The first-ever World Cup game in Seattle will feature two teams from Group G that showcase big-time superstar players. Neither Belgium nor Egypt has ever won the tournament, but Belgium did finish third in 2018, and its men’s team, led by veterans Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku and star keeper Thibaut Courtois, is ranked high by FIFA. Egypt has been an occasional participant, but qualified easily this year, powered by superstar forward Mo Salah.

This is the one Seattle has been waiting for. Many believe the tournament draw was extremely favorable to Team USA, placing them in a group with Paraguay, Australia, and Türkiye. It remains to be seen if longtime Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan will make the final roster—but he did have two assists in a national team win over Australia in a recent friendly. 

Bosnia and Herzegovina clinched a spot in Group B in March, winning a penalty shootout against Italy. It’s only the second visit to the World Cup for the team, while opponent Qatar marks their first time qualifying for the tournament—they automatically appeared in the 2022 event as hosts.

Egypt returns to Seattle for its second Group G game at not–Lumen Field. (In between, the Egyptians play in Vancouver, giving them one of the most scenic and convenient travel schedules of any country participating in the tournament. We hope they take the train.) The game was designated as Pride Matchday by Seattle organizers, as it takes place the day before the city’s Pride weekend. However the matchup was thrown into question when the US launched airstrikes against Iran at the end of February. 

In the first of two of the knockout round games in Seattle, the winner of Group G (New Zealand, Belgium, Egypt, Iran) faces one of the third-place teams from Groups A, E, I, H, or J.

The winner of the July 1 game will meet up with the winner of a game that pits Group D’s top team against a third-place team, which means that if Team USA is really on fire, this would be a second chance for them to play in Seattle.

The most official of the outposts, Seattle’s FIFA World Cup 26 Local Organizing Committee crafted four stadium-adjacent spots to catch the action for free. Close enough to hear the stadium crowds, Victory Hall boasts Seattle Mariners-hosted watch parties with DJs, food trucks, and local beer. Meanwhile, hometown soccer teams Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC lead a Sound-side watch party at Waterfront Park with Olympic views as the backdrop of each goal.

A floating barge extends the party onto the Puget Sound for a ticketed viewing experience with a mini pitch and local soccer activations. Inside the Pacific Place mall, a new four-story screen broadcasts matches. And Seattle Center’s sprawling campus is home to weather-proof viewing in the Armory, live entertainment at the Mural Amphitheater, and curated soundtracks in the KEXP Gathering Space. 

Caribbean sandwich shop Paseo serves up tiki drinks, projectors and TVs, and includes special challenges like a pre-game score prediction giveaway. Every goal scores viewers $2 goal shots. 

Match day staples made vegan: Capitol Hill’s quirky, cozy cocktail bar boasts globally-inspired specials for each game, including plant-based Poutine with melted "cheez" and gravy, pão de queijo with guava sauce, Panamanian beyond beef empanadas with salsa verde, and "phish" and chips. The matches—nearly every one, not just those in Seattle—screen on their giant vinyl room TV and across the bar in a welcoming atmosphere.

Community-driven craft brewery Métier pours new Velvet Coast IPA, zero-proof sparkling hop water, and a deep repertoire of crowd-favorite brews in the Central District flagship taproom. 

The Australian joint, located in the historic Ballard Carnegie Library, is the place to be to watch the Aussie matches in traditional style. Indoor and outdoor screens pair with two bars for efficient halftime refuels, and weekly special events punctuate games with trivia, DJ sets, and comedy.

An old building gets a new life as the SeaTac’s Friday and Saturday World Cup hub. Stoup Brewing ventures south to supply local brews, Por Vida NW will put on concerts and vendor markets, and giant screens play all the action. 

The Eastside’s sprawling park is host to a finale celebration for the competition's final match on July 19. A giant outdoor screen is the focal point of the afternoon, but kid’s activities, live performances, food trucks, and a beer garden add to the atmosphere. 

Pub fare, historic locations, and big games combine at McMenamins outposts June 12, 19, and 25 for a handful of watch parties. The all-ages, free gatherings are fueled by burgers, tots, and beer.

In Tacoma, the Puyallup Tribe hosts Puyallup Tribe Coastal Protocol on June 18 and World Cup Powwow June 19–21, with free park and ride at Tacoma Dome. A stickgame tournament will be held June 26–28.

• This is the first World Cup with 48 teams (arranged into 12 groups of four)—up from 32 for the past three decades.

  

• The top two teams in each group, plus eight more third-place teams, will go on to the Round of 32, with single-loss elimination play from there.

• The USA–Australia match ends a few hours before a Red Sox–Mariners game at T-Mobile Park begins.

• A total of 104 matches will be played. The championship is Sunday, July 19, at New York New Jersey Stadium, known to most of us as MetLife Stadium, home of football’s Giants and Jets.

• Due to FIFA rules, the World Cup governing body, each stadium’s sponsorship must be removed for the contest. The stadium we know as Lumen Field will become Seattle Stadium for the duration.

• Matches are 90 minutes, played in two 45-minute halves, plus stoppage time (which is totally subjective, based on any time spent dealing with penalties or injuries). The clock counts up, not down.
• If there’s a tie, the game goes to extra time. That means two 15-minute halves (with no sudden death component, also known as the golden goal). If there’s still a tie after that, there’s a shootout.

  

   
• New this year to the World Cup: countdown clocks for throw-ins and goal kicks to speed things along. 
• What’s offside? An offensive player is in an offside position if they receive a pass when they’re closer to the goal than any of their defensive players (goalie notwithstanding) and were in that position when the pass was made. Simple, right?