Everett residents who want to feel the energy of the FIFA World Cup without battling Seattle crowds have a free option on the waterfront.

Boxcar Park, at 1200 Millwright Loop W on the Port of Everett waterfront, is one of nine official fan zones across Washington state organized by the Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026 host committee.

The site features a large-screen match broadcast, local food trucks, a kid zone, live music, games, and a waterfront beer garden. Admission is free.

About 1,100 people showed up for the first Waterfront Watch Party on June 11 when Mexico played South Africa. Kate Anderson, an event organizer with the Port of Everett, said Everett is "the only official watch party between Vancouver and Seattle, so we're expecting fans from all over."

For confirmed watch party dates, the fan zone opens two hours before each match and stays open two hours after the final whistle, according to KOMO News reporting.

The fan zone is a partnership among the City of Everett, the Port of Everett, and the Snohomish County Sports Commission. Mayor Cassie Franklin told KOMO the free format is intentional: "We have a lot of people in our community who maybe can't afford tickets that cost thousands of dollars, and people want to come together to experience soccer."

Three Seattle matches remain on the schedule: Egypt vs. Iran at 8 p.m. Friday, June 26; a Round of 32 game on Wednesday, July 1, at 1 p.m.; and a Round of 16 match on Monday, July 6, at 5 p.m.

Seattle hosts World Cup matches through Sunday, July 19. The SeattleFWC26 fan zones page still lists Everett as active, but specific Boxcar Park watch party dates beyond June 19 have not been publicly confirmed.

For context on why a local option matters: Sound Transit recorded 280,000 Link light rail riders on Friday, June 19, for the USA vs. Australia match, smashing the previous record of 220,000.

Residents should check the City of Everett's tourism site at visiteverett.com/1525/Everetts-Fan-Zone for confirmed dates and event updates before heading out.