The decision was made after Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson received updated information from Seattle police and the FBI.
SEATTLE — Surveillance cameras will be active in Seattle’s Stadium District during the FIFA World Cup tournament, Mayor Katie Wilson announced Friday.
The decision to activate the cameras followed updated information from Seattle police and the FBI “on the current global and local threat environment.”
“The breadth and depth of intelligence gathering that informed the briefing identified general but credible threats to safety and security during the games,” a statement from Wilson reads, in part. “While not unexpected given an event of this magnitude, this information has persuaded our law enforcement, emergency management, and FIFA security partners that we should be operating at a heightened risk level.”
In March, Wilson announced a pause to the city’s expanded surveillance program. An exception was made for the Stadium District, where cameras were still being installed – but not activated – until the city was “aware of a credible threat that warrants such action.”
Wilson said that while the cameras will be active, the city will continue to adjust “policies and protections to safeguard the data these videos capture.”
Proponents of the cameras argue they curb gun violence, combat human trafficking, and support public safety. Those opposed, including the ACLU, have argued CCTV cameras do not increase safety, but instead violate people’s privacy and civil liberties.
Seattle Councilmember Bob Kettle thanked Wilson for her decision on Friday, calling it a “difficult decision” that is “an important one to ensure our public safety readiness ahead of our 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup matches.”
Councilmember Rob Saka also praised the decision.
“I know firsthand, as a runner in the 2013 Boston Marathon, that we need to leverage all our public safety tools when hosting major events like FIFA,” he said in a prepared statement. “My hope is that we can now transition to focusing on celebrating these amazing soccer events, while keeping everyone safe.”
An estimated 750,000 people are expected to visit Seattle during the tournament, which runs locally from June 11 through July 19.
Seattle’s six World Cup matches are scheduled for:
- June 15: Belgium vs. Egypt
- June 19: United States vs. Australia
- June 24: Qatar vs. TBD
- June 26: Egypt vs. Iran
- July 1: Round of 32
- July 6: Round of 16
To ensure diverse coverage and expert insight across a wide range of topics, our publication features contributions from multiple staff writers with varied areas of expertise.
