The City of Bellingham along with Visit Bellingham and Downtown Bellingham Partnership are thrilled to announce the slate of grant awardees that will participate in the Bellingham Fan Zone – an official SeattleFWC26 Fan Zone celebrating the world’s games in June and July 2026.
Two community watch party locations will anchor the soccer festivities in the city’s center to showcase Seattle matches. Trackside Beer Garden by Kulshan Brewing will bring the games to screens near the waterfront, while The Den and the Wild Buffalo will host a Commercial Street Block Watch Party in Downtown’s heart.
“We wanted to capitalize on the excitement and camaraderie these games bring across the globe by getting our business community involved in doing what they do best: putting on a good time for Bellingham and our visitors,” said Tara Sundin, Community and Economic Development Manager with the City of Bellingham. “The Bellingham Fan Zone will have the big watch-party feel of other fan zones across the state, but we’re doing it with our own twist and local flair.”
“These games — and the events our community has in store to celebrate them — are a fantastic opportunity to put Bellingham and Whatcom County on the global map. We’re eager for visitors from across the country and world to experience firsthand what makes our corner of the Pacific Northwest so special, and ideally make return trips to explore even more,” said Visit Bellingham President & CEO Dylan Deane-Boyle.
In addition to the watch parties, 15 local businesses and non-profits were selected as designated fan zone venues – community hubs where fans can gather to watch matches and enjoy other interactive, engaging experiences.
- Archer Ale House
- Aslan Brewing Company/Aslan Depot
- Beach Cat Brewing South Paw
- Chuckanut Bay Distillery
- COF&
- Hammerhead Coffee
- JUXT
- Kulshan Brewing/K2
- Menace Brewing
- Paws for a Beer
- Sportsplex, hosted by Whatcom Sports Commission
- Stemma Brewing
- Uisce Irish Pub
- Wander Brewing
- Whatcom Family YMCA
To round out the fun beyond the matches themselves, eight organizations were awarded funds for soccer-themed events and activities that will amplify the festive tournament atmosphere.
- Allied Arts – Indigenous-led art demonstrations and hands-on community art and craft stations
- Bellingham Bells – Soccer night with the Bells, with free tickets for youth and adult soccer teams, plus interactive soccer activities
- Community Boating Center – Kayak soccer
- KMRE – Soccer podcast
- Mallard Ice Cream – Children’s soccer activities
- Paper Whale and The Rangers – Futsal tournament
- Sustainable Connections – Farm and Futbol
- Whatcom Museum – Free Fan Zone Fridays, including live tournament screenings and soccer-themed crafts and activities
“What’s great about the fan zones across Washington is how inclusive they are, bringing people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds together around the fun and passion of soccer,” said Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund. “In that spirit, we included a category of grants that isn’t just about watching a soccer match, because we hope everyone – whether you’re a soccer fan or not – will get in on the fun in novel and unexpected ways.”
Finally, over a dozen local businesses with street-level storefronts will be awarded funds to bring visual enhancements, including window displays, signage improvements, and creative curb appeal projects to life. These visual boosts come courtesy of a $50,000 grant from the Seattle Foundation via the Washington State Department of Commerce that the Downtown Bellingham Partnership is stewarding.
“We have a legacy of awarding Storefront Improvement Grants annually and know how vital these funds are for small businesses who want to make their businesses more visually appealing, but often have competing expenses to prioritize,” says Lindsey Payne Johnstone, Executive Director of the Downtown Bellingham Partnership. “The award from the Seattle Foundation will make an unprecedented impact that visitors and locals alike can look forward to enjoying this summer and beyond. We are grateful to be trusted with directing these funds.”
Event dates and activity details will be announced in the coming months as organizers and grantees continue to firm up plans and complete required steps in the grant contracting process. Check the Bellingham Fan Zone website as the games approach to solidify your soccer itinerary!
About the grants
In fall 2025, the City of Bellingham solicited projects to enliven celebrations in Bellingham leading up to and during the worldwide soccer tournament coming to North America in 2026. Individuals, businesses, and organizations were invited to submit proposals for events, watch parties, improvements, and other celebrations to enhance our community and celebrate the world’s favorite soccer tournament.
The goal of the grant program is to distribute funds to community-focused, local businesses to celebrate the games in a way that is inclusive, hyper-local, and empowering to the many passionate organizations and businesses that make Bellingham special.
In total, about $200,000 has been committed to the grant projects, funded by local tourism funds, taxes collected on hotel and motel stays in the city.
About fan zones
In 2025, Bellingham was selected as one of nine official SeattleFWC26 Fan Zones cities in Washington State, designated by the Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026 organizing committee.
The Seattle organizers established fan zones throughout the state to ensure as many Washingtonians as possible can be a part of this historic event.
