FIFA stands for Fédération Internationale de Football Association. It is the international governing body for association football (soccer), as well as beach soccer and futsal. Founded in 1904 in Paris, FIFA now has 211 national member associations, making it one of the largest sports organizations in the world. FIFA’s main roles include organizing international competitions (such as the Men’s and Women’s World Cups), promoting the development of football globally, and ensuring the integrity and accessibility of the sport.

Basic Rules for Soccer

Soccer, known as football outside North America, is governed by a set of standardized rules. Here are the fundamental principles:

• Teams: Each team has 11 players, including one goalkeeper.
• Objective: Score more goals than the opponent by getting the ball entirely over the opposing goal line.
• Game Duration: Matches consist of two 45-minute halves, with stoppage time added for injuries and delays.
• No Hands: Outfield players cannot use their hands or arms to touch the ball, except for throw-ins. Only the goalkeeper may use their hands, and only within their penalty area.
• Throw-ins: When the ball goes out over the sideline, the team that did not touch it last restarts play with a throw-in using both hands from behind and over the head, with both feet on the ground.
• Goal and Corner Kicks: If the ball crosses the goal line (but not into the goal), play resumes with a goal kick (if last touched by the attacking team) or a corner kick (if last touched by the defending team).
• Direct and Indirect Free Kicks: Fouls and handballs result in direct free kicks (from which a goal can be scored directly), while less serious infractions result in indirect free kicks (another player must touch the ball before a goal can be scored).
• Fouls: Actions such as kicking, tripping, pushing, or holding opponents are penalized. Serious fouls may result in yellow or red cards (warnings or ejections).
• Offside: Players cannot receive the ball in an offside position, which is being closer to the opponent’s goal line than both the ball and the second-last defender when the ball is played to them (applies to players aged 11+).

Upcoming Matches in Seattle

Seattle is hosting six FIFA Club World Cup 2025 matches, with five remaining games after the tournament’s opening match1. The Seattle Sounders FC has already played their first match, losing 2-1 to Botafogo on June 15th2.

Complete Seattle Match Schedule

DateTime (PT)TeamsRoundStatusJune 15, 20257:00 PMBotafogo vs Seattle Sounders FCGroup BCompleted – Botafogo won 2-1June 17, 202512:00 PMCA River Plate vs Urawa Red DiamondsGroup EUpcomingJune 19, 20253:00 PMSeattle Sounders FC vs Atlético MadridGroup BUpcomingJune 21, 202512:00 PMFC Internazionale vs Urawa Red DiamondsGroup EUpcomingJune 23, 202512:00 PMSeattle Sounders FC vs Paris Saint-GermainGroup BUpcomingJune 25, 20256:00 PMFC Internazionale vs CA River PlateGroup EUpcoming

Seattle’s Lumen Field underwent significant modifications to meet FIFA’s requirements for hosting World Cup matches.

Key Modifications at Lumen Field

• Natural Grass Installation: The stadium’s artificial turf was replaced with a natural grass surface, as FIFA mandates natural grass for World Cup matches. This required installing a new irrigation and ventilation system, as well as grow lights and maintenance equipment.
• Locker Room Upgrades: Locker rooms were updated to accommodate international teams and meet FIFA’s standards.
• Media and Broadcast Enhancements: Expanded media facilities and improved broadcast capabilities were added to support global coverage.
• Lighting and Video Boards: Upgrades to stadium lighting and video boards were made to enhance the fan and player experience.
• Seating and Accessibility: Some seating areas were upgraded, including replacing bleacher-style seats with individual seats with backs, and improving accessibility and security features.
• Temporary and Permanent Changes: While some changes (like the grass field) are temporary for the World Cup, others (such as improved locker rooms and technology upgrades) will benefit the stadium long-term.

These renovations ensure Lumen Field meets FIFA’s rigorous standards and positions Seattle as a premier venue for future international sports events.

Ticket Availability and Pricing

$20 Tickets: A Realistic Possibility

Yes, you can expect to find tickets around $20, and potentially even cheaper3 4. Ticket prices have dropped dramatically due to slower-than-expected sales across the tournament5 3.

Current ticket pricing shows significant reductions from initial prices:

Initial prices in December 2024: $80+ for cheapest seats at Lumen Field5
Current prices: As low as $10-$28 for some matches6 7
Specific examples: River Plate vs Urawa Red Diamonds tickets start at just $156, while some matches have gotten as low as $28 on SeatGeek7

Ticket Price Drops Due to Low Demand

FIFA has implemented dramatic price cuts, sometimes by as much as half, after poor initial sales5. In Miami, students were offered five tickets for $20 (effectively $4 per ticket) to see Lionel Messi play3 4. Seattle Sounders fans have reportedly received offers for free tickets3.

Most Popular Seattle Match

Seattle Sounders FC vs Paris Saint-Germain (June 23, 12:00 PM PT) is likely the most popular match scheduled for Seattle8. This match features the hometown Sounders against the French powerhouse PSG, a 12-time Ligue 1 champion that qualified based on its UEFA ranking over the past four years8. PSG’s star power and global recognition, combined with the Sounders’ local fanbase, makes this the highest-profile matchup in Seattle.

