Over 40 organizations will distribute FIFA World Cup tickets for matches in Seattle to young people and their caregivers.
SEATTLE — Hundreds of youth and their caregivers will get to attend FIFA World Cup matches for free thanks to a City of Seattle youth access initiative.
Seattle leaders announced the program Tuesday, saying over 40 organizations will distribute more than 1,400 tickets free of charge.
“For many of these young people, I know this will be a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson said at a press conference.
The program is the most comprehensive youth access program in the entirety of the World Cup, according to Peter Tomozawa, CEO of the Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026 Local Organizing Committee.
The program also includes food vouchers, and 25% of participants will receive transportation based on their location. King County Metro said it would provide transportation to and from the games.
Tomozawa said the city and the local organizing committee were not gifted the tickets, and they had to fundraise to pay for them. Corporate partners, including Microsoft, Amazon, Boeing and Alaska Airlines, helped support the initiative.
Several partner organizations that will help distribute the tickets were highlighted at the event, including the Somali Health Board, which runs a youth soccer club. Community representatives said soccer was a crucial pathway for youth to stay away from troubling behaviors and praised investments to continue prioritizing the sport.
Somali Health Board Executive Director Najma Osman said the free World Cup tickets were about more than just a fun experience for the kids.
“It’s a statement that our youth belong on the world stage,” Osman said. “They belong as fans, they belong as athletes and they belong as our future leaders.”
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