With six World Cup matches and many fan events in Seattle planned in June and July, up to 750,000 people are expected to come to the region! Public Health and our partners have compiled tips to help people going to the events and exploring King County stay safe and healthy, whether you’re new to King County or already live here.
Please share this information if you are hosting or working with visitors during the World Cup.
Five top health and safety tips
- Call 211 or 1-877-211-9274 for health and social services. Calls are free. Press 2 for Spanish or 7 for additional languages.
- Sign up for emergency alerts in the language of your choice by text, voice call, or email at kingcounty.gov/alert.
- Wear a mask in crowded indoor spaces to protect yourself from getting sick. Increased travel increases the risk from respiratory diseases like measles, COVID and other contagious illnesses.
- If it’s hot, drink lots of water and take breaks in the shade and air-conditioned spaces.
- Choose places to eat that have a food safety rating sign (green smiley face sign) for safer food.
Plan ahead for medical needs on match days
Expect heavy traffic, full buses and trains, and potentially longer waits for services on game days. When possible, plan ahead to refill medications, schedule appointments, and pick up medical supplies to avoid traveling on these days. Seattle’s six World Cup matches are scheduled for:
- Monday, June 15 at 12 pm
- Friday, June 19 at 12 pm
- Wednesday, June 24 at 12 pm
- Friday, June 26 at 8 pm
- Wednesday, July 1 at 1 pm
- Monday, July 6 at 5 pm
Are you a visitor to King County? Here’s how to get health care
For urgent medical care and safety issues, call 911 immediately. Save the number in your phone now, before an emergency. Calls are free. Say the language you speak once connected.
For minor illness or injuries, visit an urgent care clinic or community health center. These clinics usually have shorter wait times and lower costs than hospital emergency rooms. Many accept patients without U.S. insurance and offer language interpretation services at no additional cost. Find a list of clinics near downtown Seattle that offer drop-in appointments at: kingcounty.gov/health/visitors.
Be prepared if the weather gets hot or smoky
Who is at higher risk:
People in these groups should be extra careful on hot or smoky days:
- Adults ages 65 and older
- Children ages 18 and younger
- People with chronic health conditions or mental illness
- People who exercise or work outdoors
What to do on hot days:
- Drink lots of water.
- Take breaks in the shade or an air-conditioned space. If you feel too hot while at the stadium, take a break in the covered areas.
- Cool down quickly by putting a wet towel or cloth around your neck.
- Call 911 if someone has an extremely high body temperature; red, hot, and dry skin; a rapid, strong pulse; or nausea, confusion and unconsciousness.
What to do on smoky days:
- Go to AirNow.gov and enter “Seattle” or your current location. Move indoors if the Air Quality Index (AQI) is 150 or higher (red, purple, or dark red). People at higher risk from smoke should stay indoors when the AQI is 100 or higher (orange).
- If you cannot avoid going outside, an N95 mask offers good protection for most people.
- Call 911 if you have difficulty breathing or chest pain.
How to find safe food: Look for the food safety rating sign
For safer food, only buy from places that have a food safety rating sign, featuring the green smiley faces in the picture below. This means that the food business follows food safety rules and has a permit from Public Health. The sign should be on all permitted food businesses, from restaurants to food trucks and carts. More at kingcounty.gov/foodsafetyrating
Headed to the water? Here’s what to know
Even when the air is hot, rivers and lakes in King County can run very cold from melting snow. Cold water can trigger an involuntary gasp and rapid breathing that can cause drowning within seconds, even for strong swimmers and close to land. Always wear a life jacket and enter cold water slowly—especially kids! Find information about boater, river, and water safety at: kingcounty.gov/watersafety.
If you’re going to a beach on a lake, first check if it’s open at kingcounty.gov/swimbeach. King County monitors the water quality at beaches during the summertime and closes a beach if the water conditions aren’t healthy.
Follow swim safety recommendations: swim in lifeguarded areas, know the water, know your limits, and wear a life jacket. See more tips at: kingcounty.gov/health/swim-safe
What to know about hantavirus and Ebola
With hantavirus and Ebola in the headlines, it’s understandable to be concerned about what that means in the context of hosting an international event. At this time, Public Health does not expect either disease to be a local health threat during the World Cup in Seattle. Here’s what we know:
Hantavirus
- The Andes type of hantavirus from the MV Hondius cruise ship is rare and does not spread easily between people.
- The people who were sick or exposed are under quarantine. Contact tracing and quarantine efforts have been containing the outbreak.
- The risk has been low. It will get even lower as the time period runs out for when new cases of hantavirus could emerge from the cruise ship outbreak.
- Bottom line: We do not expect the Andes type of hantavirus to be a local health threat during the World Cup in Seattle.
Ebola
- The Ebola outbreak in Central Africa is an under-resourced international crisis.
- However, the risk in the U.S. is currently low.
- Strict protocols are in place to route and screen travelers for symptoms and exposure to Ebola, and to prevent entry of anyone with Ebola symptoms.
- At this time, we do not expect Ebola to be a local health threat during World Cup in Seattle. We will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves.
Learn more
- More guidance and resources: Health & safety information for World Cup visitors to Seattle & King County
- CDC Safety for Soccer Fans: cdc.gov/soccer
Originally published on May 29, 2026.
Want more insights from Public Health – Seattle & King County? Subscribe to the Public Health Insider from the link at the bottom of the page (mobile) or on the upper right corner of this post (desktop).