How much Seattle is planning to spend on World Cup preparations
Seattle is expected to spend at least $32 million on World Cup preparations, according to a City Council meeting Tuesday.
About $14 million will come directly from the city's coffers, with the rest made up of state and federal grants and through an agreement with the local organizing committee.
Many of those dollars will go toward safety preparations. One grant provides $8.6 million just to cover overtime pay and security planning by the Seattle Police Department, plus $4 million to the Seattle Fire Department for the same.
One $2.1 million grant will pay for measures to counter incoming drones, which are seen as a significant threat during the event.
The city will also receive $1 million from the local organizing committee of World Cup, which it will stash in a reserve account and then use to cover cleanup costs - graffiti, vandalism - as they arise.
The grants will also cover overtime costs for transportation, emergency management and cybersecurity staff.
Seattle taxpayers will pay for roughly $6 million over this year and last, the largest slice of which has been set aside for transportation costs. This includes marking off bike and walking routes and making improvements to nearby roads and cleaning. The Fire Department, Seattle Center and parks department all received several million in extra funding to prepare.
Seattle is spending significant dollars in an era of tight budgets because lawmakers believe the trade-off will be worth it. Visit Seattle, which monitors hotel vacancies and general tourist traffic, estimates the event could bring in more than $800 million.
International news related to Iran, federal immigration policies and a chilly relationship with Canada have introduced some uncertainty into the true size of the spectacle. Seattle has hedged its forecasts slightly, as has Visit Seattle.
Still, locals in politics, hospitality and sports nevertheless expect a significant surge into the city this June and July.
We're already shouldering a heavy, healthy burden," said Councilmember Rob Saka, "and get a ton of benefit in exchange.
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This story was originally published May 6, 2026 at 6:38 AM.