Will Seattle ever see something like FIFA World Cup fever again?

>A month of matches, with six competitions and hundreds of thousands of people in Seattle.

>Now that the last whistle has blown, will the Emerald City ever host something as massive as the World Cup again?

>“I don’t know if it gets bigger. Seattle was at capacity. We can certainly try,” said Jennifer Casillas, the Downtown Seattle Association’s vice president of the public realm.

>Several records were broken and broken again during the World Cup, especially the U.S’s June 19 match against Australia.

>The night before, hotel revenue record that was set in 2023 was broken, the most visitors in downtown in a single day was recorded, and the largest march through the city took place with 15,000 people.

>Seattle Host Committee CEO Peter Tomozawa says he expects all those records to be broken by the U.S.-Belgium match that happened on Monday. The only metric known so far is that 25,000 people took part in the march to the stadium.

>“This is the summer where our country fell in love with the U.S. Men’s National Team, that is true. But it is also the summer when the world fell in love with Seattle and our great state. We delivered a sense of pride, a sense a hope and a belief that we are actually a great city and an amazing place to live,” Tomozawa said.

>Tomozawa says that while the matches are still at play, Seattle won the World Cup with its exposure on the global stage—noting there were no public safety issues during any match day, even when the conflict in Iran drew protests on the day of the LGBTQ Pride game, which was condemned by the participating nations of Iran and Egypt.

>“It is the most proud I’ve ever felt,” Tomozawa said of the tournament.

>Not every neighborhood felt the lift of the World Cup. The Chinatown International District and Little Saigon neighborhoods reported business traffic slumping on match days. On Monday, Tomozawa heard their calls and set up a watch party at Hing Hay Park, with 2,500 people showing up.

>“We had a great turnout. The watch party done by the Chinatown International District Association was amazing,” said Tanya Woo, an advocate for the neighborhood."

>Woo said it was great to see businesses at capacity for those who opened.

>“Businesses didn’t bother opening because they’re like, ‘oh, what’s the point?’ And so, it’s tough. I wish there was more communication.”

>Tens of millions of dollars paid for overtime for law enforcement and cleanup crews during the World Cup that some skeptics fear will return safety issues and a lack of cleanliness in the Emerald City’s streets.

>“We have 150-plus ambassadors who are working downtown to keep things clean, clear, and cared for for everyone every day. Yes, the World Cup, we were on the world stage, but our work doesn’t end.” Casillas said.

>Casillas, Tomozawa, and Visit Seattle all believe the World Cup’s exposure will lead to a bump in tourism for years to come as people who didn’t visit will plan to after seeing Seattle.

>In the meantime, they’re planning for other events.

>Casillas says the free Downtown Summer Sounds at Westlake Park will return for its 47th year, and that FIFA-inspired events in Occidental and Pioneer squares can be replicated in the future.

>“We can do it. We know we can do the big events, and the smaller events are just as important for our locals and our residents alike,” Casillas said.

>For sports, Seattle Sports Commission President Beth Knox and Tomozawa said they were making the case to FIFA leaders to host the World Cup again, with the Women’s tournament up for grabs in 2031.

>Knox says pushing for the NFL draft to be hosted in Seattle, other women’s sports tournaments, and even the city’s bid for a return of NBA basketball were all assisted by the last month.

>“Fans here in Seattle will go to whatever sport is happening and they will do it so passionately and enthusiastically. That’s just really a unique aspect of our culture and region here,” Knox said.