BY AVERY GOODSTINE for WEEKLY VOLCANO | 6/19/2026
With a traditional English-style pop-up bar, World Cup-inspired decorations, soccer-themed promotions, a chance to win free World Cup tickets, and an epic watch party, Emerald Queen Casino is bringing the World Cup to Tacoma.
The casino’s CEO, Yale Rowe, said they are most excited about the Pitchside Pub. For the duration of the World Cup, the sportsbook and bar area have turned into a traditional British-style pub. Fans can drink beers from around the world and enjoy menu items inspired by various teams’ home countries.
The pub officially opened on Thursday, June 11, for the Mexico v. South Africa game, where Rowe said there were “no seats to be had” and the atmosphere was electric as most of the fans were rooting for Mexico.
Another fun promotion the casino ran prior to the first World Cup kickoff was a $5 free bet, where anyone could place a free $5 bet on who they think is going to win the World Cup.
Rowe said they run this promotion a few times a year, usually aligning with largely anticipated sports tournaments. They ran the promotion during the last NFL season, with a majority of people placing their bets on the Seahawks to win the Super Bowl. Rowe said with that promotion, they paid out nearly $90,000 in winnings.
“For us, we love it,” he said about the $5 free bets. “And the customers, of course, love it too. So it’s fun that we do it.”
Another promotion the casino is running is the Goal Rush Drop Zone. Players can earn entries all month long for a chance to step up to the Plinko-style game board and win up to $30,000 cash. Details on earning entries and winning can be found on the EQC website.
As part of a partnership, the casino already gave away a pair of tickets to the Belgium v. Egypt game, and it has another pair of tickets to the USA v. Australia game.
In order to be entered to win the tickets, simply use your free kiosk game, which is earned when you sign up to be a member of the EQC Players Club.
Perhaps the biggest and most anticipated EQC event is the USA v. Australia watch party on Friday, June 19. The party will be hosted at the casino’s Event Center, 2920 E. R St. Rowe said they are expecting about 1,000 people to watch the game and enjoy the festivities.
“The whole room will be themed out, and there’s giant screens in there, and it’ll be great energy, a lot of fun,” he said.
The party will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with kickoff at noon. It is a 21-and-older event with gaming, sports betting, a bar, and dining options. Parking will be available in the garage.
Rowe said it’s exciting to welcome an influx of international visitors over the next few weeks, and he knows they will enjoy their time.
“They’ll have a blast seeing the festivities that the [Puyallup] Tribe’s putting on,” he said. “It’s always fun for our team members because, you know, we don’t have a lot of international fans who are in day in and day out most days, so it just kind of keeps it, it keeps it fun, it keeps it interesting, a lot of interesting accents, you can already hear them when you’re out on the floor, so that part’s going to be really cool.”
Because the staff is used to a crowd of 15,000 people on any given Friday, Rowe said their security is “already pretty incredible,” but they are enhancing it for the anticipated larger crowds. He said they have added traffic control to make it easier to handle the large arrival and departure crowds.
Rowe added that they have worked with the Puyallup Tribe to reserve the casino parking lots strictly for those attending the casino events, while those attending the Tribe’s events next door will park at the Tacoma Dome and ride a complimentary shuttle to their events.
The Puyallup Tribe of Indians, which owns and operates the casino, is the Official Legacy Supporter and Host City Supporter for the Seattle Host City Region for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the first time an Indigenous group has formally partnered with a host city.
“We’re incredibly proud that the Puyallup Tribe has taken that position and is welcoming the world to the region, and we’re excited about the legacy that they’re going to be a part of as the World Cup wraps up in the Pacific Northwest, and we think it’s incredible,” Rowe said. “They’re known as a generous people, that’s kind of their heritage and culture, and it’s really cool that they’re doing this, and I’m excited for them to be recognized around the globe for their effort.”
The Puyallup Tribe is also hosting a variety of World Cup events at the Puyallup Tribal Administration, 3001 Puyalupabsh St.:
- June 15: Official fan zone and viewing parties, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- June 18: Coastal Protocol, 12:30 to 9 p.m.
- June 19: Official viewing parties, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- June 19-21: World Cup Powwow
- June 24: Official fan zone and viewing parties, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- June 26: Official viewing parties, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- June 26-28: Stickgame tournament
- July 1: Official fan zone and viewing parties, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- July 6: Official fan zone and viewing parties, 4 to 8 p.m.
Content paid for by Emerald Queen Casino
