As part of the overall effort to bring the FIFA World Cup 2026™ to Seattle – the globe’s biggest sporting event that crowns an international champion of the world’s game every four years – Seattle’s local organizing committee today announced its official Executive Committee and officially revealed its brand marks and digital platform. Known as SEA 2026, the local organizing committee is a multi-agency organization representing years of hard work behind the scenes on behalf of several public and private entities that have been acting to ensure the Emerald City’s participation in this generational event. The Executive Committee will guide SEA 2026 in executing its vision for hosting the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in Seattle and its legacy, as well as serving as ambassadors for the City of Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.
Taking place in just five years’ time, the 2026 tournament is the first-ever combined bid that features three nations, with the United States, Mexico and Canada hosting the world’s most popular sporting event across 16 cities in the summer of 2026. As part of today’s launch, SEA 2026’s official brand and marks have been revealed (primary mark pictured here), with several assets now available for media use via the press kit below.
Today’s news follows last week’s announcement from FIFA that named Seattle as one of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ candidate host cities that is receiving an official visit. Beginning October 21, a delegation led by Concacaf President and FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani is visiting Kansas City, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Monterrey (Mexico), San Francisco and Seattle. The delegation’s visit to the Emerald City is the final stop on that tour, with proceedings set to begin on Sunday, October 31 and lasting through Monday, November 1.
During each visit, the FIFA delegation meets with local stakeholders to discuss key topics such as venue management, infrastructure and sustainability, as well as commercial, legacy and legal matters. The visits also include inspections of essential infrastructure, such as stadiums, training facilities and potential FIFA Fan Festival™ venues.
MEDIA NOTE: A formal press conference is being scheduled for Monday, November 1 inside Lumen Field in advance of Seattle Sounders FC’s MLS match versus the LA Galaxy. Several members of the combined FIFA and Concacaf delegation are set to be in attendance, in addition to representatives of SEA 2026. Specific timing details are set to be announced in the days ahead, and interested media are asked to RSVP with Alex Caulfield [AlexC@SoundersFC.com] and Kelly Schutz [KellyS@SoundersFC.com] to reserve space.
“This is a proud day for the city of Seattle, Puget Sound and Washington State,” said SEA 2026 Chair and Seattle Sounders FC Owner Adrian Hanauer. “I have been a part of this sport since I attended Seattle Sounders camps as an eight-year-old while the club was playing in the original NASL. To be on the cusp of bringing the FIFA World Cup to the Pacific Northwest is something we can all take a great deal of pride from. We’re not there quite yet, but thanks to the hard work of countless people behind the scenes and our incredible community for supporting the sport of soccer, we believe we can show FIFA why Seattle deserves to host the World Cup in 2026. On behalf of our entire local organizing committee, we look forward to welcoming the delegation next week.”
SEA 2026 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Led by Hanauer, SEA 2026’s executive team embodies the ethos of the larger local organizing committee, as a diverse group of industry leaders from across Puget Sound have come together to demonstrate Seattle’s commitment to hosting the FIFA World Cup 2026™. All members of the Executive Committee are listed below in alphabetical order.
• Ciara – Grammy Award-Winning Entertainer: A multi-platinum-selling global superstar, Ciara calls Seattle home alongside husband Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks. She is a Grammy Award-winning artist that has influenced multiple music genres over her 17-year career. A successful business leader and community activist, Ciara is also involved with the sport of soccer as Co-Owner of Seattle Sounders FC in MLS.
• Jenny Durkan – Mayor of Seattle & SEA 2026 Honorary Chair: A known supporter of the beautiful game at both the men’s and women’s levels, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan has been advocating for Seattle to host the FIFA World Cup 2026™ since the joint North American bid was announced in 2018. The 56th mayor in Seattle’s history, Durkan has served the city in that role since 2017.
• Adrian Hanauer – Chair of SEA 2026 & Sounders FC Owner: Majority Owner of Seattle’s MLS club, Hanauer has been involved with the Sounders franchise since 2001. His passion, dedication and vision helped bring Major League Soccer to Seattle in the form of Seattle Sounders FC in 2009, and he has continued to lead the way, seeing the club earn the highest winning percentage in MLS since entering the league, along with seven major championships over the past 13 seasons.
• Amy Hood – CFO, Microsoft: As Chief Financial Officer at Microsoft, Hood leads the company's worldwide finance organization, including business operations, acquisitions, treasury, tax planning, global real estate, accounting and reporting, in addition to internal audit and investor relations. She is no stranger to the sport of soccer, serving as Co-Owner of Seattle Sounders FC since 2019.
