Matt Calkins: Fútbol fever hits Seattle before US-Belgium match

Matt Calkins, The Seattle Times on Jul 5, 2026

Published in Soccer

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SEATTLE — It was 3 p.m. on Friday. The U.S. men's national team wasn't playing. And yet, Victory Hall in Sodo was packed.

Some folks donned Lionel Messi jerseys at a FIFA Men's World Cup watch party as Argentina took on Cape Verde. Some wore Colombia garb in anticipation of the next match. Everyone seemed happy to be there, united by the camaraderie that only the beautiful game could inspire.

Christina Fischer told a story of an Egyptian chant she learned from children last month when Egypt played Iran in Seattle. Oscar Pinzon spoke of an impromptu soccer game he and folks from around the world played at Pier 62.

There's been a transcendent feeling in the Emerald City over the past few weeks. Division, it seems, has taken a summer hiatus.

Maybe it was silly to expect anything else when the world's most popular game comes to our town. But fútbol fever is here, and its primary symptom is collective joy.

This is the closest thing you get to world peace," said Walla Walla resident Jose Alberran, in town for Monday's round-of-16 match between the U.S. and Belgium at Seattle Stadium, the last of six World Cup matches being played here.

Yeah, maybe it is.

One of the enduring images from this tournament is a video outside Seattle Stadium (usually known as Lumen Field) before the United States played Australia on June 19. It showed thousands of people swarming the Fox Sports soccer desk featuring the likes of Alexi Lalas, Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimović.

It's one thing for Seattle Stadium to fill out — as it's done for all five of the matches that have been played here. It's another for the streets to swell with the same energy.

Obviously, the U.S. games bring out the most people. But the Americans aren't the only team prompting celebrations. A walk down First Avenue in Pioneer Square on Monday night featured a line of Moroccans honking their car horns after their team upset the Netherlands.

"The party is through the whole city," said Joe Hood, watching Argentina vs. Cape Verde at Victory Hall.

In fairness, this is not unique to Seattle. The World Cup has gripped cities throughout North America. But no other sporting event — not the NFC Championship Games or NBA Finals — has had this lasting effect on this town.

The games have certainly done their part. No, the 206 was not blessed with hosting superstars such as Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane or Erling Haaland, but it has been the site for some of the most dramatic matches.

On Wednesday, Belgium scored in the 86th, 89th and 120th minutes to come back from a two-goal deficit and defeat Senegal 3-2. Egypt and Iran played to a 1-1 draw a few days earlier, but not before a stoppage-time goal for Iran was overturned due to a player being about a foot offside. The Bosnia-Qatar group-stage game sold out, as did the U.S.'s 2-0 victory over Australia.

The fact that the United States is playing another game in Seattle on Monday is incredibly fortunate. Consider it a victory lap for a city that suddenly needs sunscreen for the spotlight.

"Seattle is doing what Seattle does best," said Amelia Langshaw in Sodo before going to the Mariners game. "The pop-up parties that they're shutting down the streets for? I haven't heard a single negative thing.

It's impossible to know how the rest of the tournament will play out, but based on what we've seen, this is in the conversation for Best World Cup Ever. For one, the stars are scoring. Messi, Mbappé and Haaland have seven goals. Kane has five. Second, almost all the games have required defibrillators. Cape Verde — a country with just 500,000 people — tied Argentina twice on Friday before falling 3-2. Paraguay upset Germany in a shootout. Morocco beat the Netherlands the same way, and just advanced to the round of eight with a win over Canada.

Forget March Madness. This has been a June and July jubilee. And … the U.S. is still alive.

All this sets up for what just may be the biggest sporting event in Seattle history Monday. Yes, the Seahawks have thrice won games here that sent them to the Super Bowl. Yes, prime Michael Jordan played here in the NBA Finals. But this feels different.

No doubt the streets will overflow again. No doubt Seattle Stadium will buzz, and that buzz could last in Seattle beyond Monday's game.

This city has been overtaken by a game … and it's beautiful.

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