Peter Tomozawa takes role leading Seattle’s World Cup committee

Peter Tomozawa has officially stepped down as the Seattle Sounders President of Business to take the role of CEO with SEA 2026, the local World Cup organizing committee. The move has been in the works for several months, and Sounder at Heart first reported on it two months ago. Although not yet formally announced, Sounder at Heart has confirmed Hugh Weber has already assumed the role of president of business.

Tomozawa has served as the Sounders’ top business executive since 2019 when he also joined the organization as a minority owner. He and his wife Donna LeDuc retained their ownership stakes.

“Peter invigorated the club and helped us take new steps forward, setting us up for this crucial next period in club history,” Sounders majority owner Adrian Hanauer said in a team release. “He’ll remain an important part of Sounders FC at the ownership level, and I continue to value his counsel and influence. We are fortunate to have him taking the helm of SEA 2026. There is no one better to work with the many constituents across our region that will play a role in bringing the FIFA World Cup to our city.”

The local organizing committee is tasked with overseeing a multi-agency effort that combines public and private efforts to stage the World Cup.

Tomozawa has previously helped Los Angeles land the 2028 Summer Olympics.

“While I’m remaining with the organization in an ownership capacity, I will miss the day-to-day interactions with our staff, players, fans, partners and many others,” Tomozawa said. “Looking to the future, I’m very excited to be taking on a new role in our soccer community as I begin my position at SEA 2026. There is simply no other event like the FIFA World Cup, and my goal is to make sure that the legacy of the globe’s biggest sporting event positively impacts generations of Washingtonians. We plan on hosting the best World Cup ever. While the world is coming to Seattle and Washington State, we look forward to bringing our great city and state to the world.”