A look at WSF ridership during Seattle World Cup matches

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, July 15, 2026

Six World Cup matches were held in Seattle this year throughout June and July, resulting in increased ridership demand on Washington State Ferries.

The transit agency reported that between June 1 and July 6, the total ridership was 808,108 passengers on both the Seattle-Bainbridge Island and Seattle-Bremerton routes compared to 792,735 in 2025.

Reported total passengers carried in 2026 (6/1-7/6):

Seattle-Bainbridge: (640,884)

Seattle-Bremerton:(167,224)

Reported total passengers carried in 2025 (6/1-7/6):

Seattle-Bainbridge: (637,985)

Seattle-Bremerton:(154,750)

Listed below is the reported total number of passengers on all routes on World Cup match days in Seattle, compared to the same corresponding day in 2025.

June 15: (56,634) vs. (56,408) in 2025

June 19: (83,467) vs. (70,954) in 2025

June 24: (62,100) vs. (59,630) in 2025

June 26: (68,643) vs. (71,320) in 2025

July 1: (67,185) vs. (74,468) in 2025

July 6: (64,984) vs. (62,451) in 2025

Between June 1 and July 6, the Seattle-Bainbridge route had 49 cancellations while Seattle-Bremerton had 20. Regarding on-time performance for the same time period, WSF reported Seattle-Bainbridge: (79.2%) and Seattle-Bremerton: (95.5%).

Department of Transportation assistant secretary for WSF, John Vezina, described the success of reliable ferry service, including months of preparation, shared in a news release. “We planned for backup vessels that could step in if another ferry experienced a mechanical problem that could not be fixed quickly. We also added extra vessel crews, more terminal and customer service staff, traffic control officers at terminals, and enhanced security,” he said. “This event provided us with a valuable real-life exercise that will help us improve how we prepare for and respond to future major events. While every situation is unique, each experience gives us new insight into what works well and where we can adjust. There is no better way to prepare than by learning from these experiences firsthand. We’ll continue listening, learning, and improving so we can provide the reliable service our customers count on.”