From ferries and fishing boats to football fans and floating pitches, Seattle is embracing its maritime identity for this summer’s FIFA World Cup.
The Pacific Northwest city plans to create a floating fan zone and football pitch along its waterfront, blending the tournament buzz with Seattle’s seafaring heritage while aiming to leave a long-term legacy for local communities and grassroots sport.
The city's two professional teams – Major League Soccer's Sounders and the Reign of the National Women's Soccer League – and their partners announced the “Seattle Soccer Celebration” from a barge off Waterfront Park's Pier 62 on Elliot Bay.
From 11 June to 6 July, the space will host youth football events, watch parties on a giant video screen, cultural events, private parties and other activities.
Hugh Weber, president of business operations for the two teams, said: “Being able to have this incredible canvas where the broadcasters can show our beautiful skyline and waterfront with the many, many people we believe that will be coming to Seattle, maybe for the first time, and enjoying what makes this community so special – all of those things kept driving us towards some activation on the waterfront. And the floating pitch, and the idea of how we do that became a natural.”
