If You’re Interested in Getting Involved in this Coming Summer’s World Cup in Seattle, You Should Consider Attending Thursday’s Ready Kitsap Summit

The Greater Kitsap Chamber invites you to join community and industry leaders for Ready Kitsap: 2026 Business & Tourism Summit, a one-day readiness and strategy event designed to help local businesses and nonprofits prepare for the influx of visitors to our region in the Summer 2026.  The summit is slated for Thursday January 15 at the Kitsap Conference Center in Bremerton. (See ticket info below).

“As the world’s largest sporting event brings global attention to our region, this summit will ensure Kitsap County is ready to meet the moment,” say officials from the Greater Kitsap Chamber, which is organizing the event.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature six matches in Seattle next summer at Lumen Field, home of the Seahawks and Sounders. The Emerald City was selected as one of 16 host cities across North America for what will be the largest World Cup presentation ever.

Between June and July 2026, the six matches are projected to generate a minimum of $929 million in economic impact and support more than 20,700 full-time and part-time jobs, according to Visit Seattle.

Nine Washington cities will host official “fan zones,” including Bellingham, Bremerton, Everett, Olympia/Lacey, Spokane, Tacoma, Tri-Cities, Vancouver and Yakima. Seattle Center will also host a fan celebration hub. Local organizations, such as the Greater Kitsap Chamber, are working to equip small businesses – near and far from the stadium – with tools to take advantage of the opportunities.

The World Cup is expected to attract 750,000 soccer fans to the greater Seattle area for the games. The tournament will feature 48 international teams playing 104 matches across the United States, Canada and Mexico. As one of 16 cities jointly hosting the tournament, Seattle will play a part in making history.

Seattle’s Lumen Field will host six World Cup matches, including the U.S. men’s national team’s group stage match on June 19 – one of only two cities to host the U.S. team during the group stage. Millions more around the world will be watching.

“The countdown has really begun for us and for everybody,” says Rachel Smith, president and CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. “It’s an opportunity for smaller businesses across Washington state to become household names for soccer fans everywhere by really contributing to them having an experience of a lifetime,” Smith adds.

Why Attend Thursday’s Summit in Bremerton? 

Seattle’s selection as a host city for the FIFA World Cup means Kitsap will experience record visitor traffic, spending, and exposure. This event will equip you with practical tools and action plans to:

• 

  Prepare your operations for increased demand

• Strengthen workforce and staffing strategies

• Position your brand to capture visitor interest

• Maximize tourism impact and visitor experience

• Understand essential safety and awareness topics, including human trafficking prevention

• Leverage partnerships, communication channels, and regional alignment

Attendees will learn directly from experts and advisors from:

• Washington State Department of Commerce

• Seattle Metro Chamber

• Visit Seattle

• Local economic and tourism leaders

• Kitsap-based businesses planning activations & strategizing for their industry

Get Tickets to Thursday’s event: https://greaterkitsapchamber.com/ready-kitsap2026/