Tomorrow is the day. The United States faces Belgium in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ at Seattle Stadium — and it's the last World Cup match Seattle will host this tournament. Kickoff is at 5:00 PM Pacific Time on Monday, July 6. If you're heading to the game, watching at a fan zone, or just want to make a day of it, this guide covers everything you need: the best place to eat, how to get around without losing your mind, where the fan parties are happening, and all the transit and road closure intel so you arrive on time and get home without the headache.
Kickoff
Monday, July 6 · 5:00 PM PT (8:00 PM ET)
Venue
Seattle Stadium (Lumen Field), SODO
Watch On
FOX & FOX One (streaming)
Gates Open
2:00 PM PT (3 hours before kickoff)
🍜 The Best Pre-Game Meal in Seattle: Slurp Station Aburasoba
Before you pack into Seattle Stadium, you need a real meal. Skip the overpriced stadium nachos — fuel up at Slurp Station Aburasoba, Seattle's first and only brothless ramen restaurant, located right in the University District.
⚡ One block from the U-District Light Rail Station — with a direct connection to the stadium. Eat, then ride straight to the game. No car. No parking nightmare. No stress.
📍 4518 University Way NE, Seattle (The Ave, U-District)
🕐 Open for lunch and dinner — perfect for the pre-5 PM kickoff crowd
Aburasoba is brothless ramen — thick, chewy noodles tossed in a concentrated umami sauce made from rendered pork fat, soy tare, and fragrant oils. Think of it as the dry-style cousin of tonkotsu. It's warming, satisfying, and exactly the kind of meal that sticks with you through 90+ minutes of heart-attack soccer. Our fans from Belgium and across the world have been discovering it all tournament long.
The U-District is one of Seattle's most walkable, food-dense neighborhoods. Come early, grab a bowl, then hop on the Link Light Rail at the U District Station (NE 43rd St & Brooklyn Ave NE — literally one block from our door) for a direct, stress-free ride to the stadium.
🦞 Fuel Up at Slurp Station Before the Game
Brothless aburasoba. One block from the U-District Light Rail. Direct connection to Seattle Stadium.
See Our Menu🚇 How to Get to Seattle Stadium on July 6
Let's be blunt: don't drive to this game. Seattle's entire World Cup transportation plan is built around getting cars off the road. There is no publicly available parking at or near the stadium on match days. Street parking in Pioneer Square disappears by 2 AM on game day. The roads around SODO will be gridlocked for miles.
The good news: Link Light Rail is the fastest, easiest way to get to and from Seattle Stadium — and if you're eating at Slurp Station first, you're already positioned perfectly.
The Slurp Station → Stadium Route (The Smart Play)
Link Light Rail Match Day Schedule
- Trains run every 8 minutes on match days
- Extended service until 1:00 AM to handle post-game crowds
- Pay with ORCA card, the Transit GO Ticket app, or tap a contactless credit card
- Pro tip: Load your ORCA card or download the app before game day — avoid queues at the machines
- Bicycles and scooters are NOT permitted on Link or Sounder trains on match days
Other Ways to Get There
- Sounder Train: Runs from Everett (N Line) and Tacoma/Lakewood (S Line) directly to King Street Station, adjacent to the stadium. Special match-day trains operate on July 6.
- King County Metro: Adding 60 extra buses on match days. Free Match Day Shuttles connect the stadium with downtown fan celebration areas.
- Free Waterfront Shuttle: Runs along the Seattle waterfront to connect fan zones — free through Labor Day.
- Seattle Center Monorail + Link: Ride the Monorail from Seattle Center to Westlake, transfer to Link heading south.
🚨 July 6 Traffic & Road Closure Advisories
This is Seattle's biggest game day of the entire tournament — expect citywide disruption. Plan accordingly.
⛔ No drive-up parking on match days. All street parking near the stadium is removed starting at 2 AM. There are no drive-up lots open at Seattle Stadium.
⛔ Pioneer Square = Pedestrian Zone. The entire neighborhood around Seattle Stadium closes to vehicle traffic starting approximately 4 hours before kickoff (~1:00 PM on July 6). Streets reopen after the area is cleaned post-game.
⛔ Bike/scooter share speed limited to 8 MPH in the pedestrian zone. Valet bike parking is available.
Key Road Closure Details
- Pioneer Square Pedestrian Zone: Closures start ~4 hours before kickoff. Most streets in the neighborhood are off-limits to vehicles.
- I-5 Ship Canal Bridge (northbound): WSDOT has removed all traffic control work on the Revive I-5 project during the five weeks of Seattle matches — so the northbound lanes should be running normally, but expect very heavy traffic regardless.
- Downtown Seattle corridors: Expect severe congestion from 1:00 PM through the late evening on all routes approaching SODO and Pioneer Square.
- Rideshare/TNCs: Rideshare drop-off and pick-up zones will be designated far from the stadium. Expect surge pricing and long wait times before and after the match.
