Seattle, WA
FIFA Club World Cup kickoff in Seattle clouded by fears of ICE, border patrol presence
SEATTLE, Wash. – What should be a festive kickoff to the FIFA Club World Cup in Seattle this Sunday has instead sparked fear and uncertainty among some fans after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) suggested on social media it would be involved in security at Club World Cup matches.
The Seattle Sounders will face Brazil’s Botafogo in a high-stakes match at Lumen Field on Sunday, marking one of the biggest games in the tournament. Seattle, considered the underdog, will host the match as the city prepares for a broader role in the global soccer spotlight ahead of next year’s FIFA World Cup.
But for some fans, the excitement is being overshadowed by rumors and social media posts suggesting increased immigration enforcement presence at matches — not just in Seattle, but across the country.
Earlier this week, CBP shared a now-deleted post on its official channels stating, “Let the games begin – the first FIFA Club World Cup games starts on June 14 in Miami. CBP will be suited and booted ready to provide security for the first round of games.” The post has since been taken down but is still being circulated by outlets such as FOX Sports 940 AM in Miami.
According to FOX’s affiliate in Florida, FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed CBP agents would be working alongside Miami-Dade Sheriff’s deputies to provide security for the matches in Florida.
Concerns grew further after reports that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents advised non-citizens to bring proof of legal status to the matches. While that advisory appears specific to Miami, the uncertainty has reached fans in Seattle as well.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson addressed those concerns saying, “I’m not getting communication from the federal government about what they’re doing. I want to be very clear about that,” Ferguson said. “But we, of course, are very focused on the days ahead of us and being sure we’re doing everything we can to ensure the President does not take any legal action here in Washington.”
The office of Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell also responded, acknowledging awareness of the rumors. A spokesperson said the city has been in contact with Gov. Ferguson and Attorney General Nick Brown. The office emphasized that Seattle does not coordinate or assist federal agencies in immigration enforcement.
Ticket sales have also become a topic of conversation. Sunday’s match tickets are available for as low as $35. In comparison, a ticket to see Paris Saint-Germain — featuring some of the most well-known players in international soccer — costs around $117 – compared to $350 a year ago.
While it’s unclear whether the enforcement rumors are affecting sales, sports analyst Nico Moreno of Pulso Sports said the drop in demand isn’t surprising.
“I really thought a couple months back that it would be beyond that,” Moreno said. “But when I’m hearing that there’s basically a fire sale on tickets, that people are getting free tickets if they bought the 300 level — people are being brought down from 300 levels down — it makes me feel like it’s going to be a Portland vs. Sounders atmosphere.”
In a statement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said, “U.S. Customs and Border Protection is committed to working with our local and federal partners to ensure the FIFA Club World Cup 26™ is safe for everyone involved, as we do with every major sporting event, including the Super Bowl. Our mission remains unchanged.”
Security concerns aren’t unprecedented. During the 2023 Copa América final, hundreds of fans breached Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, an incident attributed to a lack of security personnel.
FOX 13 Seattle reached out to Lumen Field for comment but has not yet received a response.
Seattle is set to host six matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and Sunday’s match is being seen as an early test of how the city handles international sporting events — both on and off the pitch.
MLS FIFA Club World Cup Pay Dispute
The Sounders are three days away from their first FIFA Club World Cup match, the biggest tournament in franchise history, as an ongoing disagreement between players and Major League Soccer casts a shadow over the event.
The Source: Information in this story came from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and FOX 13 News.
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Seattle, WA
Seattle Weather: Cooler Sunday to close out weekend
Seattle – Our pleasant weekend continues as afternoon highs remain a few degrees cooler than normal. Onshore flow will keep many along the coastal regions in the low 60s, while the interior lowlands warm into the 70s to close out our weekend.
Onshore flow will continue to keep afternoon highs cooler than normal.
Stronger onshore flow, along with a weak disturbance to our north will increase clouds on Sunday morning with a few spots potentially seeing a stray light shower. Clouds will quickly begin to clear by the afternoon with sunnier skies by midday.
Sunday will begin cloudy with sunnier skies by the afternoon.
A stretch of warmer weather is heading our way beginning Tuesday when we warm into the 80s, and it sticks around into the upcoming weekend.
A stretch of 80 degree days are ahead!
