If it were 2002, 10-year-old me would have opened the sports section of The Times of India for the first time and seen a photo of Ronaldinho wearing his bright yellow jersey and smiling wide. That was the first time I read about football, and I got hooked immediately. I ran to my cousin and asked him to play, and he agreed at once. That was the beginning of my lifelong love for football.
That love was tucked away for a while, suppressed by the many events of the past couple of years, hidden somewhere in the corner of my heart, only to be awakened by the FIFA World Cup 2026. And thanks to it being hosted in my home city, Seattle, the feeling became even more special. Seattle’s official World Cup resources confirm that the city hosted matches at Lumen Field during the tournament.
This blog post, my dear readers, is not about what you can or cannot do in Seattle while it hosts one of the biggest sporting events in the world. It is simply a heartfelt letter about the experience itself.
Honestly, when I saw how much profiteering the FIFA organization had done, along with all the lottery and resale hassles, I had given up hope of even watching a match. I didn’t manage to get a ticket in any of the three lotteries, and the process of buying tickets later wasn’t very clear or affordable. I mean, I love the game, but if I wanted to watch football, I could always go to a Sounders match, right? Which I did, and it was just as good.
But then the festivities began in Seattle on July 15, with the first match in the city, and the vibe was unmatched. The pier turned into a huge watch-party zone. People were roaming around in jerseys of their favorite teams, and with so many festivities around it, I got hit by FOMO.
The adult version of me was having a huge fight with the 10-year-old me who wanted to take this opportunity to watch a FIFA match and experience the scale and vibe for herself. It was not just the sense of community I felt, but also the way it brought so many people together to share the same love.
If it had not been for Abhishek’s effort in tracking down a decently priced ticket, I would never have been able to watch a game in Seattle, so I am forever grateful for that. And honestly, the game we watched was not the best, but it was still super fun.
I had no idea Seattle had so many Bosnia and Herzegovina supporters, the whole stadium was literally painted in blue and yellow. I was supporting the team too, mostly for statistical reasons, but I was genuinely impressed by the three goals they scored during the game. Seattle’s official schedule lists Bosnia and Herzegovina among the teams scheduled to play in the city during the tournament.
I just wanted to share the story of a little girl who dreamed of watching a FIFA World Cup match, did not know it would one day be hosted in her home city, and is glad she made the choice to grab the opportunity.
The key takeaway is simple: if you find yourself in a similar situation, take that opportunity, my friend. I hope you enjoyed the photos and videos of the stadium and the game.
