Each week on The Newsfeed, host Paris Jackson and a team of veteran journalists dive deep into one topic and provide impactful reporting, interviews and community insights from sources you can trust. Each day this week, this post will be updated with a new story from the team.
Seattle scores new outdoor art for the World Cup tournament
By Brangien Davis
The FIFA World Cup promises to bring thousands of soccer fans to Seattle streets, and it has already inspired a wave of new outdoor artworks across the city.
For the past two years, local organizing committee SeattleFWC26 — a nonprofit separate from FIFA — has been devising ways the tournament can benefit the city beyond the span of the games. One of those ways is by showcasing local artistic talent with the installation of new murals, paintings and sculptures in outdoor spaces.
“From the very beginning, the board and my boss were super clear that we had to find ways to show people what's special about Seattle and figure out ways to make that last,” says Leo Flor, SeattleFWC26’s Chief Legacy Officer. “And one of the most powerful ways that you can communicate across languages is art.”
The result is more than 25 public art installations stretching from Seattle Center to Pioneer Square. Most are along a walkable 4-mile route dubbed the Unity Loop. Downtown, look for large murals from local painters Stevie Shao and Leo Shallat, and at the entrance to Lumen Field, a new 9-foot-tall bronze sculpture by revered Seattle artist Gerard Tsutakawa.
Working with local art collective Forest for the Trees, SeattleFWC26 has also installed 14 new outdoor paintings in Pioneer Square’s RailSpur Alley. What connects all these artworks is a symbol with local significance: a cedar branch.
“[In] every piece of art that we've commissioned... if you look hard enough, you’ll find a cedar branch detail,” Flor says. “The cedar branch detail, on advice from some of our partners at the Puyallup Tribe, was a nice way to pay homage to the first peoples of our region.” Which makes the new art walk something of a scavenger hunt too.
In addition to the original artworks, neon whale tails (based on Northwest artist Shogo Ota’s World Cup poster design) have been placed in the windows of local shops and restaurants along the Unity Loop. The idea behind these “Seattle beacons” is to showcase the independently owned small businesses that make the city unique.
“Our goal is to use this moment of global attention that comes from soccer and then convert that into lasting progress for our community,” Flor says, “whether that’s in art, small business or maybe even the way that we see ourselves.”
Workers advocate for healthcare, higher wages ahead of World Cup
By Jaelynn Grisso, story published 05/27/2026
In early April, employees of contractors at SEATAC marched to deliver a letter of demands to the Port of Seattle leadership ahead of the World Cup, which is estimated to bring 750,000 visitors to Seattle.
Top among their demands is for employees of airport contractors to receive health insurance. According to union officials, more than 50% of workers employed by airport contractors do not have access to affordable health insurance.
“We are told that the Port of Seattle is a world class place to work, yet many of us don't have health insurance. While the Port conducts studies and asks us time and time again to fill out surveys as they issue proclamations, my coworkers and I are forced to choose between seeing a doctor or paying our rent, buying medicine or or buying groceries. This is the reality we face,” said Nancy Kibocha, cabin cleaner for ERMC Aviation, in a written statement.
She continued: “Every day, I clean up to ten flights, handling waste and bodily fluids—risking illness and injury to keep passengers safe and comfortable. But who is looking out for our comfort? It’s a dangerous double standard. You expect us to be the heartbeat of this airport, yet you do not mandate the basic healthcare required to keep that heart beating. I leave here every day with an aching body, knowing that if I fall sick or get injured on the job, I am on my own.”
Port of Seattle Police told the workers they had to leave and escorted them out shortly after marching in.
Employees for contractors make up the majority of airport employees. Port officials said that of the more than 22,000 employees, only 1,200 are employed by the Port itself. The remaining 20,000+ are employed by other companies that operate out of the airport.
Representatives from the Port of Seattle pointed to a study the commission started in late 2024 and provided this statement from Commission President Ryan Calkins: “The health of the workforce at SEA is vital to maintaining operations year-round. The Port is actively working with labor and business partners towards a policy that ensures every worker has access to affordable, quality healthcare and we anticipate taking action in the coming year.”
Some hospitality workers are similarly fighting for healthcare and better working conditions.
The Embassy Suites by Hilton neighbors Lumen Field. Workers there are negotiating for their contract, which is up at the end of May.
The employees are asking for reduced workloads for housekeepers, year-round health insurance coverage, and higher wages. The World Cup is expected to bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in total economic impact for the region.
Representatives for Hilton did not respond by press time.
A guide to taking part (or not) during the World Cup in Seattle
By Paris Jackson, story published 05/26/2026
In a few weeks, Pioneer Square will become electric as the biggest event of the summer kicks off: the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Planning may be tricky, whether you’re a fan or not with organizers expecting upwards of 700,000 people to be in Seattle.
To help you plan for the World Cup, one of our local Seattle partners, NPR member station KNKX, has you covered with a comprehensive, frequently updated World Cup Guide.
“I think we're hoping that people get a sense of what's happening during this huge tournament, not only in Seattle, but across the region,” said Izzy Ross, KNKX Senior Digital News Manager.
The guide has the rundown on the “need-to-know" info: from the game schedule, to the options to get around besides driving, since the influx of people will affect traffic and transit.
“Sound Transit has said it's going to increase its service for the light rail. King County Metro is going to increase its bus service. There are going to be more standby ferries and options like that,” Ross said.
If you don’t have the pricey tickets in-hand - there are free options to watch the game.
“There's always going to a bar and watching the game there. There's other venues hosting watch parties as well. And then FIFA's local organizing committee has organized these fan zones in communities across the state, including in western Washington,” she explained.
There’s also plenty of fun for those who want to avoid the World Cup completely.
“There's lots of things to do. Lots of annual events are still taking place the Edmonds Arts Festival, the Fremont Solstice parade. Lots of pride festivities. The Bremerton Bridge blast. And the Olympic Airshow in Olympia,” Ross said.
KNKX wants to hear how you’re preparing for the World Cup. Click here to chime in.
