Anthropic has leased 113,000 square feet in Seattle as it prepares for an IPO and expands its headcount. Meanwhile, the U.S. national team will play Belgium in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup in Seattle; tickets for the match start at $2,300 from resellers.
Anthropic expands in Seattle: a new office in the South Lake Union neighborhood
Anthropic, the creator of the popular AI assistant Claude, is continuing to strengthen its foothold in Seattle, signing a lease for 113,000 square feet at the Dexter Yard complex. This is the largest office deal in Seattle’s real estate market since the beginning of the year. Previously, the company already had a smaller temporary lease at the same complex—about 56,000 square feet. An Anthropic spokesperson confirmed the new lease but declined further comment, citing the company’s policy.
Anthropic’s expansion in Seattle comes amid reports of a possible initial public offering (IPO). While the company has not officially announced plans to go public, the growth of its presence in a city that is one of the United States’ key technology hubs clearly signals long-term intentions. The South Lake Union area, where Dexter Yard is located, has long been associated with tech giants—this is where Amazon is headquartered, along with offices of other major players in AI and cloud computing.
A lease for 113,000 square feet is not just an expansion of physical space. For the local commercial real estate market, which has been through difficult times after the pandemic, such a deal is a positive signal. Analysts at CoStar, which tracks the market, noted that it is the largest office lease in Seattle in 2024. For Anthropic itself, the new office will likely become a center for research and development, as well as a springboard for hiring talented engineers—plenty of whom are available in the region.
Anthropic is known for its focus on AI safety and ethical technology development. Its product Claude competes with ChatGPT from OpenAI and Gemini from Google. Increasing its presence in Seattle may be tied to a desire to diversify its hiring geography and be closer to clients and partners on the West Coast. It remains unclear how many employees will work in the new office, but this amount of space suggests a significant staff increase.
To understand the context: “going public” means the company begins selling its shares on the stock exchange, raising capital to grow. The Dexter Yard complex is a modern business district made up of several buildings, located right on the South Lake Union “tech corridor.” As noted in The Seattle Times, a lease of this scale signals not only Anthropic’s ambitions, but also the revival of the downtown Seattle office market.
The implications of this move could be substantial. First, it will intensify competition for AI specialists between Anthropic and other tech companies in the region. Second, it could spur further investment in local infrastructure. And finally, it confirms a trend: AI companies, despite economic uncertainty, are actively investing in physical offices—betting on collaboration and the retention of talent.
U.S. vs. Belgium tickets in Seattle: prices break records
The U.S. men’s national soccer team is returning to Seattle for the Round of 16 match of the 2026 World Cup against Belgium. The event is already being called one of the biggest in the city’s sports history—and, apparently, one of the most expensive for fans. After the Americans beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in the Round of 32 on Wednesday evening, ticket prices shot up dramatically. Even before the United States’ participation was confirmed, fans who had dared to buy tickets in advance had to shell out at least around $2,000 per seat. Immediately after the final whistle, the price from resellers jumped to roughly $3,000, and on FIFA’s official resale platform it was from $2,300.
This is not the first time that tickets for matches featuring the U.S. in Seattle have been this expensive. For example, for the June 19 match against Australia, prices started at $2,000 just days before the game. As The Seattle Times notes, the price increase began after the U.S.’s first win over Paraguay on June 12 (4-1) and continued, reaching a peak of $3,792 on the morning of June 21, according to ticketdata.com, an analytics service.
For the U.S. team, reaching the Round of 16 is the sixth time in its history. If they manage to beat Belgium, it would be only the third time they reach the quarterfinals: the last such occurrence was in 2002 at the tournament in South Korea and Japan, and before that, in 1930 at the first World Cup ever, when the U.S. finished third after losing to Argentina in the semifinals (at the time, only 13 countries participated). The ticket situation now is tense: on FIFA’s official portal, there are no tickets left in the final minutes. Seatsidekick.com, which pulls data from the FIFA platform, reported that on Tuesday afternoon 2,256 tickets were listed; by the Wednesday morning, the number was almost unchanged—2,233—and right after the U.S. vs. Bosnia match ended, 2,026 seats remained on sale.
Anyone who wants to attend the game will have to deal with resellers or the official FIFA resale market. The organization itself strongly recommends buying only through its platform, but prices there are also steep. For example, tickets in the first category for the evening of July 1 (after the U.S. win) cost $2,758, second category $2,461, and third category $2,300. Meanwhile, the day before, the cheapest tickets in the fourth category were sold for $3,565, and by the evening of July 1 they disappeared from the list. For comparison: on the morning of June 30, the lowest price for second-category tickets was $1,897, and by the time the article was published, it had risen by nearly $600. In other words, the Seattle match promises to be a true test for the wallets even of the most devoted fans—but the historic chance to see the U.S. in action this late in the tournament is clearly driving demand.
U.S. vs. Belgium in the World Cup Round of 16 in Seattle
The U.S. men’s national soccer team continues its run at the 2026 home World Cup and is returning to Seattle, where on July 6 the Americans will face Belgium at Lumen Field for the Round of 16. The Americans secured their place in the knockout stage after beating Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in the Round of 32. That match was the second winning knockout game for the U.S. played in Seattle—previously, the team had beaten Australia there during the group stage. Now, their task is to get past Belgium to advance to the quarterfinals.
The Americans’ path to this stage has not been easy. In the group stage, they finished second in Group D. They began the tournament by dismantling Paraguay (4-1), then beat Australia in Seattle (2-0) and lost to Turkey (3-2) in the final round. In the Round of 32, they confidently overcame Bosnia and Herzegovina, extending their campaign. Belgium, meanwhile, won Group G: draws against Egypt (1-1) and Iran (0-0) were followed by a rout of New Zealand (4-1), after which the “Red Devils” in the Round of 32 defeated Senegal 3-2 in a dramatic match in Seattle.
This matchup will be Seattle’s last game of the 2026 World Cup. The city has already hosted six tournament matches, including group-stage games featuring teams such as Qatar, Iran, and Egypt. According to local authorities, the tournament has drawn record crowds into downtown Seattle, and has also set public transit ridership records. Another sellout is expected, with fans from both countries filling not only the stadium, but also the surrounding squares. As Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson said in a comment to KOMO, Seattle has proven it is among the best hosts of a World Cup.
It’s important to understand the terminology: “Round of 32” (Round of 16) means the first knockout round, featuring 32 teams that advanced from the group stage. Next comes the “Round of 16” (Round of 8), where the United States and Belgium will meet. For Seattle, this match will be the last of the tournament, and the city intends to stage it in a big way. The winner advances to the quarterfinals, while the loser’s run ends. The match will kick off at 5:00 p.m. local time on Monday.
