‘We are the soccer heartbeat of the Inland Northwest’: Officials kick off summer of celebration ahead of World Cup

Look hard enough and signs of the pending arrival of the Egyptian National team ahead of the 2026 World Cup already can be seen around town.

Crews scraped the grass playing surface from Luger Field on the Gonzaga University campus and soon will begin installing a new sod surface that’s up to FIFA standards. FIFA is the international soccer governing body.

The new surface will be used by the Egyptian team as they prepare for their first round matches in Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., as their designated “base camp.”

Shannon Strahl, deputy athletic director and chief operating officer of Gonzaga Athletics, said Thursday the process to bring the team to town included several site visits with officials from the city, university and FIFA to discuss facilities, security and scheduling details when the team is in Spokane.

“It’s a fun partnership to make sure that we’re all on the same page and ready to host the team and meet their expectations,” Strahl said.

Strahl said the university is “incredibly proud” to welcome Egypt and superstar Mohamed Salah to its campus.

“From an athletics perspective, we’ve worked to ensure that Gonzaga can offer a world-class training environment,” Strahl said. “From the facilities and meeting rooms to the surface of the pitch that all meet FIFA World Cup standards.”

The work to resod the field at Gonzaga is just one of the ways that the city is preparing for what Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown dubbed a “summer of soccer.”

Looking to capitalize off of the excitement around the upcoming World Cup matches in Seattle, the city will transform into what city and business officials believe will be a soccer hotbed.

“We are the soccer heartbeat of the Inland Northwest. And we are proving it again,” state Sen. Marcus Riccelli said Thursday. “And this is just extremely exciting.”

Festivities will include the previously announced World Cup Fan Zone at Gesa Pavilion at Riverfront Park, youth soccer camps, an adult league tournament, increased public transportation options, expanded outdoor alcohol sales and increased outdoor seating at local restaurants.

“From a community pride and local business participation to family friendly events and fan experiences, this is about making sure our region doesn’t just watch the moment happen, but we’re a central part of it,” Ashley Blake, CEO of Spokane Sports, said Thursday.

Brown said Thursday that the array of events around Spokane were the result of a partnership that had a vision “to build our city, build our region and put us on the map as a soccer city.”

Brown said the city worked with the Seattle organizing committee to prepare the bid for Seattle to host six matches in the tournament, which runs June 11 to July 19.

“From the beginning, that local organizing committee and the state organizing committee and the state Legislature were committed to the vision of making it something that pulled us together, that engaged the whole state,” Brown said. “So the concept of the fan zones and the base camps were something that we in Washington state were very eager to participate in.”

Expanded outdoor dining and alcohol sales

The city will pilot a program this summer to provide restaurants and cafes in downtown Spokane outdoor cafe tables if they have sufficient space in the public right-of-way. The state has temporarily allowed restaurants, bars and breweries to expand alcohol service in outdoor spaces, which Brown said would be akin to “beer gardens.”

Residents also can apply for a free permit to temporarily close residential streets for temporary community events.

“You and your neighbors can hold a block party,” Brown said.

Increased Public Transportation

The Spokane Transit Authority will expand service this summer on weekends and for Fan Zone events. Between June 1 and July 25, buses on Route 1, which runs between Browne’s Addition through downtown and the University District, including Gonzaga University and Spokane Community College, will run every 10 minutes on Saturdays.

STA will increase airport service on Routes 7 and 63 so that buses run every 30 minutes. Route 11 will have a 20-minute service on June 19 and July 19, which are the two fan zone days.

STA has created a limited edition Connect Card, which has special soccer branding on the front. The card will be available to anyone who has downloaded the SEA&WIN App, the official mobile game of the Seattle FIFA World Cup, at the Spokane visitors center beginning on May 1.

Fan Zones

The city will host two fan zone events at Gesa Pavilion in Riverfront Park on June 19 to watch the U.S. Men’s National Team play Australia, and on July 19 for the World Cup 2026 final match. The event will include a large screen to watch the match and food, beverages, and other activities.

Tickets to the event will cost $5 and will be available for sale soon.

“These events will bring fans together around marquee matches. Large screens, great food and beverage options, entertainment, activities, and really an atmosphere that is worthy of this celebration,” Blake said. “So whether you follow every match, or you just want to be a part of something exciting in this moment for our city, these fan zones are being designed and developed with you in mind.”