More than 1,400 Seattle-area young people and their caregivers will get something extraordinary this month: a seat at the FIFA Men’s World Cup — for free.
In announcing the initiative last week, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson said the giveaway is a statement that opportunity in Seattle isn’t reserved for those who can afford it.
“We believe that world class experiences should be accessible to everyone,” said Mayor Katie B. Wilson. “Years from now, these young people will remember Seattle invested in them and made them part of something incredible.” That said, no city funds are involved in the tick distribution — the full cost is being covered by corporate and institutional sponsors including Alaska Airlines, Amazon, Boeing, Microsoft, the Port of Seattle, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, and the University of Washington.
A day to remember
The tickets, along with food vouchers and commemorative scarves, are being distributed through 40 youth-serving organizations across the region, with select groups also receiving shuttle service via King County Metro.
King County Executive Girmay Zahilay said the county is committed to “making sure transportation is never a barrier to participation in a once-in-a-generation experience.”
The Somali Health Board, a King County organization providing culturally grounded healthcare to the Somali community, is one of the ticket distributing organizations. The announcement of the ticket initiative was made with the board. Its 12-team youth soccer club packed the room in purple jerseys.
“It’s a statement that our youth belong on the world stage,” said executive director Najma Osman.
Along with the board, tickets will be give to youth through 30 youth-serving organizations already identified across the region. The full list set to be released before tournament kickoff. The local organizing committee hasn’t disclosed the total dollar value of the initiative or detailed how recipient organizations were selected. Other recipient organizations include the African Youth Sports Academy and the Seattle Youth Safety Ambassadors. General public tickets remain available through FIFA’s last-minute sales phase, though even the cheapest run into the hundreds — making this program a genuine gift for the young fans it’s designed to reach.
Initiative leaders said it they hope to inspire and engage youth through soccer, both watching and playing.
“Sports have the power to inspire, connect communities and expand what’s possible for young people,” Alisha Valavanis, Seattle Storm president and CEO, said in a release. “The opportunity for Seattle’s sports organizations to unite around a shared commitment to expanding youth access makes this initiative particularly special. We’re proud to support this effort to provide local youth with access to a once-in-a-generation event and create memories that will last a lifetime.” Learn more about the initiative.