Bottom line: The city's official guidance is clear — public transit is the only practical way to get to this match. Anyone driving toward the stadium on the evening of July 6 will be sitting in traffic while Link Light Rail riders are already in their seats.
🎉 Fan Activities & Events on July 6
July 6 is Seattle's grand finale for World Cup 2026 — and the city is going all out. Multiple fan zones across Seattle will be buzzing from early afternoon through the final whistle.
🌊 Seattle Soccer Celebration — Pier 62 (Waterfront Park)
Hosted by Seattle Sounders FC, Seattle Reign FC, and the RAVE Foundation, this is one of the most unique fan experiences at any World Cup host city. A floating mini-pitch on Elliott Bay, a massive LED screen for waterfront watch parties, live music, and food from across Seattle's food scene. Free public access requires entry tickets (limited capacity). Premium barge watch parties are also available. Accessible via Link Light Rail (exit Symphony Station, walk down to Pier 62) or the free Waterfront Shuttle.
⚽ Let's Play SEA '26 — Seattle Center
The city's flagship free, family-friendly fan zone at Seattle Center features big-screen match viewing, DJ sets, art and cultural activations, and live performances. Open for all Seattle match days through July 6. Reach it via Monorail from Westlake Center (after taking Link to Westlake Station) or direct bus service.
🏟️ Seattle Match Day Live — Victory Hall (SODO)
The Mariners are hosting live World Cup viewing parties at Victory Hall in SODO — walking distance from the stadium — on a 23-foot screen. You'll literally hear the roar of the crowd from inside the stadium. Accessible via Link Light Rail (Stadium Station).
🛍️ Seattle Soccer House — Pacific Place (Downtown)
An immersive fan experience inside Pacific Place mall with a four-story high-resolution LED screen, interactive activations, and information booths. Open daily through July 6 — a great pre-game destination downtown. Exit at Westlake Station on Link Light Rail.
📺 Neighborhood Watch Parties
Bars and restaurants across Seattle are hosting watch parties. The University District — home to Slurp Station — will have plenty of spots showing the match with a local college-town energy. Come for the bowl, stay for the watch party.
🇺🇸 vs 🇧🇪 USA vs. Belgium: What You Need to Know
This is a Round of 16 knockout match — single elimination. One team goes home. The United States qualified as Group D winners, beating Paraguay 4–1 and Australia 2–0 before falling to Türkiye, then defeating Bosnia and Herzegovina 2–0 in the Round of 32. Belgium comes in as one of Europe's most dangerous squads.
Key players to watch: Christian Pulisic (AC Milan) leads the USMNT attack, still hunting his first goal of the tournament. Defender Chris Richards — the 2025 USMNT Player of the Year — will be tasked with containing Belgium's Romelu Lukaku. Coach Mauricio Pochettino has deployed a three-center-back formation all tournament.
This is also Seattle's final match of FIFA World Cup 2026™. The city has hosted six matches total from June 15 through today, welcoming an estimated 750,000 fans over the course of the tournament. Tomorrow is the send-off.
🍜 Post-Game? Come Back to Slurp Station
Win or lose, you're going to need to decompress — and Slurp Station has you covered for the post-game meal too. After the match, the Pioneer Square area will be congested with 70,000+ fans streaming out. The smart move: let the first wave of chaos pass, take the Link back to U District, and settle in for a victory (or consolation) bowl.
The U-District Station drops you right at our doorstep. Our aburasoba is made to order — chewy noodles, rich sauce, topped with a soft egg, chashu pork, and crispy garlic chips. It's the perfect end-cap to one of the biggest sporting events in Seattle history.
🦞 Slurp Station Aburasoba
📍 4518 University Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105
🚇 One block from U-District Station (Link Light Rail) — direct connection to Seattle Stadium
📋 July 6 Quick Reference Checklist
- ✅ Kickoff: 5:00 PM PT — get to the stadium by 3:30 PM at the latest
- ✅ Gates open: 2:00 PM PT
- ✅ Don't drive. Seriously. Take Link Light Rail.
- ✅ Load your ORCA card before game day to skip machine lines
- ✅ Pioneer Square closes to cars starting ~1:00 PM — plan your approach
- ✅ Street parking is gone near the stadium (removed from 2 AM onward)
- ✅ Bikes/scooters banned on Link and Sounder on match days
- ✅ From U-District: Walk to U District Station → Link south → exit Pioneer Square Station
- ✅ Trains run every 8 minutes with service until 1 AM
- ✅ Fan zones: Pier 62 (waterfront), Seattle Center, Victory Hall (SODO), Pacific Place (downtown)
- ✅ Eat first: Slurp Station, one block from U-District Station — open for lunch & dinner
Make Slurp Station Part of Your Game Day
Seattle's only brothless aburasoba restaurant. One block from the U-District Light Rail Station — direct connection to Seattle Stadium. Open for lunch and dinner on July 6.
Order Online