By Nia Wong
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
SEATTLE, Wash. – With a little more than a month until the FIFA World Cup 2026 descends upon Seattle and 15 other host cities, Washington state is making transportation adjustments to welcome an expected 750,000 visitors for the international sporting event.
“Seattle Stadium is positioned to be the most accessible venue in all of the World Cup for 2026—whether you’re a local or a visitor, arriving from across the globe,” said Peter Tomozawa, CEO of Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026. “Our goal is to have 80% of fans arrive at the stadium without a personal vehicle.”
Here are the major changes to keep in mind:
Pioneer Square pedestrian zone
Pedestrians are welcome, personal vehicles not so much
Street closures will heavily impact Pioneer Square and on-street parking will be restricted from 2 a.m. on the following match days:
- Monday, June 15 – Noon, Belgium vs. Egypt
- Friday, June 19 – Noon, USA vs. Australia + 7:10 p.m. Mariners vs. Red Sox
- Wednesday, June 24 – Noon, Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Qatar
- Friday, June 26 – 8 p.m. Egypt vs. Iran.
- Wednesday, July 1 – 1 p.m Round of 32
- Monday, July 6 – 5 p.m. Round of 16
A full map of the Pioneer Square Pedestrian Zone can be found here.
Getting to games by land
Fee-free options
King Country Metro will dedicate 60 new bus routes and buses displaying “Match Day Shuttle,” will run every three to seven minutes on match days, taking fans on a loop through downtown Seattle to and around the Seattle Stadium. Match Day Shuttles will be free for all passengers. A full list of stops and a map can be found here.
With the Waterfront Shuttle set to return on May 21 and run through Labor Day, passengers can ride this shuttle for free on local match days, with shuttles expected to run every 10 minutes between Waterfront Park, Seattle Center, Pioneer Square, the Chinatown-International District, and the Stadium District.
When it comes to Sound Transit, standard fares will still apply but riders will see an increase in service on both light rail lines with extended service on match days until 1a.m. Sounder game trains will be added for five out of six match days and Sound Transit Express buses will help if needed.
The City of Seattle is also working to add more bike corrals near the stadium for the event.
Getting to games by sea
Eighteen ferries will be ready to shuttle fans across the Puget Sound, with two additional boats on standby at Eagle Harbor in case of service disruptions. Routes between Seattle, Bainbridge Island, and Bremerton will have more traffic attendants, sailors, and security during FWC26. More water taxi sailings between West Seattle and downtown Seattle are expected on weekends, including the return of late-night Friday and Saturday service. A summer pilot from Vashon will run a passenger-only service 7 days a week. Kitsap Transit will extend its Bremerton Fast Ferry and Port Orchard Foot Ferry service until midnight, as well as operate a night bus service on selected routes in Kitsap County.
Construction pause
Drivers will feel some relief during FWC 2026
Construction on the I-5 Ship Canal Bridge will be paused from June 8 through July 10 to accommodate the influx of visitors. State officials say to expect more Incident Response Teams in coordination with 24/7 traffic management centers to help with emergency calls and limit congestion on the road.
Ticket-holders are urged to get to matches two to three hours early and anyone planning to head to matches or fan zones are encouraged to download the Official Fan Info WhatsApp Channel for Seattle for real-time updates.
“Seattle is going to be busy this summer. There will be street closures, large crowds, and major events happening across downtown. So planning ahead, checking your route, and taking transit whenever possible is going to make a big difference,” said Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson.