Seattle and Lumen Field earned national recognition throughout the FIFA World Cup, with some of the tournament’s highest rankings for stadium experience, atmosphere and the city surrounding it.
A City and Its Stadium
Six FIFA World Cup matches put Lumen Field on one of the biggest stages in sports. Once fans and international media arrived, the reviews started coming in.
The Athletic and New York Times writers covering the tournament ranked Seattle and Atlanta together at No. 1 among all 16 World Cup stadium experiences, each scoring 47 out of 50.
Writer Simon Hughes praised Lumen Field’s distinctive design, but what stood out most was everything around it: a downtown stadium people could easily reach, Pioneer Square buzzing before matches, and independent bars, pubs and restaurants filled with supporters.
Seattle Gets Its Flowers
The recognition extended beyond Lumen Field.
Sports Illustrated ranked Seattle No. 2 among all 16 FIFA World Cup Host Cities, pointing to the stadium atmosphere, downtown location, transit access, nearby entertainment and the broader matchday experience.
Action Network’s Fan Experience Index placed Seattle No. 1 among U.S. Host Cities and No. 3 across North America, measuring everything from accessibility and affordability to atmosphere, weather and hotel access.
Different rankings measured different things. They kept arriving at a similar conclusion: Seattle was a pretty great place to experience a World Cup.
Related Legacy Projects
See All Projects
Corridor of Nations
Corridor of Nations
Flags and artwork transformed the Seattle Center Monorail route into a moving welcome to the nations, communities and people who came together for the FIFA World Cup.
Therapeutic Art with Seattle Children’s
Therapeutic Art with Seattle Children’s
SeattleFWC26 partnered with Seattle Children's Therapeutic Art Program on three collaborative projects — a Monorail column, a mural, and a tribute piece — that carried patients' own artwork from the bedside to Seattle's biggest global stage.
SEA&WIN
SEA&WIN
SEA&WIN was the official mobile game of the Seattle FIFA World Cup 26, sending fans across Seattle and Washington State to explore local businesses, cultural landmarks and hidden gems while earning points and prizes along the way.