(The Center Square) – With the first FIFA World Cup match to be played in Seattle happening two weeks from Monday, pressure is mounting to utilize security cameras in the area to keep fans and city residents safe.
Tourism officials have scaled back their financial expectations for the global event, with sluggish hotel bookings and fewer international travelers anticipated.
The American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) reports that nearly 80% of surveyed hoteliers in cities hosting FIFA matches say their booking pace is lagging.
Despite the lowered projections, experts and local businesses remain optimistic about a last-minute tourism surge and overall benefit to Seattle’s bottom line.
Belgium will play Egypt at Lumen Field (renamed Seattle Stadium for FIFA matches) on June 15, 2026, in a noon matchup.
Five more matches will be played through early July.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is hosted across 16 cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Downtown Seattle Association President and CEO Jon Scholes is confident the city and its businesses are ready for the World Cup and he’s optimistic it will be a boon for the Emerald City.
“This is a big events town. It’s been that way, certainly since the World’s Fair in 1962. This is a town that’s used to big events and big crowds in the summer, and I think is going to shine and deliver a fan experience for locals and visitors unlike any other of the host cities across the three continents,” said Scholes in a May 29 interview with The Center Square.
“We’ve got this incredible waterfront. We’ve got great transit service, so people don’t have to drive to Lumen Field. So, we’re thrilled and excited about what’s coming. The residual return, I think is a great opportunity for Seattle and folks coming here, maybe for the first time, having a great time and going back, telling their friends and family and colleagues, and hopefully they and many others return,” Scholes said.
Hope for economic boon, but safety concerns remain
Scholes and other city officials have been sharply critical of Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s decision not to turn on security cameras near the stadium district during the World Cup unless there is a “credible threat.”
“It’s not a professional standard,” said Public Safety Committee Chairman Bob Kettle, who chaired a council meeting last week concerning the security plans for the six games that start on June 15.
Kettle, a former naval intelligence officer, said he did not understand Wilson’s position and that defining what is a “credible threat” is difficult.
As reported by The Center Square, Councilman Rob Saka also criticized the mayor’s decision to keep stadium district cameras turned off during the World Cup.
“We need to get it right 100 percent of the time,” Saka said of World Cup security, “but the people who seek to do our community harm only need to get it right once.”
“I don’t think that our city is as ready as it could be to host the world for such a global event of this scale,” Saka continued. “The good news is that the solution is simple. There’s a quick fix available. This council has previously authorized and funded the expansion of critical security cameras in key areas throughout the city.”
Scholes told The Center Square DSA wants all the security cameras across the city turned on, including those near the stadiums.
“Cameras are clearly helping us solve crimes that otherwise wouldn’t be solved in helping us apprehend suspects who have committed serious crimes that potentially wouldn’t have been apprehended otherwise,” said Scholes.
“I never heard a juror, a victim of crime, or prosecutor say, ‘hey, we wish we had less evidence.’ And these cameras provide clear evidence. They’re helping our officers. Having this tool and technology is helpful. So, I say more cameras.”
Twenty-six cameras were installed near Lumen Field to assist with safety during the World Cup, but at this point, Wilson says the cameras will remain disconnected unless authorities identify a “credible threat” to the area.
At the core of her policy, Wilson has stated she does not want federal immigration agents, including ICE, to have access to the footage.
Scholes said there is very little risk the federal government would attempt to take over a limited camera system.
“And the benefits far outweigh that limited risk. Whether it’s our traffic cameras or Pike Place Market, or cameras at City Hall, there’s plenty of camera systems if the federal government wants to take them over,” said Scholes.
State lawmakers dedicated nearly $47 million in taxpayer funds for stadium modifications and transportation improvements in preparation for the World Cup.
