Seattle leaders tout World Cup success as spotlight moves on

Refs have blown the final whistle on Seattle's 2026 World Cup summer, and the focus now switches to measuring the international soccer tournament's success.

At a Tuesday press conference near Lumen Field, which goes back to its usual name after switching to Seattle Stadium during the World Cup, local leaders and organizers touted Seattle's performance as a host city under the bright lights of the World Cup, the most-watched sporting event in the world.

According to Jennifer Casillas, a vice president with the Downtown Seattle Association, more than 580,000 people were downtown on June 19, when Team USA beat Australia 2-0 in the group stage at Lumen Field.

That number only includes domestic foot traffic, not international visitors. It was one of the busiest days downtown on record, Casillas added.

https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2026/07/07/world-cup-lumen-hotels-foot-traffic-occidental.html