Peter Tomozawa wants to ensure the economic boost from the 2026 FIFA World Cup sticks. Here's how he'll do it.
At the SeattleFWC26 headquarters in late January, Peter Tomozawa pulled out his phone to reveal a countdown that was at 133 days, 16 hours, 20 minutes and 35 seconds.
The clock gives Tomozawa a second-by-second update on how long until the first 2026 FIFA World Cup match kicks off in Seattle. At his office, adorned with various Sounders jerseys and a wooden guitar, Tomozawa is constantly thinking of how he can use the time between now and the June 15 opener.
“I still remember when it was 900 days out,” Tomozawa says. “It’s fast and furious, and it’s really going to be something special, I think, for our region.”
The planned legacy projects span the arts, infrastructure and small business initiatives. Tomozawa and SeattleFWC26 are planning to put flag murals on the monorail posts to commemorate the countries in the World Cup. The idea is that fans can take pictures of the flags along Fifth Avenue as they peruse Belltown and the Seattle Center area. Tomozawa says the flags will go up in the spring and stay up after the World Cup.
About the 2026 World Cup
Estimated economic impact: $929 million in King County, according to Visit Seattle
State and local tax revenue: More than $100 million
Visiting fans: 750,000
Public funds: $46.6 million total set aside by state lawmakers for World Cup prep
Lumen Field: $19.4 million set aside by state lawmakers
Seattle Center impact: Up to 20,000 fans at the city’s official fan celebration hub during matches
https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2026/02/22/world-cup-fifa-peter-tomozawa-seattlefwc26.html
FIFA World Cup fan events to expand beyond Seattle Center
World Cup celebrations this summer will hit different parts of Seattle.
SeattleFWC26, the organizing committee for Seattle's World Cup bid, on Monday announced new fan celebration locations throughout the city for this summer's FIFA World Cup, the most-watched sporting event in the world. Previous plans had Seattle Center serving as the sole official fan celebration hub.
The additional fan celebration locations include downtown's Pacific Place, which will have a four-story LED screen, and the renovated downtown waterfront, which will host public programming and fan experiences. Victory Hall, an event space across the street from T-Mobile Park, will feature a 23-foot screen and be open every day of the tournament, according to SeattleFWC26.
Seattle Center will still serve as a fan hub, with an indoor screen at the armory and additional fan experiences around the campus, including DJs, art, food vendors and play areas for kids. Seattle Center is working with the Seattle Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena for the World Cup events there.
https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2026/02/23/seattlefwc26-world-cup-pacific-place-waterfront.html