Lumen Field hosts six 2026 World Cup matches in Seattle. Four group games and two knockout ties. The atmosphere standard is set by the Seahawks crowd, the loudest in any open-air American sports venue and once the world record holder at 137.6 dB (a December 2013 measurement that briefly stood until Arrowhead reclaimed it the next year). The Sounders, Seattle's MLS team, draw 40,000-plus to the same stadium and treat the south end as a singing terrace.
Lumen Field
72,000 capacity
View stadium →The 2026 fixtures
| Date | Kickoff (PDT) | Match | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 15 Jun | 12:00 | Belgium vs Egypt | Group Stage – 1 |
| Fri 19 Jun | 12:00 | USA vs Australia | Group Stage – 2 |
| Wed 24 Jun | 12:00 | Bosnia & Herzegovina vs Qatar | Group Stage – 3 |
| Fri 26 Jun | 20:00 | Egypt vs Iran | Group Stage – 3 |
| Round of 32 | TBD | – | – |
| Round of 16 | TBD | – | – |
Four group-stage fixtures drawn — including the USA's second group match against Australia on 19 June. Two knockout ties at Lumen resolve from the bracket.
Belgium
Egypt
USA
Australia
Bosnia & Herzegovina
QatarEgypt
IranThe volume
The Seahawks' "12th Man" tradition dates to 1984. The crowd noise has caused opposing offences to commit a record number of false-start penalties — 11 in a single game against the Giants in 2005, still an NFL record. In December 2013, an academic measurement at the venue hit 137.6 dB during a Seahawks vs Saints game, briefly the loudest crowd ever recorded at a sporting event before Arrowhead beat it the following year. Sounders matches don't reach the same peak but sustain a higher floor — the south-end Emerald City Supporters hold tifos and standing chants from kickoff to whistle.
For the World Cup, the USA-Australia group match on 19 June is the obvious noise generator. Egypt's strong following in the Pacific Northwest Coptic community will also turn out for the 15 June and 26 June fixtures.
The building
Ellerbe Becket and LMN Architects designed Lumen Field; it opened on 28 July 2002 at a cost of $430 million, paid jointly by the state, King County, and Paul Allen (the Seahawks' owner). The defining design choice is the open north end, which channels traffic and crowd noise back onto the pitch instead of letting it dissipate. The roof covers about 70% of the seating bowl, designed to keep the rain off while leaving the venue acoustically alive. It works.
Listed capacity is 68,740 for football. Sounders MLS matches usually tarp the upper bowl to a reduced configuration around 37,000, with the full 68,740 (and a 72,000 expanded ceiling) opened for marquee fixtures — derbies, Concacaf Champions Cup nights, MLS Cup. WC configuration runs at approximately 68,500. The pitch surface is FieldTurf in normal use; FIFA's hybrid grass overlay programme will replace it for the tournament.
Big matches here
Hosted MLS Cup in 2009, 2016, and 2019 — Sounders winners in 2016 and 2019. Two NFC Championship games (January 2014 and 2015). Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and the Rolling Stones have all played multi-night residencies.
Quick facts
| Capacity | 68,740 (≈68,500 for WC) |
| Opened | 28 July 2002 |
| Architects | Ellerbe Becket, LMN Architects |
| Cost at build | $430 million |
| Roof | Partial canopy, ~70% coverage |
| Permanent surface | FieldTurf |
| WC surface | Hybrid natural grass overlay |
| Tenants | Seattle Seahawks (NFL), Seattle Sounders (MLS) |
| Address | 800 Occidental Ave S, Seattle, WA |
Getting there
Seattle has the best public transit of any US WC host city after the East Coast. Lumen sits adjacent to Pioneer Square — light rail (the 1 Line) runs to Stadium station, a 2-minute walk from the gates. Sounder Commuter Rail from the suburbs to King Street Station, two blocks from Lumen.
From SEA-TAC airport, 35 minutes on the 1 Line direct to Stadium station. About twenty dollars in total fares for two people round trip.
Driving works but parking is constrained in Pioneer Square. Event-day rates run $40–$80 in the surrounding lots. The waterfront and Westlake garages are alternatives 10–15 minutes' walk away.
Uber and Lyft work. From Downtown $10–$20, from Capitol Hill $15–$25.
Food and drink
Lumen sits directly in Pioneer Square — Seattle's oldest neighbourhood, with bars and restaurants in walking distance on every side. This is the most walkable pre-match scene of any US WC venue.
FX McRory's
Pre-match steakhouse/sports bar1 min walk
The classic pre-match Seahawks/Sounders bar across from the stadium. Steakhouse upstairs, oyster bar and beer downstairs.
Open in Maps →Pyramid Brewing
Brewery taproom5 min walk
Pyramid's flagship brewery sits at the south end of the stadium parking lot. Hefeweizen, IPAs, full menu.
Open in Maps →Pioneer Square bars
Pre-match district5–10 min walk
Historic district north of Lumen. The Triangle Pub, Salty's, Collins Pub. Walking-distance options in every direction.
Open in Maps →Pike Place Market
Seattle landmark15 min walk
Worth the walk before a noon kickoff. Fresh fish, the original Starbucks, the gum wall. Quintessential Seattle.
Open in Maps →Inside Lumen, the food slate features Seattle classics: Ivar's seafood, Beecher's mac and cheese, Din Tai Fung dumplings, regional craft beers from Fremont, Pyramid, and Stoup.
Seats
Lower bowl in the south end (sections 121-124, the Hawks Nest and Brougham End) for the loudest noise. 200 level corners for the best sightline-to-price ratio. Covered seats stay dry in Seattle rain (probable in June).
Tickets
FIFA's official channel for all matches. USA-Australia on 19 June is expected amongst the harder group-stage tickets. Resale opens in waves through spring 2026.
Pair it with
T-Mobile Park (Mariners, MLB) is across the parking lot from Lumen — Sounders matches and Mariners games sometimes overlap, requiring a coin-flip on the parking. Climate Pledge Arena (Kraken NHL, Storm WNBA) is in Lower Queen Anne. The Sounders are in season during the WC; non-WC midweek matches at Lumen are likely.
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