Sleepless in Seattle: Frontier city passes vibe check ahead of World Cup bow

But the Emerald City is welcoming the tournament with open arms.

The poster for the World Cup plastered in bars, stores and inside the FIFA centre contains plenty of the city’s culture, but what catches the eye the most is the whale performing a dive into the Pacific Ocean whilst kicking a football. If it's a metaphor of Seattle turning a blind eye to the festivities, then it couldn’t be further from the truth.

Strolling around

Unlike some of the other venues across the US at this World Cup, Seattle City Stadium - normally known as Lumen Field - is incredibly walkable. Just 10 minutes from the central station and situated in downtown Seattle, the 60,000-seater stadium feels more European in its location.

Just a stone’s throw from there is Elysian Fields, a central hub for the celebrations during June and July.

As Mexico played out a 2-0 win over South Africa, around 20 people populated the premises with the bar’s larger-than-life founder, David Buhler, holding court at the bar. Speaking to Flashscore during the game, he regales about having the World Cup in his adopted city, and he is a veteran of the tournament.

Having travelled around the world watching the tournament, from the USA in 1994 to Russia in 2018, this will be his sixth edition where he has attended games. 

Despite the low turnout for the opener, Buhler is expecting ‘chaos’ as fans from across the globe descend on Seattle.

The city will play host to a menagerie of nations from their opening game, where Belgium get their campaign started, right through to the intriguing fixture of Iran against Egypt to round off the group stage clashes.

Seattle, according to resident Alex, is a welcoming city, habitable and, going against the stereotype of being car-focused, a public transport haven. Earlier this year, the city worked hard to introduce a second inter-city train line, allowing the suburbs to reach downtown with ease - while some public transportation in other US cities are charging around $90 to ferry fans to the stadiums, Seattle’s $3 tickets feel like heaven. 

Footballing tradition

Unequivocally, Seattle is a proud sports town. The current NFL champions - the Seattle Seahawks - reside at Lumen Field, whilst both of their football sides - the Seattle Sounders and the Seattle Reign - have put their names to a barge, allowing fans a unique opportunity to watch World Cup action. 

That heritage, and the intimate feel of the stadium’s surroundings, make it the perfect spot to host the US men’s national team when they take on Australia on June 19th.

Their opening win against Paraguay was well-supported too. In the suburb of Redmond - around an hour from the centre of Seattle, a big screen and a DJ sprouted up in the centre, whilst the local drinking holes were filled to capacity.

Seattle is also a technology hub for the USA. Microsoft have their headquarters in the city, whilst TikTok and CrowdStrike also have substantial offices. The knock-on effect of this is the melting pot of cultures, famed in American tradition, still living and breathing on the West Coast. 

As Belgium and Egypt begin their campaigns at Seattle City Stadium on Monday, the city of Seattle is ready to begin its World Cup adventure.