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FOGHORN
MEMBER NEWS
S
occer fever has officially taken 
over. FIFA World Cup 2026 
games are being held in U.S. 
cities from coast to coast and fans 
from around the world have gathered 
to cheer on their teams. Vessel opera-
tors around the country have teamed 
up with local transit authorities to 
manage transportation plans for the 
anticipated large crowds, while others 
operators are celebrating the games 
with specialty cruises and new looks 
for their boats. 
In Seattle, Washington State Ferries 
(WSF) planned to have crews on 
standby and two relief boats ready to 
quickly step in case of a service disrup-
tion. They also planned to have extra 
vessel crews available to respond to 
last-minute needs. Additionally, they 
wanted to ensure easy travel for travel-
ers and worked with regional partners 
to provide better wayfinding, maps, 
signage, and on-the-ground ambas-
sadors to help customers navigate 
terminals to reach the stadium and 
other destinations. Accessibility sup-
port was considered with interpreter 
services available and ADA-compliant 
facilities, helping ensure all customer 
journeys were smooth sailing. 
Riders of WSF, Kitsap Transit, and 
other public transportation across the 
greater Seattle/Puget Sound region in 
Washington, were able to get into the 
spirit of the games with every trip. The 
regional transportation smart card, 
ORCA (one regional card for all), 
created a limited-edition transit card 
celebrating Seattle as a host city for 
FIFA World Cup 2026. ORCA even 
made digital jerseys for regional transit 
companies like WSF and Kitsap Tran-
sit, adding extra flair on social media.
PVA members on the East Coast were 
gearing up for the games as well. In New 
York City Harbor, soccer fans could 
ride one of five custom-wrapped NYC 
Ferry boats, each representing one of 
the city’s boroughs. The operator also 
contracted with New Jersey Transit to 
have two 600-passenger vessels at the 
ready to carry guests back to New York 
City after the first game in New Jersey. 
Farther down the coast, City Cruises 
is hosting Global Soccer Fan brunch 
and dinner cruises on the Spirit of 
Philadelphia, taking the watch parties 
to the water. 
MEMBER NEWS
World Cup Excitement Hits the Water
PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES, CITY CRUISES, NYC FERRY, ORCA/JOEFREEMANJUNIOR.COM
Clockwise from top left: WSF added special wayfinding signage during FIFA World Cup 2026; City Cruises in Philadelphia 
hosted themed cruises; NYC Ferry custom wrapped five vessels; Riders in Seattle could snag a limited-edition transit card

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