Seattle Revives Downtown for 6 World Cup Games as Fans Pack Mile-Long Street Fair

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 6

Seattle’s sixth and final World Cup match turned downtown into a daylong festival Monday, with U.S. and Belgian fans filling bars, parks, squares and a mile-long street fair.
That surge reflected Seattle’s unusual host-city setup: visitors could walk from hotels to the stadium through Pike Place Market and the revitalized waterfront instead of navigating distant venues.
The atmosphere marked a sharp turnaround from the pandemic era, when remote work drained foot traffic, unsheltered homelessness rose and store closures pushed visitors away from the city core.
Ahead of the tournament, Seattle tried to reverse that slide with park upgrades, more lighting, murals and increased trash pickup, raising the question of whether the World Cup boost can outlast the event.