This will be a panel presentation that will walk the audience through the specifics of the FIFA WC26 tournament, the potential impacts to Washington State and the current planning efforts being conducted by the City of Seattle, King County, SEA26 and Washington State Emergency Management Division. We intend to highlight the opportunities for collaboration in planning, resource support to the jurisdiction during the tournament and upcoming training and exercising opportunities.

What Will the Audience Learn:

The audience will take away information on FIFA World Cup 2026, the planning efforts that are occurring around the state and the opportunities to collaborate in the planning efforts and assist with potential resources during conduct.

Course Level: Intermediate

About the Presenters

Brendan McCluskey is the Director of Emergency Management for King County, a member of the WA Emergency Management Advisory Group, and a core member of the Seattle UASI. Previously, he was the State Public Health Preparedness Director for New Jersey, and the Deputy State Emergency Management Director for Maryland. A former paramedic in Newark, NJ, Brendan has advanced degrees in Public Administration and Law and is a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) and Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP).

Kenneth Neafcy is the Operations Program Manager for the Seattle Office of Emergency Management since December 2009.  His responsibilities include overseeing the readiness of the City’s Emergency Operations Center and its staff Duty Officer program. Over the years, he has also supported a number of incidents including the 2014 Seahawks Superbowl victory parade, a complex muti casualty incident involving a large number of foreign students (2015), the extended COVID response, and the 2020 Seattle riots.