How Bellevue is turning 2026 World Cup into community experience

Published 1:30 am Friday, May 1, 2026

At Mirra, an interactive games venue and bar in the Bellevue Collection, preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are already underway. Inside the venue, staff are planning how matches will take over large screens and reshape the space into a watch-party atmosphere.

“We see it as a great spot to share all kinds of culture,” said Mirra technical operations lead Michael Millar.

As Seattle prepares to host matches for the World Cup, people in Bellevue are planning for activities far from the stadium, aiming to draw visitors across Lake Washington with watch parties, transit-centered events and public programming, said Visit Bellevue communications manager Anna Yan.

City business owners say those kinds of gatherings will coincide with a surge in visitors. Yan said projections show hotel occupancy reaching between 83% and 88% in June and July, noting the figures are current estimates rather than exact booking numbers.

City officials and local businesses are positioning the Eastside as an alternate destination for visitors, highlighting new light rail access, public events and a growing lineup of viewing events to draw in crowds.

Representatives from the city emphasized its scale as the state’s second-largest hotel market, with more than 5,000 rooms and a history of handling high occupancy during large events, as a reason for prioritizing World Cup events in June and July.

Local businesses are building on that momentum.

At Mirra, staff say the goal is to go beyond simply showing the games.

“The way we do it is we turn up the venue,” Millar said. “We make it immersive throughout the entire broadcast.”

The goal, he said, is to create an atmosphere that feels as close to the stadium as possible.

Across town, Bellevue Brewing Company is taking a different approach, using the tournament to highlight local flavor and global ties.

Co-owner James Whittaker said the brewery worked to create a World Cup-themed beer inspired by the tournament’s three host countries.

The beer, called Bellevue Baller, was developed by the Bellevue Brewing Company team and is connected to a local youth soccer organization, Mid Lakes United, a youth program in the area that will receive a portion of the proceeds, according to Yan.

“The ingredients for this beer span all three of the host countries, grain from Canada, the corn from Mexico, and hops from the United States,” Whittaker said.

The brewery plans to show every match and transform its space into a central gathering place for fans throughout the tournament, Whittaker said.

That focus extends beyond the brewery. The surrounding Spring District is expected to host events, youth soccer activities and live programming tied to the tournament.

“We’re going all out,” Whittaker said.

The city is going all-out, too. To encourage visitors to stay and explore, Visit Bellevue has launched a “stay and play” fan package offering hotel incentives, transportation perks, and retail credits.

Beyond logistics, the city is also focused on creating a World Cup atmosphere across public spaces. Match-day programming is expected throughout downtown Bellevue, the Spring District and the BelRed Arts District, with pop-ups, installations and other activities planned near light rail stations and gathering areas. The community events are going to be displayed throughout June and July, according to Yan.

Confirmed planned programming includes a soccer-themed fashion show in the Spring District, an art walk in the BelRed Arts District and transit station displays featuring live music, food trucks and multilingual welcome stations, according to an email from the City of Bellevue Communications team.

Bellevue’s communications team said the city is also investing in longer-term improvements ahead of the games, including new signage, sidewalk repairs, and public art installations intended to serve residents beyond the event.

But with matches centered in Seattle, the question remains how many fans will make their way east.

At Bellevue Brewing Company, Whittaker said the focus isn’t on projections.

“Everything we do,” Whittaker said, “is about building and fostering community.”

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University of Washington’s News Lab operates as a local news bureau staffed by advanced journalism and public interest communication students.