FIFA events expected to generate roughly $1 billion for western Washington

SEATTLE — The Seattle area is expecting to generate close to $1 billion in revenue between the FIFA Club World Cup that kicks off this weekend and next year’s FIFA World Cup matches.

The inaugural FIFA Club World Cup, which brings the world’s top soccer teams together for a tournament hosted across the U.S., begins Saturday. Sunday will be the first match at Lumen Field, featuring the Seattle Sounders and Brazil’s Botafogo.

FIFA expects 3.7 million fans to attend Club World Cup matches at 12 stadiums across 11 U.S. cities. Seattle will host a total of six matches, including all three of the Sounders’ group contests.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the most-watched sports event globally, is expected to see double the number of fans compared to the Club World Cup. Around 6.5 million fans are anticipated to root on the 48 nations competing at stadiums across North America.

The World Cup’s economic impact is also predicted to dwarf the Club World Cup nationwide. The Club World Cup should generate $9.6 billion this year, while the 2026 FIFA World Cup officials forecast $40.9 billion in revenue.

Locally, officials estimate the local impact of the 2026 World Cup to exceed $929 million. Over 21,000 local jobs are also expected to be created in connection to the World Cup festivities in western Washington. No local revenue figure was released for this year’s Club World Cup.

Botafogo vs. Seattle Sounders FC: June 15 at 7 p.m.
CA River Plate vs. Urawa Red Diamonds: June 17 at 12 p.m.
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Atletico De Madrid: June 19 at 3 p.m.
FC Internazionale Milano vs. Urawa Red Diamonds: June 21 at 12 p.m.
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Paris Saint-Germain: June 23 at 12 p.m.
FC Interazionale Milano vs. CA River Plate: June 25 at 6 p.m.