FIFA Men's World Cup: Pacific Place transforms into ‘Seattle Soccer House'
Pacific Place is vibrant again thanks to the FIFA Men's World Cup.
Once an upscale mall that featured a Tiffany's & Co., the five-story building has become barren as stores continue to shutter. But it was recently transformed into an airy space to watch the quadrennial tournament matches.
SeattleFWC26, the local organizing committee, installed a 70 feet by 40 feet screen on the west side of the atrium that separated into three tiers each broadcasting the World Cup with the volume blaring and closed captioning.
On Friday, shoppers stood along the railings of three floors and sat on the stairs on the first floor to watch the U.S.'s group-stage opener against Paraguay.
No one sang the national anthem for either country as it was broadcast from Inglewood, Calif., where the match was played. Once U.S. winger Christian Pulisic split his defenders with the ball to make a play in the box that ultimately was an own goal in the seventh minute, there was no doubt the growing crowd was rooting for the U.S. regardless of what they were wearing.
"I love it," said Tunu Makamula, a Seattleite who works at Pike Place Market and visited Pacific Place for the first time. "I feel the fever and that everyone is excited because most Americans don't like soccer, but everybody is lively and the waterfront is packed. All of those people couldn't have always been soccer fans."
Pacific Place is also the destination for "Seattle Soccer House," a once empty 27,000-square foot area that SeattleFWC26 turned into a playground for all ages. It's one of four designated fanfests.
Media and invited guest were given a preview Friday. Kids practiced their shots on a mini pitch or hoarded crayons and markers to color various soccer images on white sheets of paper.
Adults wandered about with cocktails, beer or nonalcoholic drinks. Some enjoyed the lodge-inspired seating section complete with fir trees to watch the U.S. match on a smaller television. Others played foosball or noshed on purchased food.
On the mall's first floor, there's a pop-up retail and cultural store featuring official World Cup memorabilia among other items.
While the atrium screen will air all the tournament's matches, the "Soccer House" won't open to the public until Monday when the city hosts its first World Cup match at Lumen Field. The facility will formally be called Seattle Stadium and will hold six tournament matches overall.
The dates for the Soccer House is Monday through July 2 and July 6-7.
"The world's a bit nuts right now, we all know that, so I hope we just come together," said former Seattle University soccer coach Pete Fewing, who milled about the Soccer House. "You can be standing next to a guy who you never met before and now you're high-fiving and hugging because your team's done well. If this (World Cup festivities) can help pump the brakes a little bit and people get along, that would be a tremendous gift for everybody."
That was the scene Friday as the U.S. kept stacking goals for a 3-0 lead at halftime and an eventual 4-1 win against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium. It was the most goals the country has scored in its World Cup history.
The next stop for the Stars and Stripes is Seattle for their second group-stage match against Australia at noon on June 19.
Steamy temperatures are expected next week, which would make the enclosed, air-conditioned Pacific Place ideal for watching if fans don't have tickets. The Soccer House is free.
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