With the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer competition kicking off in the U.S., viewers on the West Coast can watch matches from the water in Elliott Bay, Seattle, U.S.A., aboard a floating soccer pitch.
The Seattle Sounders and Reign FC soccer teams launched the floating festival next to Pier 62 on a repurposed commercial fish container barge with an LED screen, a small soccer pitch, live programming, fan events, cultural programming, watch parties, and community soccer activities for the duration of the tournament.
"This is a defining moment for our city and our clubs,” Hugh Weber, the president of business operations for both of Seattle's professional soccer clubs, said. “Seattle Soccer Celebration is more than a fan experience; it’s a global expression of who we are and what we believe sport can do. By bringing the world’s game onto Elliott Bay, we’re creating something never seen before while delivering on a promise to our community. This is Seattle showing how a city, a waterfront, and two clubs can come together to build something that resonates far beyond the tournament."
The commercial fish container barge, which until recently was a working maritime vessel that carried containers of fish from Alaska and Hawaii, arrived to Seattle’s waterfront guided by the Ocean Navigator tugboat, according to Fox 13 Seattle. The project was spearheaded by the Rave Foundation’s “52 Field initiative,” which Chief Impact and Fan Engagement Officer Ashley Fosberg said is a project making soccer more accessible for youth in the community to enjoy.
"Waterfront Park was designed to bring people together during the moments that define a city, and this summer, Seattle will welcome the world to its front porch," Friends of Waterfront Park President and CEO Joy Shigaki said.
