SEATTLE — For the first time in FIFA men’s World Cup history, Indigenous people will formally be part of the festivities.
Seattle is one of 16 host cities for the tournament spanning across Canada, the U.S. and Mexico in 2026. The city’s planning committee — SeattleFWC26 — announced Tuesday that the Puyallup Tribe of Indians is the official legacy supporter for all Seattle-based World Cup activities.
Typically, soccer’s governing body dictates sponsorships for the quadrennial event. For the 2026 edition, FIFA permitted the individual host cities to find local partnerships, calling them “Host City Supporters.”
The Puyallup Tribe is the first of what SeattleFWC26 hopes to be 10 specific involvement entities encompassing the committee’s focus on leaving a legacy of culture, community and inspiring youth.
“This is not just hosting a massive event that the state has never seen before, but an opportunity for us to build a better future for generations to come,” said SeattleFWC26 CEO Peter Tomozawa in a news release.
FIFA will hold all of Seattle’s World Cup matches at Lumen Field, which is on the ancestral land of Duwamish people since time immemorial.
“This is a first-of-its-kind cultural partnership whereby the Puyallup Tribe will tell their story, in their own voice, in the spirit of fostering a better understanding of people,” Tomozawa said. “It is the first time in history that an indigenous people will become a supporter of a World Cup host city. This will not only put them on the global map, it will further reinforce their ambition to share their culture and celebrate humanity.”
The city is the namesake of Chief Si’ahl, as written in the Lushootseed language, who led both his mother’s Duwamish and father’s Suquamish people. He was the first signatory in the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott, representing both tribes with the Duwamish land now known as Seattle, Redmond, Renton, Burien and Tukwila.
After the U.S. government established reservations, most descendants of the Duwamish are now part of the federally formed Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and federally recognized Suquamish and Puyallup tribes.
“It is important that we are here, Indigenous people,” Puyallup Tribal Council chairperson Bill Sterud said in a news release. The tribe also has a multiyear sponsorship with the Sounders FC. “Whether it’s in Puyallup, throughout the state, throughout the country or through Central and South America, we are here, and we have a culture and it’s important. We take care of our people, and we’d like to show that to the world.”
The Puyallup Tribe has more than 5,000 members and their traditional land is the namesake city Tacoma and the shores and islands of what is now referred to as South Puget Sound. SeattleFWC26 and the tribe want to utilize the partnership to share their story and grow businesses.
“This sponsorship puts our Tribe on the global map,” Matt Wadhwani, financial and economic development officer for the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, said in a news release. “Not only does it give us the opportunity to show the world how far we’ve come, but it also brings invaluable exposure to our thriving businesses and enterprises we are developing for the future.”
