Millions earmarked for downtown Seattle parks improvements ahead of 2026 World Cup

With the 2026 World Cup approaching, the city of Seattle is thinking of ways to use the massive international soccer tournament as a catalyst for permanent improvements downtown.

Between planning reserves, improvements to parks and art activations, the city has set aside millions of dollars in the 2025-2026 budget for the World Cup, for which the city will host four group-stage matches and two knockout round matches at Lumen Field.

Deputy Mayor Greg Wong said improvements to the Westlake Park area downtown are one focus of Mayor Bruce Harrell's plan to create an impact in the city that lasts after the World Cup ends next summer. The park is just over a mile north of the stadium, at 401 Pine St.

"It used to kind of be a hub of downtown, and it hasn't been as much," Wong said. "We're really starting to look at how we can totally reimagine that space."

https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2025/01/09/world-cup-parks-westlake-occidental-soccer.html