Stadium Neighborhood Liaisons

Hundreds of thousands of fans would pass through Pioneer Square, SODO and the Chinatown-International District on their way to Lumen Field. For the businesses that operated there every day, that brought opportunity, but also plenty of unknowns.

Years before kickoff, SeattleFWC26 partnered with the Alliance for Pioneer Square, SODO BIA and CID Small Business Relief Team to put dedicated World Cup liaisons inside organizations these neighborhoods already knew and trusted.

Their job was practical: share the latest information, answer questions, troubleshoot problems and make sure neighborhood concerns made their way back into tournament planning.

Preparing a restaurant for six match days looked very different from preparing a warehouse or family-owned shop. The liaisons worked directly with businesses to help each one decide what the World Cup meant for them rather than promise that a massive event would automatically mean massive sales.

In the Chinatown-International District, outreach was offered in English, Traditional Chinese and Vietnamese. Across all three neighborhoods, businesses received workshops, preparedness resources and one-on-one support as plans changed and match day approached.

Together, SeattleFWC26-funded liaisons supported 313 unique businesses through more than 500 business contacts.

When the matches finally arrived, some Pioneer Square businesses reported sales between two and ten times their typical volume. In SODO, thousands of Australian supporters filled the streets singing on their way to the stadium. At Hing Hay Park, families, visitors and longtime CID residents watched matches together over takeout from neighborhood restaurants.

The liaisons had spent years preparing for moments like those.

Just as important was what remained afterward: stronger working relationships between neighborhood organizations, businesses and public agencies, and a model Seattle can use the next time a major event comes to town.