Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has reversed course and decided that surveillance cameras in the city's Stadium District will be switched on during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. According to FOX 13 Seattle, the move marks a shift from her earlier reluctance to activate the system and comes just days before the tournament brings large crowds to the area. The mayor framed the decision as one taken with the safety of those attending the games in mind.
The change of position followed a security briefing that the mayor received earlier in the week from the Seattle Police Department and the FBI. Wilson said that briefing identified general but credible threats to safety and security during the tournament. She described the existence of such threats as not unexpected for an event of this size, while noting that law enforcement agencies will be operating at a heightened risk level throughout the competition.
In her statement, the mayor placed public safety at the center of the decision. The decision comes with the safety and security of residents, visitors and fans in mind, she said, according to the report. The cameras in the Stadium District had until now remained switched off, a detail that had drawn attention as the city prepared to help host one of the largest sporting events in the world.
Wilson also acknowledged that the use of surveillance cameras raises genuine concerns. She said she shares worries over privacy and civil liberties, but added that she has confidence in law enforcement and in FIFA's security partners. According to the mayor, the cameras will help establish situational awareness if and when it is needed during the tournament, rather than serving as a permanent expansion of monitoring.
The report also set out the technical side of the plan. The cameras will be connected directly to the city's real-time crime center, an arrangement intended to help law enforcement quickly identify any problems that arise around the stadium. That direct link is presented as a way to speed up the response to incidents in the busy district on match days, when foot traffic is expected to surge.
The decision was welcomed by members of the city council who had been pushing for it. Council member Maritza Rivera thanked Mayor Wilson for listening to calls from council members to turn the cameras on. It is important that we use every tool at our disposal to protect both Seattle residents and visitors, Rivera said, adding that she believed this was the right and responsible thing to do.
The announcement lands with the tournament now just days away, as Washington prepares to welcome fans for matches taking place in the area. Council members had been calling for the Stadium District cameras to be activated rather than left idle during such a high-profile event. With the mayor's reversal, those cameras are now set to form part of the security plan once the games begin.