Mayor says Real Time Crime Center cameras enabled for Seattle’s World Cup games have been turned off

World Cup crowds (Image: CHS)

The end of Seattle’s run as a World Cup 2026 host city also brings the shutdown of the Seattle Police Department camera system authorized by Mayor Katie Wilson to provide extra security near the city’s stadium.

Wilson announced this week that the city’s Stadium District CCTV cameras have been deactivated. “This follows through on the commitment I made last month that these particular cameras would only be turned on for the duration of the FIFA World Cup in Seattle, because of its high global profile and the unique circumstances surrounding the event,” the mayor’s statement reads.

The surveillance cameras, which are part of SPD’s Real Time Crime Center, were activated in June due to “general but credible security threats” identified by the FBI and local law enforcement officials ahead of the high-profile global tournament.

With the World Cup matches concluded, the stadium-area cameras will remain off until the completion of a city privacy and data governance audit expected this fall. The audit, which Wilson initiated earlier this year following campaign promises regarding surveillance data protections, is reviewing all city policies, practices, and data storage methods tied to the crime center network.

Meanwhile, a previously planned expansion of the police camera system into additional neighborhoods including Capitol Hill and the Central District remains on pause. Wilson stated said no new police CCTV cameras will be turned on until the audit’s findings are publicly shared and its recommendations are thoroughly reviewed with community input.

While the new expansions and stadium surveillance are halted, existing police cameras that were installed last year across downtown, the Chinatown International District, and North Aurora will continue to stay operational.

In the announcement, the mayor restated her commitment to transparency and community involvement, saying she was balancing public safety needs with strict citizen privacy safeguards as the city sorts its future use of technology.

$5 A MONTH TO HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE

Subscribe to CHS to help hire writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. To stay that way, we need you. Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for $5 a month — or choose your level of support