Seattle World Cup experts on unspoken rules of attending soccer games

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The FIFA Men's World Cup is barreling toward Seattle - an event loyal soccer fans have been waiting for all year. For some, this might be your first time attending a World Cup match - or any soccer game. And while some Seattle sports fans might be more used to cheering for the Mariners or Seahawks, soccer games have their own unique atmosphere.

"Global soccer is an incredible experience," said Ashley Fosberg, chief impact and fan engagement officer for the Sounders and Reign FC. "Fans should expect energy, fans should expect culture to be conveyed and messaged and shared and very visible."

Seattle has long established itself as a soccer city, even before the Sounders and Reign FC joined the Emerald City in 2007 and 2012, respectively. Plus, the casual sports fan may not know that Seattle has already hosted a major soccer event - just last year, many of the same players competing in the World Cup flocked to Seattle for the FIFA Club World Cup, where professional soccer clubs played against each other, rather than on teams based on nationality.

But now, it's finally time for the rest of Seattle to get in on FIFA frenzy. Whether you're attending one of the six Seattle-set matches, running Monday through July 6, in person or planning to attend other games in the future, local soccer experts share what all the fun is about and what you should (and shouldn't) do as part of one of the most passionate sports fanbases in the world.

Do: Get to know different teams and players

This year's World Cup will be extra large, featuring 48 national teams instead of the previous 32 teams. Each team has a roster of up to 26 players from leagues around the world, from European teams to America's Major League Soccer (the Sounders' own Cristian Roldan will be one of the players representing the U.S. team).

With so many players and teams competing in dozens of matches, it can be hard to keep track of them all during the World Cup. A good place to start would be picking out a specific player or team to follow, said Erick Morales, a Seattle soccer fan who has followed multiple leagues since he started playing the sport as a kid.

"Whenever you start getting to an age when you watch a World Cup in particular, you start picking out favorite players," he said. "Typically they're from the playoffs teams that make it through."

Morales, who is originally from Texas, grew up watching Houston Dynamo FC and Mexican soccer league matches with his family. But in 2014, when Germany defeated Argentina to win the World Cup, Morales suddenly found himself following the clubs of the winning players, such as Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

Do: Arrive to the stadium early

Once you're finally ready to head to a soccer game in person, Morales recommends arriving there early. "There are a ton of things that happen before the game, especially for a World Cup in a Seattle venue," he said. "Get there early and just experience the outside (of the stadium) like the food stands and the ambience."

Don't: Take your eyes off the ball

Unlike downs in football or innings in baseball, professional soccer games are 90 minutes of continuous gameplay (separated by a halftime period and occasional stoppages). It can be easy for new fans to check out of a game, especially if no goals have been scored. But real fans know there is always something worth watching on the pitch.

"Soccer energy is continual," Fosberg said. "It is built around chances and momentum. You are looking to score a goal, and you're looking for chances to do so. You're looking for the amazing passes, you're looking for the incredible saves by the goalkeeper. You're looking for unique plays and moments that keep momentum going in the game, so you'll hear a lot of cheering that is related to action on the field and chances taken."

"There's communication going among all the players," adds Joe Sciocchetti, a Seattle soccer coach who will be attending two World Cup matches in Seattle with his 15-year-old son. "People don't see it because they are only focusing on the score. There's so much more going on. You can have a 0-0 game, and it can be one of the best games in the world, because there's so much action. You can shoot the ball 20 times and still not make it once, because there's a defense in front of you."

Do: Join in on stadium traditions

Soccer teams have some of the most passionate displays of support from their fans, from chants to colorful merch to leaning into team rivalries. At the World Cup, each national team will have designated fan clubs that will lead chants throughout the game, Morales said. For the U.S. men's national soccer team, be on the lookout for chants led by the American Outlaws.

Seattle's soccer teams have adopted traditions from European leagues and made them their own, Fosberg said. At Sounders and Reign matches, lively pep bands like the Reign City Riot and Sounders Sound Wave will keep fan energy high before, during and after games. Then, there's the merch. For soccer, that means wearing jerseys and team scarves. "Scarves are sort of a ritual and a point of pride," Fosberg said. "People collect them, people hold them up above their heads. In Sounders and Reign games, we have moments called ‘Scarves up.' Usually right before kickoff, fans will hold the scarves high above their heads to signify the start of a game, so those types of rituals might be new to fans." Ahead of the World Cup, the Official U.S. Soccer Store is selling red, white and blue scarves online.

Soccer fans also love a good rivalry. During games, "you heckle the person that's opposite of your team, because you got to do it," Sciocchetti said.

Don't: Get carried away

While a bit of good-natured, inter-team rivalry is warranted, fans should also remain respectful of the players on the field and to others in the stands. For Morales, that means keeping profanity and drinking to a minimum. "You want to enjoy (the game)," he said. "You also don't want to get kicked out after buying a ticket you probably paid a lot of money for."

Sometimes, extra rowdy fans will get excited and throw their drinks around, Morales added. "That's typically frowned upon in those venues and those games. So, it might be common, but it doesn't mean that it's acceptable. It wouldn't be respectful to do that."

Do: Make a plan to attend future games

Many soccer fans are hoping the World Cup in Seattle will not only introduce new fans to soccer, but also help them become better supporters for local teams. "When the World Cup is over, two incredible professional soccer teams are here," Fosberg said. "That is Seattle Reign and Seattle Sounders, and they have players that are playing for their national teams at the highest level."

Not long after the World Cup, both teams will play their heated rival teams from Portland: Reign vs. Thorns on July 12 and Sounders vs. Timbers on July 16. "Seattle may want to consider coming to see that, because it is going to be the most incredible energy; the rivalry energy in soccer is unmatched."

The ultimate goal

No matter the sport, Seattleites will want to show their pride. Even if you're new to the rules of the game, it can be rewarding just to witness die-hard fans supporting their teams. Sciocchetti remembers attending a Club World Cup match last year and sitting with Italian fans as they cheered for their team, Inter Milan. "It was crazy, it was so cool. We were screaming with them, jumping up and down."

"Go watch the game, go participate with the crowd, go do something you've never done before," he continued. "The moment you start doing things that you've never done before, you're actually experiencing life."

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This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 5:02 PM.