Seattle World Cup organizer says Washington will 'bring the event to the people' with nine fan zones, security funding and business playbooks

Peter Tomozawa, CEO of the Seattle World Cup organizing committee, told a Vancouver audience that the 2026 FIFA World Cup is being organized to "bring Washington to the world" and to leave a lasting local legacy rather than only staging a 39-day event.

Tomozawa said his 501(c)(3) organizing committee focuses on maximizing "the social and economic impact for Washington and the city of Seattle." He told attendees the team secured federal security funding for the tournament and that the committee hired former Seattle Police Chief John Diaz to lead security planning.

The organizer announced nine state-designated fan-zone cities, including Vancouver, and said two Washington locations — Renton and Spokane — are being readied as candidate home-base camps for teams. Tomozawa said Portland will also host a base camp and that a December draw will determine final team and base-camp assignments.

Tomozawa described two planning tools for host communities: a community playbook to help localities organize watch parties and fan-zone activities, and an economic-development playbook aimed at small businesses on how to benefit from visitor traffic. He urged businesses to follow the playbook’s guidance on branding and licensing and cautioned against implying official FIFA sponsorship without authorization, calling such protections “ambush marketing.”

Referencing Visit Seattle estimates presented at the session, Tomozawa said the region could see roughly $1 billion in additional revenue, about $100 million in additional tax receipts, roughly 21,000 jobs tied to the event and about 750,000 visitors (figures presented as Visit Seattle estimates). He described efforts to prioritize local vendors, artists and a labor-standards agreement Seattle has adopted to protect workers during the event.

Tomozawa showed the official poster (artist Shogo Ota) and said design partners included the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, whose cultural motifs are reflected in the artwork. He also described a permanent 4.25-mile "Unity Loop" walking route connecting stadium and waterfront sites to create a lasting visitor amenity.

During a question-and-answer period, Tomozawa said many international teams and groups of fans are likely to arrive weeks before matches, that base camps and training activities will generate significant local visitation, and that organizers are planning marketing and logistics to spread economic benefits across the state. He recommended that local businesses consult the organizing committee or the published playbooks if they are uncertain about branding or licensing compliance.

Tomozawa closed by emphasizing the committee’s goal of a long-term legacy for Washington communities: "we're bringing Washington to the world," he said, and the organizers said they will continue coordinating with local officials and mayoral offices as planning proceeds.

The session included moderator Cliff Myers of Visit Vancouver and closed without formal votes or actions; organizers said further public updates and resources (including playbooks and contact points) will be released as the 2026 event approaches.