One Kickin’ Summer: #SnoCoGameday in Review

A look back at the events, activations, soccer experiences, watch parties, and big wins in Snohomish County during FIFA World Cup 2026™.

⚽This content is the final installment of our #SnoCoGameday Series, which captured all the excitement of the beautiful game in the Pacific Northwest and Snohomish County during the summer of 2026. For more information, resources, and content, visit discoversnoco.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram (@discoversnoco)⚽

The Port of Everett's Boxcar Park hosted Snohomish County's official FIFA World Cup 2026™ Fan Zone Waterfront Watch Parties. Image courtesy of Port of Everett.

Over the course of 39 action-packed days this summer, the world experienced 102 matches, 48 teams, 1 champion, and a lifetime of memories. The World Soccer 2026 Tournament brought the beautiful game to the Pacific Northwest with several high-stakes matches taking place in Seattle and Vancouver—and Snohomish County was right in the middle of all the action.

Several cities throughout Snohomish County participated in soccer-related events, activations, watch parties, and soccer experiences. Our soccer events calendar featured more than 50 happenings—and there were surely more taking place. Our idyllic location between the two iconic PNW host cities not only positioned us a key stop for FIFA World Cup 2026™ excitement, but it also cemented our status as a premier destination for all things soccer.

Let’s take a look at some of the highlights that made #SnoCoGameday 2026 a summer to remember.

The Great Soccer Ball Hunt & Buoy Passport

Snohomish County and its arts commission celebrated the beautiful game by unveiling five giant buoy soccer balls, all commissioned by local artists and scattered in parks around the county. We also worked with several local businesses to distribute passports that offered discounts and swag for participants of the soccer buoy scavenger hunt.

Note: The prizes are no longer available, but you can still pick up a passport at the Snohomish County campus and conduct your own scavenger hunt of this everlasting art!


Find soccer buoys at the following locations around Snohomish County:

⚽️"Sno-Globe" by Leah Everett - Carnegie Building at the Snohomish County campus in Everett

⚽️"Splash" by Jean Bradbury - Meadowdale Beach Park in Edmonds

⚽️"The Search for Sasquatch" by Ari Glass - Willis Tucker Park in Snohomish

⚽️"Ribbon of Unity" by Lori Angdahl - Strawberry Fields Athletic Complex in Marysville

⚽️"El Regreso a Casa" by Marisol Ortega - Evergreen State Fair in Monroe

Pictured: "Sno-Globe" by Leah Everett.

⚽Find all the soccer buoys all with our passport-click here for a virtual view!⚽

#SnoGoGameday Scarves

In preparation for the big tournament, we threaded the story, scenery, and magic of Snohomish County into the popular #SnoCoGameday scarves. We partnered with Tulalip Resort Casino, Paine Field, and Port of Everett to create and distribute more than 1,300 high-quality scarves via social media, events, and other giveaway opportunities. Our scarves ended up around the necks of people not only in Snohomish County, but also in more than 12 nations around the globe, 16 states throughout America.

#SnoCoGameday also reached a few notable and influential people such as Primetime Emmy Award-winning actress and comedian Maya Rudolph, comedian Michael Che, travel writer and author Rick Steves, Seattle Mariners infielder Brock Rodden, and Washington Governor Bob Ferguson.

Pictured: Primetime Emmy Award-winning actress and comedian Maya Rudolph shoeing off the #SnoCoGameday scarf.

SeattleFWC26 Everett Fan Zone Waterfront Watch Parties (Everett)

The Port of Everett’s Boxcar Park was home to Snohomish County’s official FIFA World Cup 2026™ Fan Zone. The multi-weekend event brought more than 17,000 soccer fans together for big-screen broadcasts of opening round matchplay for USA and Mexico. It was a party for the ages!

Pictured: An aerial view of Boxcar Park during one of the Waterfront Watch Parties. Image courtesy of Port of Everett.

Meet Me In Arlington Watch Parties (Arlington)

Multiple venues in Arlington coordinated a successful effort to host watch parties for a variety of games throughout the tournament. This event scored points with locals and visitors alike!

Pictured: Downtown Arlington transformed into a soccer city during the games. Image courtesy of Meet Me In Arlington.

MLT Passport Adventure (Mountlake Terrace)

Mountlake Terrace Chamber of Commerce distributed a passport that allowed participants to discover local businesses and complete tasks for stamps and prizes. A truly unifying activation.

Pictured: The MLT Passport Adventure brought soccer fandom to local businesses. Image courtesy of Mountlake Terrace Chamber of Commerce.

Snohomish United USL W (Snohomish)

The Snohomish United kicked off its inaugural women’s season in the USL W and brought fans a high level of play in one of the league’s most competitive divisions.

Pictured: The Snohomish United played their first season in the USL W this summer. Image courtesy of Snohomish County Sport Commission & Taras McCurdie.

Woodinville Welcomes the World Watch Party (Woodinville)

Downtown Woodinville’s Wilmont Park featured a triple-header watch party that drew a sizeable and excited crowd.

Pictured: Fans taking in the watch party at Wilmont Park in Woodinville. Image courtesy of Woodinville Chamber of Commerce & Sarah Kogler Photography.

Port of Everett's Soccer Summer (Everett)

The Port of Everett had a busy summer creating the perfect pathway to the pitch, which included tons of fun events and activations throughout the games. Some of our favorites included Soccer Drink Bingoal that invited participants to visit various restaurants at the marina, the Paws-Up Warm-Up event for dogs, Soccer Stories for kids, and the soccer float find that sent visitors on a quest for soccer-inspired glass floats.

Pictured: Among the Port's many soccer-related summer activities was the soccer float find. Image courtesy of Port of Everett.

2026 Real Madrid Foundation Soccer Camp (Marysville)

The Real Madrid Foundation hosted a week-long youth soccer camp at Strawberry Fields Athletic Complex in Marysville. It was a packed event with many youngsters learning the game from one of the biggest soccer clubs on the planet.

Credit: Image courtesy of Real Madrid Foundation.

Other events and watch parties

There were also many other fantastic events and watch parties that took place in Bothell, Edmonds, Everett, Lynnwood, Mill Creek, Snohomish, and many other cities throughout Snohomish County. Shout out to Dave & Busters in Lynnwood, which had the most visitors at its watch parties of all Dave & Busters locations in the United States!

Pictured: Image courtesy of Snohomish United FC.

Last but not least, thanks to all our county partners and stakeholders and all the wonderful residents and visitors for helping to make this once-in-a-lifetime event a truly special occasion in Snohomish County!

Hosting an event in Snohomish County? We invite you to submit your event by filling out the form in this link. For maximum exposure on our calendar, we ask that you submit a form for each event you host.

⚽Explore Beyond the Pitch: Make it your goal to plan a pitch-perfect escape in Snohomish County. Here you’ll discover that the best pre- and post-match plays aren’t made on turf, they’re made on trails, kayaks, and brewery patios. Plan your escape in one of the many beautiful cities in Snohomish County. ⚽

Nick Shekeryk

Nick Shekeryk

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