World Cup Preparation Brings Benefits To Seattle Businesses And UW Athletics

Signs of Seattle’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are evident, from University of
Washington’s Husky Soccer Stadium upgrade to major improvements in neighborhoods near the Lumen Field where the event will take place.

At least two local business owners say their streets are cleaner and safer, thanks to Seattle’s
efforts and its ongoing investments.

Washington state lawmakers approved $45 million to be used for the World Cup preparations, including $19.4 million for Lumen Field upgrades that will feature fully backed seats, a natural-grass surface and expanded concessions. The remaining funds will be used to improve transportation, law enforcement, practice fields and city cleaning services.

The UW Husky Soccer Stadium received $1.7 million in funding and will be used as a practice stadium
for world cup teams.

Dan Erickson, the associate athletic director for events and facilities at the UW, says the work on
the soccer stadium was substantially completed in early August and its first match was on Aug. 9,
2025.

“The soccer field renovation was completed this past summer in preparation for the UW women’s and
men’s soccer seasons,” Erickson said in an email. “The project included a full reconstruction of
the playing surface, featuring a new subgrade, subsurface drainage system, irrigation system, and a
permanent natural-grass surface that meets FIFA pitch standards for World Cup training sites,”

Erickson said other upgrades will help create a better experience for players on the field.

“We also upgraded to LED field lighting and purchased new field maintenance equipment required for FIFA host practice sites. These improvements create a more consistent, professional-quality playing environment that benefits our student-athletes and enhances the fan experience.”

Erickson said the changes and improvements on the Husky Soccer Stadium will continue to sustain
community engagement once the global spotlight moves on. “Washington Athletics and the university as a whole see this project as part of a long-term investment in both our student-athletes and our community.”

Mark Hills, the manager of Seattle Lighting, located at the intersection of Second Avenue Extension
South and South Main Street, says he is already seeing differences in his neighborhood. While the
city has many areas to improve on, Hills believes the city is on the right track.

“It’s a difficult thing to sort of notice from one day to the next, because it’s a gradual change.
There’s been improvements I’d say post-COVID. Especially with Mayor Harrell, definitely a big and
better change.”

Hills added that even though Seattle has many months left before the World Cup, the city already
has completed many tasks.

“I gotta say if the city wasn’t already cleaning, all this would be filthy. Usually there’s garbage
in the streets, and it can get dirty, but city employees come and pick up the trash and take care
of the garbage cans in the street,” Hills said.

Hills said while lighting stores may not be the most popular tourist destination for many
travelers, he expects his neighborhood to be a safer spot for both locals and tourists.

“One realistic thing would be that you’d see the neighborhood looking a lot better because of the
city’s efforts,” he said. “I also think people would be encouraged to come downtown. There’s this
general idea that the downtown area is not safe, but I work five days a week and never had a
serious issue.”

An employee at International Model Toys, located near Seattle’s Chinatown-International District
entrance, said the city is providing additional resources.

“It’s been way better in terms of safety,” said the employee who asked to remain anonymous. “The
city gave me a number to call if anything happens.”

“One day in the afternoon, a city employee came and visited the store and asked me if anything
happened recently and that really made me feel safe,” the IMT employee said. “You can now safely
sit on the street without worrying about crimes including drugs and stabbing. Usually, homeless
people come and take a nap near my store but I haven’t seen that in two weeks.”

The employee is satisfied with Seattle’s investment in his neighborhood and is confident the World
Cup will be a success.

“If the city hosts big events like that, then I can be sure the city knows what they’re doing and
I’m glad to see that happening. City employees pick up the trash and clean the street more often.
They showed that they know what they’re doing and I hope they continue to do that.”

While the store employee expects to see many improvements, he is aware that the city may not be
able to solve all of its problems at once. Still, he hopes Seattle leaves a great impression on first-time
visitors.