FIFA Men's World Cup fans will be kept updated with drone scoreboard

During the six days that Seattle will host matches during the FIFA Men's World Cup, local tourism officials are hoping you'll give the skyline near the Space Needle a look each night after the match ends.

It's not a bird or a plane. It's a scoreboard, made from drones.

Visit Seattle announced plans on Thursday to have a first-of-its-kind drone scoreboard light up downtown the night of each World Cup match. The destination marketing organization says it hopes the activation is an attraction both residents and visitors to the city will check out during the course of the tournament.

The drone scoreboard showing the flags of the countries that played that day and the final score will be part of a show lasting about 12 minutes on each of the six match nights. The theme around the show will be Seattle focused and part of a "global welcome," Visit Seattle chief marketing officer Stephanie Byington said.

The first show will be the night of Monday, June 15, following the Belgium vs. Egypt match and conclude an undertaking that started last September.

"It's been a long process, but it's been one that we keep getting energized by, because it does give us that opportunity to showcase the creativity of Seattle and provide a unique experience," Byington said.

Byington said the proposal for a drone show with the scoreboard was among 70 or so ideas considered for a unique way to provide a public engagement event during the tournament. The fact that a scoreboard had not been done before was the differentiator.

"It was the never-been-done-before aspect, and secondly, we like the fact that this was an experience that could be had by visitors and residents, but also it provides exposure," Byington said.

Sky Elements is leading the production of the drone show. The show will be mostly the same each night it plays, with the exception of updating the score. For most match days, the group will have plenty of time between the conclusion of the game and the time the drones will launch. The one challenge will come with the June 26 match between Iran and Egypt, which is scheduled to kickoff at 8 p.m.

Visit Seattle also considered several options for sites around the city before settling on what was likely the most obvious from the start and doing it at Seattle Center.

"They've pulled off drone shows before, and so the fact that we were going to be doing something that's never been done before six times meant that having a partner who had some experience in this helped us de-risk the project," Byington said. "Secondly, the cool thing is this is almost an homage to the Space Needle, and again, that spirit of innovation."

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This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 9:32 AM.