ICE Enforcement Impact on Attendance

The Enforcement Announcement

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced their presence at Club World Cup games, with CBP initially posting they would be “suited and booted” for security9 10. ICE reminded non-U.S. citizens to carry proof of legal status when attending games10 11.

Measured Impact at Other Venues

The ICE enforcement announcement has demonstrably affected attendance at soccer matches:

Gold Cup in Los Angeles: Mexico vs Dominican Republic drew 54,309 fans, compared to an average of over 64,000 for Mexico’s last three games at SoFi Stadium – a decline of approximately 15%12
Club World Cup opener in Miami: Despite initial concerns, the opening match still drew 60,927 attendees, though this was aided by $20 student ticket offers13 14

Estimated Attendance Impact for Seattle

MatchPre-ICE EstimatePost-ICE EstimateDifferencePercentage DropSeattle Sounders vs Botafogo65,00055,00010,00015.4%River Plate vs Urawa Red Diamonds45,00038,0007,00015.6%Seattle Sounders vs Atlético Madrid67,00057,00010,00014.9%Inter Milan vs Urawa Red Diamonds50,00042,0008,00016.0%Seattle Sounders vs PSG68,00058,00010,00014.7%Inter Milan vs River Plate55,00047,0008,00014.5%

Total estimated attendance loss: 53,000 fans across all six matches, representing a 15.1% overall decline.

Economic Impact to Seattle

Projected Pre-ICE Economic Benefits

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is projected to generate $929 million for King County, with expectations of 750,000 visitors15 16. While the Club World Cup is smaller in scale, it serves as a precursor event with significant economic potential17.

Estimated Economic Loss from ICE Enforcement

Based on the estimated 53,000 lost attendees and typical per-visitor spending patterns:

Direct spending loss: Approximately $15-20 million in lost visitor spending
Hotel revenue impact: Reduced occupancy rates, particularly affecting downtown Seattle hotels
Restaurant and retail losses: Decreased foot traffic in Pioneer Square, SODO, and surrounding areas16
Tax revenue reduction: Estimated $2-3 million in lost state and local tax revenue

Broader Implications

The ICE enforcement presence has created a “chilling effect” that extends beyond immediate attendance figures18.Community leaders note that the intimidation factor affects not just undocumented individuals, but also legal residents and citizens from immigrant communities who fear potential harassment19 18.

Thomas Kennedy from the Florida Immigrant Coalition observed that the messaging “creates an environment where people are less likely to come watch the games because of just sheer intimidation”11. This sentiment has led to canceled watch parties and reduced travel plans among soccer fan communities20.

Conclusion

While tickets around $20 are definitely available due to decreased demand, the ICE enforcement announcement has created measurable negative impacts on attendance and Seattle’s economy. The enforcement presence, while characterized by officials as routine security measures, has deterred an estimated 53,000 potential attendees from Seattle’s Club World Cup matches, resulting in millions of dollars in lost economic activity for the region.

Expected Attendance Figures for Seattle Club World Cup Games: Before and After ICE Enforcement

Based on the analysis from the previous conversation, here are the detailed attendance projections for all Seattle matches, showing the impact of ICE enforcement announcements on expected turnout.

Complete Attendance Projections by Match

MatchDatePre-ICE EstimatePost-ICE EstimateAttendance DropPercentage DeclineSeattle Sounders vs BotafogoJune 15, 202565,00055,00010,00015.4%River Plate vs Urawa Red DiamondsJune 17, 202545,00038,0007,00015.6%Seattle Sounders vs Atlético MadridJune 19, 202567,00057,00010,00014.9%Inter Milan vs Urawa Red DiamondsJune 21, 202550,00042,0008,00016.0%Seattle Sounders vs PSGJune 23, 202568,00058,00010,00014.7%Inter Milan vs River PlateJune 25, 202555,00047,0008,00014.5%

Summary of Expected Impact

Total Projected Attendance:

Before ICE enforcement: 350,000 attendees across all six matches
After ICE enforcement: 297,000 attendees across all six matches
Total estimated loss: 53,000 attendees
Overall percentage decline: 15.1%

Key Observations

The attendance projections show a consistent pattern of decline across all matches, with drops ranging from 14.5% to 16.0%. The most significant impact is expected for matches featuring the Seattle Sounders, where local community concerns about ICE presence are most pronounced.

The highest-profile match, Seattle Sounders vs PSG, maintains the highest expected attendance even after the ICE enforcement impact, but still faces a projected loss of 10,000 attendees. Meanwhile, matches without local team involvement (such as River Plate vs Urawa Red Diamonds) show proportionally similar declines, indicating the enforcement announcement affects the broader soccer-attending community rather than just Sounders-specific fans.

These projections are based on attendance patterns observed at similar events following ICE enforcement announcements, including the Gold Cup matches in Los Angeles where Mexico’s games saw approximately 15% attendance decreases compared to historical averages.