⚽️ Meet the FIFA World Cup Seattle 2026 CEO ⚽️
By Barbara Mizoguchi
NAP Editor
May 2023, top of the Space Needle — announcement of FIFA World Cup™ SEA 2026 coming to Seattle, WA. Photo credit: Jose Moreno.
Early this past summer, I was interested in interviewing Peter Tomogawa about his new job. After briefly meeting him in person, he agreed to meet at a later date and speak more in depth.
Tomozawa is the new Seattle 2026 (SEA 2026) Chief Executive Officer of the local organizing committee in charge of preparing the city for the 2026 Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup™. This is the world’s largest sporting event occurring every four years with more teams, countries, and cities participating in 2026 than ever before. Forty-eight teams will be participating in three countries and 16 cities. Five and a half billion viewers will be watching the matches (games) compared to 175 million who watch the Super Bowl American football games.
September 2024, Seattle Sounders MLS RAVE Foundation mini-pitch opening at Chief Leschi Schools, Puyallup, WA.
Photo credit: Corky Trewin.
Seattle will have approximately two billion viewers during the six matches. Tomozawa said, “The best thing I saw [at a World Cup™] … was the electric atmosphere all around … and the excitement that people were there from all walks of life, all parts of the world, having a great time. One of the things that FIFA and the World Cup™ does is unify the world in a positive way and we got to see that.” Monica Paul, executive director of the Dallas Sports Commission who attended the 2018 World Cup™ in Russia said, “Until you are able to see a World Cup™, it is different than any major event that we have hosted in terms of the magnitude and overall footprint.”
For the 2026 event, it was a years-long competition between dozens of cities across Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. The winning host cities are Toronto and Vancouver in Canada; Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey in Mexico; and Atlanta, Boston, the Bay Area, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Seattle in the U.S. The World Cup™ will be held across four time zones and as far apart as 3,500 miles. As a result, each host city will be planning its transportation carefully. Also, each stadium that does not have natural grass on its pitch (field) will have to install natural grass over its turf.
Peter Tomozawa, SEA 2026 CEO for FIFA World Cup™. Photo credit: Corky Trewin.
FIFA originally planned for 10 cities in the U.S. then later announced an 11th host — Seattle. The massive local support of soccer in Seattle, especially with the hometown Sounders MLS (Major League Soccer) team, also added to the city’s attractiveness as a host. In addition, the close proximity to Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada is ideal for FIFA. Seattle will host six matches. While Lumen Field will need a grass surface overlaid, the fan excitement includes international teams that have played in Seattle in the past. Beth Knox, president and chief executive officer for the Seattle Sports Commission and SEA 2026 Bid Committee Co-Chair says, “Seattle brings a passionate soccer fan base … Just as important as welcoming the world to the Emerald City, SEA 2026 will leave a meaningful and lasting legacy by increasing access to soccer pitches for kids across the state, creating solutions that address social and environmental justice issues, and contributing to the economic vitality of our unique and diverse neighborhoods.”
As FIFA delegates reviewed each city proposal, candidates explained their approaches to sustainability, human rights, legacy, general infrastructure and financial impact. The non-profit organization then conducted city visits, toured potential training sites, and listened to presentations. Some of the criteria included the cities’ ability to reserve 14,000+ hotel rooms during the summer of 2026; exemption of tickets from sales tax; and dozens of ancillary events, specifically Fan Fests, to be identified. This is where Tomozawa comes in.
