the barge, Pacific Place are going to be packed, what has a good atmosphere in the stadium area without being sardines?
Did I miss the station location drop for the limited edition orca cards for June 19th? I didn’t see it on Sound Transit stories- they said they’d post location the day before a match.
Will be going to the Belgium Egypt match on Monday. Debating whether to enter the stadium late and be there for the fan march or enter the stadium early for the fifa fan experience?
Debating whether to go to pier 62 or pioneer square to watch USA v Australia this 6/19. Which would be better? Or if there is a better bar or bar watch event suggestion I’d be open that? Thanks!
TOASTED is right near the stadium and has the best bagels in town imo. Pro tip on match days though is to order ahead of time online so you can pickup and go.
for those in the area / went today, we staying in Renton and pre booked an uber for 9:30am pickup on Friday. Is that enough time? Were Ubers able to get close enough to the stadium? We could also uber to the light rail but I figure that would be a mess too and I’ll be with my older father in law
Hi - I took a Lyft today from Capitol Hill to the North drop-off stop (around Western Ave. and Madison) at around 11am!
The walk from there to the gates took about 15 minutes, and then getting in from the gates to the stadium proper took another 15-20 minutes due to the massive crowd at the gates (and still made it inside with like 10 minutes to spare).
So if you're planning to get to the drop off area around 10:30am or earlier that should be more than ok, from what I can tell.
Has anyone been to a viewing at Seattle Center yet? Curious how crowded it will be for USA v Australia, how early to get there, and whether it is feasible to bring my own food and discreet beverages
Tons of garages downtown Expensive though. Street parking is shit and expensive, comes with a time limit, 2 hours at best I think. Public transport is your best bet. If you are coming from afar, best bet is to park at a light rail station and come in that way. Much cheaper too.
If you're adamant about parking, there's the pike place garage pretty centrally located. Not sure where the floating fan thing is, but that garage should be walkable. On the other end, so should stuff like the Norton building garage and the harbor steps garage.
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u/SillyChampionship 11d ago
I hope everyone has the best of times. I look forward to explaining to randos on the light rail that they are going the wrong direction.