SEATTLE — Seattle officials say they are preparing for what is expected to be the busiest FIFA World Cup match hosted in the city, as Team USA takes on Australia at Seattle Stadium on Friday.
The match comes less than a week after Seattle hosted its first World Cup game, which city leaders described as a success.
Fans arrived early, used public transit, navigated security checkpoints, and entered the stadium without any major public safety incidents, according to officials.
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“I’m happy to say Monday went very smoothly,” said Ken Neafcy, operations section chief for the FIFA World Cup Seattle Unified Command.
Neafcy, who helps oversee operations from the city’s unified command center, said officials are now using lessons learned from Monday’s Belgium-Egypt match to prepare for significantly larger crowds on Friday.
“We are looking at what happened on Monday and preparing to manage things on Friday, which we anticipate will be our busiest game of the six games,” Neafcy said.
The challenge extends beyond the World Cup match itself. In addition to the noon kickoff, the Seattle Mariners will host a home game Friday night, multiple Juneteenth celebrations are planned throughout the city, three cruise ships are scheduled to arrive on the waterfront, and large fan gatherings are expected at official watch parties.
Officials also expect designated protest areas to be active during the event.
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“We’re feeling really confident about the scale of crowds and the transportation challenges,” Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson said. “We have a fantastic public safety plan.”
Representatives from 55 agencies are working through the unified command structure to coordinate security, transportation, emergency response, and logistics. Officials said part of that process involves reviewing fan feedback from Monday’s match and making adjustments where needed.
One issue identified after the opening match involved lengthy delays for some fans leaving the stadium. One attendee told KOMO News that people became frustrated while trying to exit the upper deck, prompting some fans to move behind concession areas in search of alternative routes.
Neafcy said changes are already being planned.
“You will definitely see some changes in how that will work that both FIFA and Lumen will be implementing,” he said.
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Officials say flexibility remains one of the most important parts of the operation.
“Really, you’re here making sure nothing unexpected happens,” Neafcy said. “And if it does, you have the right people in the room to help make decisions and effectively respond.”
The Mariners are also encouraging fans to use public transportation on Friday because of expected congestion around downtown Seattle. Gates at T-Mobile Park will open two hours before first pitch, and the team plans to hold a postgame fireworks show.
