By Jeff Graham from Kitsap Sun

Photo courtesy of Josh Johnson / Serotonin Creative

Bremerton and Kitsap County will be one of nine locations in Washington designed to serve as “fan sites” during next summer’s FIFA World Cup, local organizing committee SeattleFWC26 revealed Tuesday during a gathering at Lumen Field in Seattle.

The men’s soccer tournament, which will run from June 11 through July 19, 2026, will be jointly hosted by Seattle and 15 other cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Lumen Field is scheduled to host six matches, including a U.S. men’s team game on June 19.

“The World Cup brings the entire world together around their love of soccer and their country,” said SeattleFWC26 chief executive officer Peter Tomozawa. “We’re excited to work with these nine communities to bring the thrill of the FIFA World Cup 2026 experience to all corners of Washington state.”

Other fan zone locations include Bellingham, Everett, Olympia/Lacey, Pasco/Richland/Kennewick, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver and Yakima.

Kitsap County Commissioner Katie Walters, who attended Tuesday’s gathering with Bremerton Mayor Greg Wheeler, Port Orchard Mayer Rob Putaansuu, envisions downtown Bremerton serving as city’s fan zone headquarters, where food, beverage, merchandise and World Cup-related activities would be held during the duration of the tournament. Fans should also expect to be able to watch games while spending time downtown.

“Our plan right now is to put a big screen on the Bremerton waterfront,” said Walters, noting that Quincy Square could be used as a logical space for entertainment.

With many Seattle visitors likely to utilize Puget Sound’s ferry systems for travel, Walters estimated that Puget Sound could draw 750,000 visitors during the World Cup.

“We’re expecting people to stay here and then be able to get to the games,” Walters said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for economic development in the region.”

Read more: https://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/2025/01/14/bremerton-kitsap-county-fifa-world-cup-2026-fan-zone-site/77695802007/