Seattle has ramped up security measures ahead of this summer's World Cup matches, including turning on contentious closed-circuit TV cameras near the stadiums.

Why it matters: As hundreds of thousands of visitors flood the Emerald City for the tournament, the city is trying to address potential safety issues that might arise.

• The first of six matches hosted in Seattle kicks off today at noon, with Belgium playing Egypt.

Zoom in: Lumen Field (temporarily rebranded as Seattle Stadium) has been outfitted with perimeter fencing and safety bollards to help keep out vehicles — part of $19.4 million in stadium work paid for by the state Legislature.

Seattle police also plan to deploy hundreds of officers, rivaling their presence during the Seahawks' Super Bowl parade earlier this year — but this time for six separate game days, SPD spokesperson Patrick Michaud told Axios.

• Officers will be deployed not only in areas around the stadium, but also downtown and throughout the city, he said.
• "This is an abnormally large amount of people that will be visiting, and we will have an equally abnormal amount of cops," Michaud wrote in an email.

A $32 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is helping pay for added security around Seattle during the tournament.

Catch up quick: One of the biggest local policy decisions was Mayor Katie Wilson's move to turn on CCTV security cameras around the stadium.

• This month, Wilson said FBI and SPD officials had briefed her on "credible threats" to safety and security during the games, causing her to decide to activate cameras in the area.

Catch up quick: Wilson had previously halted a planned expansion of the city's CCTV camera pilot program into new neighborhoods — including the Stadium District — pending the results of a privacy and data security audit.

Yes, but: Wilson approved installing the new Stadium District cameras earlier this year just in case, promising to turn them on only if a credible threat emerged surrounding the World Cup.

What's next: Wilson's office says the cameras around the stadium will be turned off once the games are over.

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The Seattle Seahawks got their Super Bowl rings last week — and they are truly massive.

Photos and videos on social media show the diamond-encrusted rings taking up a significant portion of players' hands. (And those guys don't have small hands.)

• The sides of the ring resemble the arches of Lumen Field, which can pop out to reveal the words "World Champions."

You can check out more photos on the Seahawks' website.

The closer you get to Seattle Stadium (aka Lumen Field) today, the harder the driving is likely to become.

Zoom in: Most of Pioneer Square and the Stadium District will close to vehicle traffic as the city creates a large pedestrian zone around the World Cup venue on each of Seattle's six game days.

• Streets will close roughly four hours before kickoff.
• Parking restrictions begin at 2am the night before the games.
• Pike Place Market already limits most daytime vehicle access.

Nearby neighborhoods, including the Chinatown-International District and the waterfront, are expected to see big crowds and spillover traffic.

Farther out, expect busier ferries, packed trains and heavier traffic on routes leading into Seattle before and after matches.

By the numbers: City officials estimate up to 100,000 people could descend on the area during match days.

• Today's opener features Belgium vs. Egypt at noon.
• The others are on Friday, June 24, June 26, July 1 and July 6.
• The most anticipated match, USA vs. Australia on Friday, coincides with a Mariners-Red Sox game at 7:10pm.

The bottom line: If you're traveling downtown on a match day, ride a bike, walk, or take transit whenever possible — and allow extra time if you absolutely must drive.

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💡 Copper wire thieves knocked out about 100 lights on the West Seattle Bridge, and Seattle City Light says the extensive repairs could take time. (Seattle Times)

🏠 Steve and Connie Ballmer's philanthropy is launching a program to help build 10,000 affordable housing units across Washington, with total investments potentially reaching $1.5 billion. (Washington State Standard)

🥢 Benihana, the Japanese-style teppanyaki chain, is returning to Seattle, with plans to open a new restaurant in South Lake Union. (MyNorthwest)

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If you're new to soccer, or only tuning in for the World Cup, here's a quick guide to the basics.

🏟️ The format: The expanded tournament features 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four. Each team plays three group-stage matches. A win earns 3 points, a draw 1 and a loss 0.

• The top two teams in each group advance to the knockout stage, along with the eight best third-place teams.

🥊 Knockout rounds: For the first time, the World Cup includes a round of 32. Winners advance to the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and final. Semifinal losers play in a third-place match.

⏱️ Game length: Matches consist of two 45-minute halves, plus stoppage time added for injuries, substitutions and reviews. Knockout matches tied after regulation go to 30 minutes of extra time. If still tied, the winner is decided by a penalty shootout.

🃏 Cards: A yellow card serves as a warning for offenses such as reckless fouls, dissent or delaying play. Two yellows equal a red card, which sends a player off and leaves that team shorthanded. Serious fouls can result in an immediate red card.

👟 Penalty kicks: If a defender commits a foul inside their own penalty area, the attacking team gets a one-on-one shot against the goalkeeper from 12 yards away.

Offside, VAR and more