World Cup 2026: Seattle police spend $120,000 on British consultant

SEATTLE – With the 2026 World Cup approaching and an estimated 750,000 soccer fans expected to descend on Seattle, police are investing in new crowd control methods to manage the influx.

The SPD has already spent $120,000 to hire an international expert to prepare officers.

Between 2022 and 2023, the SPD spent a total of $120,000 to hire a consultant from the United Kingdom to train officers in crowd management, particularly for high-profile events such as the World Cup. According to SPD’s Brian Maxey, the goal is to prepare officers for the unique challenges that come with being a football fan.

“The World Cup certainly brings a new dynamic that we haven’t dealt with before, especially not on the scale that FIFA brings to the city with six home games here,” Maxey said.

City contracts show $50,000 was spent in 2022, followed by $70,000 in 2023 for two rounds of two-day courses. The bulk of the payment, about $48,000 in 2023, was used for travel expenses, raising questions among accountability advocates.

The worry

The spending didn’t sit well with some local advocates. Nickeia Hunter of the Washington Coalition for Police Accountability expressed frustration with the costs, particularly high travel costs.

“It must be nice, and I would like to know: Is this coach or first class with all the amenities?” Hunter said.

Hunter, shocked by the price, argued that the city could have saved money by hiring local experts.

Their concerns come at a time when Seattle is facing a $250 million budget deficit. Hunter questioned the city’s spending priorities, saying, “We’re still shoveling tons of money.”

The defense

Despite the criticism, the SPD stands by its decision and explains that the international consultant is necessary to teach techniques that are not widely used in Seattle. Maxey emphasized that the trip did not involve excessive luxury.

“We don’t fly people first class. We hire people to provide a contracted service,” Maxey explained.

Maxey highlighted two main goals of the training: first, to introduce “dialogue policing,” a method in which officers work with event organizers before large gatherings to set rules. Secondly, to prepare officials for the unique challenges posed by a passionate football audience.

“We don’t have that much experience here in the city of Seattle,” Maxey said. “The task is not that big in the overall context of police training. Police training is becoming increasingly expensive and complicated as additional demands are placed on police departments.”

The SPD wants to continue investing in similar training in the run-up to the 2026 World Cup.

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