He oversees all administrative, commercial and operational elements of SEA 2026. One of his first successes was partnering with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians. It is the first time in the World Cup’s™ history that indigenous people have entered into an agreement with a host city. “In 2026, we want to leave behind a people-based legacy impacting our community, culture and children that will strengthen the foundation for the future of humanity, and the Puyallup Tribe of Indians is the perfect cultural partner to support our efforts,” said Tomozawa. The Puyallup Tribe is a federally recognized sovereign nation that will work with the SEA 2026 on initiatives throughout the next several years. It will allow the tribe opportunities to share its story on the global stage. “Soccer is the international instrument to bring people together in a good way and for us to have a piece of that is really an honor,” said Puyallup Tribal Council Chairman Bill Sterud. Matt Wadhwani, financial and economic development officer for the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, said, “Not only does it give us the opportunity to show the world how far we have come but it also brings invaluable exposure to our thriving businesses and enterprises we are developing for the future.” Tomozawa said he is looking forward to bringing on nine more strategic partners.
Other strategies include following SEA 2026’s mission to foster a lasting legacy, innovation and inclusion. As for including the Seattle Japanese American community and the Chinatown-International District, Tomozawa says, “We are working to better establish positive and lasting ties between Asian American Pacific Islanders and other communities… SEA 2026 is already working with neighborhood leaders, residents and businesses.” The information sessions and follow-up surveys will be integrated into the overall SEA 2026 planning. Not only is there interest in learning from and helping enhance communities, it is hoped FIFA visitors will dine and shop in the neighborhoods. Tomozawa mentioned they are also providing capacity building support by working with “transportation agencies to optimize match day travel while maintaining general community mobility.”
Although SEA 2026 is still in the planning stages working with communities, there is a quiet sense from Tomozawa that he understands communities and past immigrant struggles. In the late 1950s, his father was studying at the University of Tokyo, Japan then moved to Cambridge, England to become a professor of physics. Then he worked at the University of London in England while living in Golders Green, northeast of London where Tomozawa was born. But he did not understand until he was an adult why his family lived there. In those days, renting was based on race – like redlining in American real estate. The area was even known as JJ Town due to the Jewish and Japanese living there with Jewish delis, synagogues, and Japanese and Asian grocery stores. His family then moved to Pisa, Italy and Princeton, New Jersey. Tomozawa was about six years old, not knowing the English language. For the most part, Tomozawa grew up in Michigan where his father continued as a physics professor at the University of Michigan (UM).
Tomozawa earned a bachelor’s degree from the UM and a master’s degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He began his career at IBM then joined Goldman Sachs, becoming the Global Head of Foreign Exchange Sales. The job had him living in New York, New York; Tokyo, Japan; and London, England. He was a member of the Federal Reserve Bank Foreign Exchange Committee and continues to consult for the International Monetary Fund.
After Tomozawa retired, he moved to Hawaii and wanted to become more civic-minded. He then became executive director of business development for the county and city mayor of Honolulu, Hawaii. He was vice president and executive director of partnerships and board relations for the L.A. (Los Angeles) 2028 Exploratory Committee in California, which bid on the 2028 Olympic Games. He proposed a low-risk, high-tech and sustainable Games plan that helped win the bid.
Tomozawa is clearly qualified for his current job in Seattle though many were curious as to why he is interested in soccer. His youngest son (of five children) tried out for the Seattle Sounders MLS Soccer Youth Academy and was accepted. As a result, when the family moved to Seattle, Tomozawa became a minority owner of the Sounders, then president of its business operations.
SEA 2026 is currently working with FIFA and other partners to identify training facilities throughout the state. In the meantime, the Sounders has a RAVE Foundation that helps build mini-pitches for children across the state. Since the goal of building 26 by 2026 has already been surpassed, RAVE partnered with SEA 2026 to build another 26 by 2026. The first mini-pitch was opened at Puyallup Tribe of Indians Chief Leschi Schools this past September.
Although SEA 2026 has been working with the City of Seattle, King County, and State of Washington, it has also been working with security at the national, state, and local levels since 2023. The chief of security officer has been working closely with other host cities on protocols, screening, and crowd management to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. This includes transportation to and from the matches and participation in the Fan Fest, in order for fans to have a positive experience. Tomogawa asserts, “Building a positive and lasting legacy is critical to our mission…We are looking to extend the community impact of the 1962 World’s Fair via the 2026 World Cup.”