Seattle, WA
Tech Investor Vinod Khosla to Acquire the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks for $9.6 Billion
Tech billionaire Vinod Khosla and his family have reached an agreement to buy the Seattle Seahawks for $9.6 billion, according to people familiar with the details, as reported by Variety‘s sibling sports news outlet Sportico.
The deal marks one of the largest valuations ever for a sports team in a control transaction, nearing the $10 billion price tag in Mark Walter’s purchase of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers. The India-born Khosla, who is a prominent VC, is worth about $13.7 billion, according to Forbes. He is buying the defending Super Bowl champions from the estate of late owner Paul Allen.
Khosla’s group beat out a handful of other bidders, including a group led by billionaire Aditya Mittal, a member of one of India’s richest families, said the people, who were granted anonymity because the details are private. Sportico was first to report on Khosla’s interest back in May.
Khosla’s wife Neeru Khosla will serve as the team’s control owner, according to a memo that the NFL sent Saturday to its clubs. Neeru Khosla is the co-founder and chair of the CK12 Foundation, an education non-profit. Their son Neal Khosla, the CEO of Curai, will also have a leadership role in the team, according to the memo, a copy of which was viewed by Sportico.
It’s not immediately clear how the deal is being financed. Khosla didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The Allen estate said Saturday in a statement that the team had been sold to the Khosla family and included a quotation from Khosla himself. The statement did not provide any details about the deal structure or financing, but said the Khoslas would be the team’s new control owner.
The Seahawks are worth $6.59 billion, according to last year’s Sportico numbers, but the team was always expected to sell for quite a bit more than that. It’s relatively rare for NFL teams to sell—this is just the third to formally hit the market in the past decade—and the league’s structure virtually guarantees that each team turns a nine-figure profit annually.
The co-founder of Sun Microsystems, Khosla was one of a handful of local investors that bought into the San Francisco 49ers last year at a valuation higher than $8.5 billion. Sportico reported at the time that Khosla bought the biggest stake, though the specifics were not available.
It’s become common for new NFL owners to be existing LPs in other franchises, a process that gives them familiarity with the league—and vice versa. Billionaire David Tepper, who bought the Carolina Panthers in 2018, was a minority owner in the Pittsburgh Steelers. So was Josh Harris, who bought the Washington Commanders in 2023. Harris’ Commanders group included longtime business partner David Blitzer, who was also a Steelers LP. Khosla will need to sell his 49ers equity if the Seahawks deal closes.
Khosla came to the U.S. in his early 20s. He earned an MBA from Stanford, and co-founded Sun Microsystems in 1982, serving as the tech company’s first CEO. His VC career started at Kleiner Perkins, and he launched Khosla Ventures in 2004. His firm’s notable exits include Affirm, Opendoor and DoorDash, which all went public.
New NFL owners are heavily restricted in how their financing can come together. There is a $1.5 billion debt limit, and the control owner must hold a minimum of 30% of the equity. Institutional funds can own 10%, and the total group cannot exceed 24 minority owners.
The Seahawks are being sold by Allen’s estate, which assumed ownership after his 2018 death. Allen’s will called for his sports assets, which included the Seahawks and the NBA‘s Portland Trail Blazers, to be sold to benefit charitable causes. His sister Jody Allen, the executor of his will and trust, has run the teams in his absence. The Trail Blazers were recently sold for $4.1 billion to a group led by Tom Dundon.
To date, the most expensive NFL team ever purchased in a control sale is the Commanders ($6.05 billion), while the Los Angeles Lakers are the most expensive sports team acquired in a control sale ($10 billion). A minority stake in the parent company of the Miami Dolphins recently sold to a Chinese billionaire at a $12.5 billion valuation.
Mittal previously contributed about $1 billion to the 2025 takeover of the Boston Celtics, his first major move into U.S. sports. His Seahawks bid group included former Celtics control owner Wyc Grousbeck, Sportico previously reported.
Latham & Watkins was legal advisor to the Allen estate in the transaction.
(Pictured: Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp on Feb. 8 at the 2026 Super Bowl held at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.)
Seattle, WA
Cyclists fill backroads for annual summer Seattle-to-Portland ride
A massive wave of cyclists ranging from kids as young as 9 to grandparents in their 80’s just launched a 207-mile journey from Seattle to Portland. They are keeping completely off the highway, sticking to backroads and local bike trails. Meanwhile, local commuters are feeling the squeeze as northbound Interstate 5 gridlock forces heavy weekend traffic onto those exact same surface streets.
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