The World Cup is here, and Ballard has its own way to celebrate — grab a beer, hop on your bike, and pedal to a match tonight.

Wombi and Ballard FC are hosting "Pint. Pedal. Pitch." — a community bike ride from Stoup Brewing's Ballard taproom (1108 NW 52nd St) to Interbay Stadium (3027 17th Ave W) for the Salmon Bay FC match against FC Olympia at 7 p.m. The ride departs at 5 p.m., giving cyclists time to grab a beer, meet fellow fans, and pedal together along the Burke-Gilman Trail corridor to the stadium an hour before kickoff. Tickets are free on Eventbrite.

Friday is also Local Radio Night at Interbay, and it falls on the same evening the U.S. Men's National Team opens World Cup play against Paraguay (6 p.m. PT on FOX, from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles).

Ballard FC marketing and communications manager Max Dresbach told Seattle Met the atmosphere at Interbay feels like "Friday Night Lights high school football games. Take visions of a homecoming field and just add an all-ages beer garden and a tequila zone."

That vibe has drawn crowds. Ballard FC matches averaged 1,350 fans per game in 2025, according to Seattle Met, and the first phase of an Interbay Stadium expansion is underway to add seating and concessions, according to MyBallard. Salmon Bay FC, the club's women's affiliate competing in the USL W League, shares the same field and fan base.

The stadium has no jumbotron. Fans sit feet from the action on metal bleachers or crowd into standing-room drink zones behind the east goal. A wooden sign near the entrance points to the Ballard Locks (2 miles), London (4,779 miles), and the beer garden (mere steps).

Ballard Beavers football note: Ballard High head coach Ian Essig, a 2009 Ballard High graduate, posted on Instagram that spring practice for the 2026 season began in early June. Fall registration details are available through the Ballard High athletic department at (206) 252-1000.

Fitness deal: No neighborhood gym or studio deal surfaced this week. Running a special in Ballard, Queen Anne, or Magnolia? Email tips to the newsroom.

This Week in Neighborhood Sports and Rec

  • Friday, June 12, 5–7 p.m. — Pint. Pedal. Pitch. community bike ride, Stoup Brewing to Interbay Stadium. Free. RSVP on Eventbrite.
  • Friday, June 12, 7 p.m. — Salmon Bay FC vs. FC Olympia (Local Radio Night), Interbay Stadium, 3027 17th Ave W.
  • Friday, June 12, 6 p.m. PT — USA vs. Paraguay (World Cup Group D), broadcast on FOX. Watch at Kangaroo & Kiwi (2026 NW Market St, 21+), Reuben's Brews in Ballard (all ages, dog-friendly), or Seattle Center Armory (free, first-come first-served).
  • Monday, June 15, noon PT — Belgium vs. Egypt at Seattle Stadium (Lumen Field). Seattle's first World Cup match. Watch parties at Seattle Center Armory and the Sounders-Reign barge at Pier 62 (reservations required).
  • June 11–July 6 (daily) — World Soccer Fan Celebration at Seattle Center. Free outdoor screenings, food trucks, drone shows, cultural programming.
  • Ongoing — Reuben's Brews (Ballard) showing all World Cup games, opening as early as 7 a.m. on morning match days. Breakfast available.
  • Ongoing — Magnolia Community Center drop-in pickleball and futsal. Confirm current hours at seattle.gov/parks or call the center directly.