• Adam Selipsky – CEO, Amazon Web Services: Now leading the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform, Selipsky previously oversaw Amazon Web Services’ marketing, sales and support for 11 years, helping to grow the platform from a start-up into the industry leader it is today. A tech industry veteran, Selipsky previously served as President and CEO of Tableau Software, leading the company through its acquisition by Salesforce.
• Mark Suzman – CEO, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: Suzman leads the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in its mission to give every person the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life. Born and raised in South Africa, he has always been mindful to use the advantages afforded him to help tackle injustice and inequality. Following a career in journalism and with the United Nations, he joined the foundation in 2007 and became CEO in 2020. He is an avid soccer fan, newly loyal to the Sounders in his adopted home.
• Russell Wilson – Super Bowl-Winning Seattle Seahawks Quarterback: Super Bowl champion and eight-time NFL Pro Bowler of the Seattle Seahawks, Wilson is actively engaged in the Puget Sound community. Alongside his wife Ciara, he has demonstrated dedication to the power of sport in the community, through the Why Not You Foundation, Wilson and Ciara’s nonprofit organization, with a mission to fight poverty through education and youth empowerment. Wilson is also involved with the beautiful game as a Co-Owner of Seattle Sounders FC.
Said Seattle Sports Commission President and SEA 2026 leader Beth Knox, “With respect to some of the other cities competing to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026, I can think of no finer executive team to lead our local organizing committee. SEA 2026 is helmed by some of the brightest minds and biggest personalities in North America, and the profiles of these leaders demonstrate our region’s commitment to bringing this event to the shores of Puget Sound. I think I speak for everyone in the Seattle sports and entertainment community when I say that this group stands ready to deliver a first-class presentation to FIFA next week, and our community is more than prepared to host an incredible event in 2026.”
SOCCER, INNOVATION, EVERYONE
SEA 2026 embodies three primary principles: Soccer, Innovation, Everyone. The heart of Cascadia, Seattle is an inclusive and freethinking community of the Pacific Northwest. SEA 2026’s ethos is intended to reflect that iconoclast mindset.
Soccer – Support for the beautiful game in Seattle is deep-rooted. From the big NASL Sounders crowds that began swelling in 1974 at Memorial Stadium and then inside the Kingdome, to the throngs of supporters that have turned Lumen Field into a contemporary fortress, the Emerald City’s soccer love affair is well-documented. Because of this, the arches of Lumen Field are featured as part of SEA 2026’s primary mark, a nod to the fans that have built Seattle’s soccer culture and deserve to see the FIFA World Cup played inside their home venue. Since Sounders FC began play in MLS in 2009, Seattle fans have set the standard for soccer support in North America, leading the league in attendance for eight consecutive seasons (2009-2016) and routinely ranking in the top 30 in attendance among all professional teams internationally. The club has hosted major international football events before, including several matches in the 2016 Copa América Centenario.
Innovation – Washington State is known for its creativity and innovation. From technology to aerospace, music and agriculture, this is a region that prides itself on the gifts it gives to the world. The legendary Space Needle itself was constructed as an inspirational vision for the future ahead of the 1962 World’s Fair, drawing nearly 10 million people to that event as Seattle sought to reshape the city’s destiny in the latter half of the 20th century. A lasting beacon of inspiration and advancement, the Space Needle proudly sits in the foreground of the SEA 2026 primary mark, with a spark of innovation hovering above it.
Everyone – All fans are welcome in Seattle. The city’s Fan Fest will take place on Seattle’s new front doorstep: the new Seattle Waterfront Park. Hop on a ferry or bike, walk, kayak or watch from the Pike Place Market overlook walk. Get to downtown hotels, Seattle Center, up to Capitol Hill, or down to Pioneer Square or the Chinatown International District – experience Seattle, like a local. SeaTac Airport is the gateway to Asia with 12 non-stop flights daily to Asia and the Middle East. Equidistant between Asia and Europe, Seattle is also equidistant between Vancouver, British Columbia and Portland, Oregon. We are ready to welcome the world. The flag flying from atop the Space Needle in the SEA 2026 primary mark is the Equality Flag, a symbol of hope and inclusion and one of the most recognizable symbols of the LGBTQ+ community.
MEDIA RESOURCES
