Seattle Public Utilities is tidying up ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with 1.2 million pounds of waste scrubbed from the streets this year.
City utilities officials update the cleanup stats each month. In addition to the waste, 198,000 sharp items have been dropped off at needle deposit boxes in 2026.
Efforts last year saw 5.3 million pounds of waste and 661,105 sharps picked up, Seattle Public Utilities said in a release Tuesday.
“As we look ahead to welcoming the world for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, this work reflects our commitment to our community. We’re focused on building clean and healthy neighborhoods and making sure our city looks its best for our residents, businesses, and visitors every day,” said Andrew Lee, the utilities’ CEO.
Six World Cup games will be played at Seattle’s Lumen Field, per the calendar on the website for FIFA, the international soccer governing body.
The first is a Belgium-Egypt battle on June 15, followed by U.S. vs. Australia on June 19, Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Qatar on June 24, Egypt-Iran on June 26, then a round of 32 match on July 1 and round of 16 game on July 6.
Given its war with the U.S. and Israel, Iran requested that its matches, two of which are scheduled for Los Angeles, be moved to Mexico, which is co-hosting the World Cup with the U.S. and Canada. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed last week that FIFA denied the request, according to ESPN.
“The Iranian team is coming for sure, yes. We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be a peaceful situation. … But Iran has to come. Of course, they represent their people. They have qualified. … They really want to play and they should play. Sports should be outside of politics now,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said Wednesday.
