As Seattle gears up to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the city’s excitement is captured in more than just stadiums and team announcements—it’s also in the art. Shogo Ota, a Japanese-born artist now based on Camano Island, was named the finalist behind Seattle’s official host city poster. His design, shaped by personal history and Pacific Northwest beauty, is already making waves, with Sports Illustrated ranking it the best among all 16 host city posters.

Ota’s journey is as inspiring as the artwork itself. After failing multiple university exams in Japan, his path unexpectedly led him to Idaho, where he shifted from business economics to graphic design after a friend suggested he “looked like an artist.” That suggestion sparked a decades-long career, blending his Japanese heritage with the vibrant natural and cultural elements of the Pacific Northwest.

The World Cup poster captures that fusion. Inspired by Japanese woodblock prints and the landscapes around Puget Sound, the piece includes stylized waves and natural textures. “I tweak traditional patterns and combine them with modern shapes—trees, leaves, water—so every design is unique but familiar,” Ota explained.

What makes this moment even more personal for Ota is his childhood dream of becoming a soccer star. “I once dreamed of being a professional player,” he shared. “Decades later, I get to be part of the World Cup in a different way. I almost want to tell my younger self, ‘You didn’t become a soccer player, but you still made it to the World Cup.”

As a solo artist and business owner, Ota sees this as a major milestone—not just for his career, but as inspiration for the next generation. “I hope this shows younger artists that if you keep trying, something good can happen,” he said.

Now, as fans from around the globe prepare to land in Seattle, Ota’s poster will do more than welcome them. It will serve as a lasting symbol of local pride, creative spirit, and the incredible power of storytelling through art.

To learn more, visit seattlefwc26.org.