Seattle downtown visitor numbers reach record high in July 2026

Seattle's downtown area saw record-breaking visitor numbers in July 2026, according to data from the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA). Total visitors exceeded 3.7 million, reaching 112% of pre-pandemic levels seen in July 2019.

A major driver of this surge was the FIFA World Cup, which brought over 3 million visitors to the downtown area during its six-day duration in Seattle. Peak crowds occurred during matches involving the US national team, with over 500,000 people gathering downtown for both the Australia and Belgium matches.

While tourism and waterfront visits have reached new highs, the recovery of weekday business activity remains incomplete. Daytime foot traffic from office workers is currently at approximately 60% of 2019 levels, reflecting ongoing shifts in remote work patterns.