By Corvo Rohwer, Puyallup Tribal News
With the 2026 World Cup fast approaching, a countdown clock has been installed in the Tribal Administration building to track the remaining time until the event’s start. The clock showed 329 days remaining on the timer on July 17 during a celebration in the building lobby.
Following an introduction from World Cup Project Director Amy McFarland, Heritage Division Manager Connie McCloud shared a blessing with warm excitement about the Tribe’s involvement in the upcoming event.
“Our people have great hearts, we have great minds, we have great wealth and we have plenty to share,” McCloud said. “There is a lot of goodness, a lot of peace, a lot of hope and a lot of love that we will share with the world with our community here.”
Puyallup Tribal Council Vice Chairwoman Sylvia Miller also expressed gratitude for the Tribe’s opportunity to partner with FIFA as the Host City Supporter, and thanked all of the Tribal Members and employees who have uplifted the Tribe to be able to stand where it is today.
“This is our opportunity to show who we really are, what we value,” Miller said. “We need to make sure that everybody knows our story, that everybody knows who we are, where we’re going and where we want to be for our future for the next generations.”
Puyallup Tribal Enterprises CEO Matt Wadhwani followed up, emphasizing the Tribe will truly be in front of the world next summer.
“There are billions of people who are going to get to see who we are,” he said.
SeattleFWC26 CEO Peter Tomozawa also expressed his excitement about the Tribe’s partnership before the event concluded with a raffle of World Cup items including posters, bags and a Seattle Sounders Salish Sea Kit alongside refreshments and a soccer-themed cake.
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