SEATTLE — Maya Mendoza-Exstrom sounded as if her voice was on the verge of breaking. Speaking to a crowd of several hundred people at Pier 62, Mendoza-Exstrom had been given the honor of being the final speaker at the event celebrating Seattle’s successful effort to be a 2026 Men’s World Cup host city.
Flanked by children and Seattle Sounders legend Kasey Keller, Mendoza-Exstrom’s speech thoughtfully illustrated what made this particular bid special. While other cities have newer, shinier stadiums; are located in more strategic locations; have larger populations; or possess more pop-culture cachet, Seattle’s bid had an authenticity that simply could not be matched.