SeattleFWC26 Announces Leadership Team Bringing the FIFA World Cup 26™ Games to Seattle

A team of local experts champion inclusivity and diversity, transportation, security, and a deep commitment to legacy

SEATTLE – April 24, 2024 –SeattleFWC26, the local organizing committee for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in Seattle, is gearing up for the games by announcing additional hires to a leadership team led by CEO Peter Tomozawa. Combining public and private sector expertise with deep community ties throughout the state and region, this team is tasked with preparing the region for the 2026 games while building a legacy of investment and engagement to outlast the six matches that Seattle will host.  

The team has identified six legacy “pillars” to showcase the best of the Emerald City and the Evergreen State while strengthening our region for the long-term: culture, community, children, sustainability, human rights, and accessibility. Hosting the games in a way that highlights local innovations and contributes to ongoing success in each of these impact areas is fundamental to SeattleFWC26’s approach to showing the world the core values of the Seattle region.  “We’re determined to maximize the positive impact that hosting World Cup games, including welcoming the US Men's National Team, brings to the region,” said Tomozawa. “It requires a special team with aligned expertise and dedication to make this vision a reality.”

The leadership team includes:

Chief Operating Officer Ann Kawasaki Romero brings over 30 years of experience in public sector agencies and a 20+ year tenure as the Executive Director of the Washington State Public Stadium Authority. She previously oversaw the development and operation of Lumen Field and Event Center on behalf of the public and will build on this work with the SeatlteFWC26 committee by coordinating with Lumen Field, training sites, and team base camps on FIFA facility requirements and operations, as well as plan and stage Seattle’s FIFA Fan Festival™.

Former Seattle Chief of Police John Diaz will serve as the Chief Security Officer. With over 33 years of law enforcement experience, Diaz led the first Security & Transportation Summit with 150 subject matter experts to ensure we will have the plans and resources in place to host a safe and welcoming World Cup experience. Diaz has extensive relationships at the local, regional, statewide, and federal levels and is working alongside the city and county on a workforce pipeline to support recruitment.  

Leo Flor steps into the position of Chief Legacy Officer. Flor leads SeattleFWC26’s focus on hosting the games in a way that strengthens the community for the long-term. Flor brings 20 years of public service leadership experience as a former Army Officer, local legal aid attorney, and most recently as the director of the King County Department of Community and Human Services. Seattle is the first FIFA World Cup 2026™ Host City to appoint a Chief Legacy Officer, signaling our regional belief that the benefits of hosting the world’s largest tournament should last for decades after the final whistle.

Felipe Mendez serves as the Chief Legal and Administrative Officer, leading and overseeing all legal, risk management, human resource management and volunteer program development for SeattleFWC26. Having most recently served as the General Counsel for Seattle Sounders FC, Mendez brings more than sixteen years of experience as in-house counsel and a litigator working for quasi-municipal entities and within the business of sports.  He has also been an active volunteer with various soccer organizations, including Washington Youth Soccer (Past President, 2019-2023), US Youth Soccer (Member, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee) and the U.S. Soccer Federation (Member, Rules Committee).  

Chief Strategy Officer April Putney brings two decades of senior management, government affairs, policy development, transportation, and advocacy experience to her role leading overall strategic planning, mobility preparations, and external relations efforts for the Seattle committee. She is working closely with transit partners to ensure safe, sustainable and accessible transit getting everyone to the games, and working with government and community partners across the state to deliver a true statewide experience. She previously served as the Deputy King County Executive.  

Next steps for the SeattleFWC26 committee are ramping up statewide engagement with regional watch parties for major soccer tournaments this year and next, advancing regional safety and readiness planning, and identifying initial legacy partners and projects.

Tomozawa, a longtime finance and sporting executive appointed in 2023 to guide the Seattle committee, believes that the games will help spur transformative action in our region extending beyond the games themselves. “We are bringing Washington to the World by hosting over 750,000 visitors and putting on the equivalent of six Super Bowl sized events that will be witnessed by over 2 billion viewers.  But our main mission is to utilize this massive megaphone to showcase the amazing people, businesses, and diverse communities that make Washington truly exceptional.  We aim to leave a positive and lasting legacy for our communities across the state.  The journey begins with this wonderful team, ready to make history with the FIFA World Cup in 2026.”

About SeattleFWC26  

SeattleFWC26 is the local organizing committee for Seattle’s participation as one of the 16 host cities selected for the FIFA World Cup 26™. As a not-for-profit organization, SeattleFWC26’s vision is to foster a lasting legacy for our region, guided by the spirit of soccer, innovation and inclusion. To keep up to date on the latest news and involvement opportunities with SeattleFWC26, please register at http://www.seattlefwc26.org/get-involved.