Seattle Center Unveils 39 Days of Programming for Let’s Play SEA ‘26 -World Soccer Fan Celebration

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Seattle’s City-Hosted Fan Celebration Venue Will Offer Daily Public Viewing Experiences, Signature World Soccer Watch Parties, Drone Shows, Cultural Festivals, Music, Art, and Community Programming During FIFA World Cup 2026™

SEATTLE, WA — Seattle Center will become Seattle’s largest free ongoing public gathering place during FIFA World Cup 2026™, welcoming fans from around the globe for 39 days of live match viewing, cultural festivals, music, art, food, and community celebrations beneath the Space Needle.

From June 11 through July 19, Let’s Play SEA ‘26 — World Soccer Fan Celebration will transform Seattle Center’s iconic 74-acre campus into a daily destination where residents and visitors can experience the world’s biggest sporting event while celebrating the cultures and communities that make Seattle unique.

Seattle Center is one of the city’s official public fan celebration venues, operating in partnership with the Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026™ Local Organizing Committee and supporting Visit Seattle’s Let’s Play SEA ‘26 campaign.

Through Let’s Play SEA ‘26 — World Soccer Fan Celebration, Seattle Center will provide daily FIFA-authorized public viewing experiences featuring more than 60 matches in the Armory Food & Event Hall and the KEXP Gathering Space. These viewings will be complemented by signature World Soccer Watch Parties on featured match days (June 15, 19, 24, 25, 26, and July 1, 4, 6) at the Mural Amphitheatre with expanded fan gathering areas featuring live DJs, cultural programming, food and beverage offerings, and more.

Public viewing experiences are presented by Seattle Center in partnership with FOX 13, a sponsor of Let’s Play SEA ‘26 and the official FIFA World Cup 2026™ broadcast partner in the Seattle market.

“Seattle Center has long served as the place where our city comes together,” said Randy Engstrom, acting director of Seattle Center. “This summer presents a unique opportunity to welcome the world. Let’s Play SEA ‘26 embodies the qualities which define Seattle—our diversity, creativity, civic spirit, cultural richness, and capacity to unite people through shared experiences.”

Let’s Play SEA ‘26 has been designed as a multi-venue fan celebration experience, enabling guests over the course of 39 days to enjoy FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches while participating in dozens of free and accessible experiences throughout Seattle Center.

Whether visitors attend to watch a match, experience a cultural festival, enjoy live music, explore public art, or gather with friends and family, Seattle Center will serve as Seattle’s global living room throughout the tournament.

ARMORY FOOD & EVENT HALL VIEWING EXPERIENCE

More than just match viewing, the Armory Food & Event Hall will serve as the primary daily public viewing venue and indoor headquarters for Let’s Play SEA ‘26 – an all-day fan experience including Global Marketplace vendors, sponsor activations, and fan engagement opportunities.

The Armory will also host cultural programming, family and youth engagement programming on select days, workshops, daily music programming and performances, and special events throughout the celebration.

Cultural programming will temporarily replace match viewing during portions of June 13, July 4, and July 11. Alternate viewing locations will remain available elsewhere on campus during those periods.

WORLD SOCCER WATCH PARTIES AT MURAL AMPHITHEATRE

On Seattle match days – including all six FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches hosted in Seattle – Mural Amphitheatre will transform into an outdoor festival. Unlike traditional fan viewing environments, Mural Amphitheatre offers expansive lawn seating, open gathering space, and space for fans to relax, connect, and celebrate together while enjoying large format match viewing, DJs, food and beverage experiences, and cultural programming.

Featured World Soccer Watch Party Schedule:

Additional Viewing:

Mexico vs. South Korea – Presented with  K-Fest programming on June 18, festivities begin at 3 p.m.

Drone Shows:

On the evenings of the six Seattle-hosted matches, fans can look to the sky to catch the score for that day’s match, through a first-ever drone scoreboard created by Visit Seattle. Each team’s final score will be displayed with their country’s flag at the end of the match. The display will light the Seattle skyline, appearing alongside the Space Needle, one of the city’s most famous landmarks. A rendering is available here. This futuristic scoreboard aims to change the fan experience forever. Show times are subject to change, but will generally take start in the window of 10 PM – 11:30 PM PT. 

THE KEXP GATHERING SPACE VIEWING EXPERIENCE

The KEXP Gathering Space will serve as a secondary community viewing venue throughout the tournament.

The space will provide additional match-viewing opportunities, alternative viewing during Armory programming transitions, and gathering opportunities for music, arts, and community-focused audiences.

KEXP’s participation reflects Seattle’s internationally recognized music culture while creating an additional welcoming environment for fans and visitors.

Additional viewing opportunities will also be available daily through Tom’s Watch Bar.

A GLOBAL MOMENT AT THE CENTER

Let’s Play SEA ‘26 will offer one of the Pacific Northwest’s largest public fan celebrations during FIFA World Cup 2026™, combining match viewing, cultural festivals, music, public art, food experiences, and family-friendly activities across Seattle Center’s campus.

Special acknowledgment to FOX 13, Tom’s Watch Bar, the Seattle Kraken, Climate Pledge Arena, KEXP, Visit Seattle, and the Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026™ Local Organizing Committee for their partnership and collaboration in helping bring Let’s Play SEA ‘26 — World Soccer Fan Celebration to life. Their support, alongside Seattle Center’s resident organizations, cultural partners, sponsors, artists, vendors, and community organizations, reflects the collective spirit that will make Seattle Center Seattle’s global living room during FIFA World Cup 2026™. 

Event schedules, viewing locations, transportation information, and updates are available at SeattleCenter.com/Soccer.

About Seattle Center — The Cultural Heart of the Pacific Northwest

Seattle Center is a 74-acre civic, arts, and cultural gathering place in the heart of Seattle and is home to more than 30 partner organizations, including Climate Pledge Arena, KEXP, Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP), Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle Opera, Pacific Science Center, SIFF, and many others.

Anchored by world-class attractions, historic venues, public art, and a dynamic calendar of free and affordable events centered around the iconic International Fountain, Seattle Center brings together arts, culture, sports, and community year-round.

As a department of the City of Seattle and anchor of the Uptown Arts and Cultural District, Seattle Center serves residents from across the Puget Sound region alongside visitors from around the world.

In partnership with Friends of Waterfront Park, Seattle Center provides operations, maintenance, and public safety services for Waterfront Park, while Friends leads park experience, programming, and stewardship along Seattle’s downtown waterfront.

Seattle Center welcomes nearly 12 million visits annually, generating nearly $3.3 billion in total economic activity, supporting 19,400 jobs, and producing more than $37 million in local tax revenue for the City of Seattle.

With the support of its official partners—Alaska Airlines, The Climate Pledge, Coors Light, Pepsi, Symetra, T-Mobile, and WaFd Bank—Seattle Center is the most-visited arts and cultural destination in the Pacific Northwest.