Malik Tillman free kick goal for USMNT caused a fanquake in Seattle

[ASFN Admin]

Malik Tillman's incredible free kick World Cup goal for the United States against Belgium caused a seismic reaction from the fans at Seattle Stadium. Literally.

Shortly after Tillman scored the equalizing goal in the 31st minute of the July 6 round of 16 game, the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, which monitors earthquakes and volcanoes in Washington and Oregon, posted a graph showing the vertical ground motion near Lumen Field.

Malik Tillman's free kick equalizes for the USA at 31 minutes! The fans made Seattle Stadium shake and we captured this seismogram of their reaction at station HWK3. #SportsSeismology#WorldCup2026#FIFAWorldCuppic.twitter.com/0tOwS7R75P

— PNSN (@PNSN1) July 7, 2026

The PNSN posted another seismogram from when Belgium scored a second goal two minutes after Tillman's goal, putting the U.S. down 2-1.

And then de Ketelaere scored for Belgium again just two minutes later. This is the response from the Belgian fans at station HWK3. #SportsSeismology#WorldCup2026#FIFAWorldCuppic.twitter.com/Qwgi3X1Cge

— PNSN (@PNSN1) July 7, 2026

That seismic activity still pales in comparison to that of an actual earthquake, according to another graphic the PNSN posted on July 5. Call this a fanquake, if you will.

Still, it's pretty cool to see the emotion of sports fandom (which often defies logic) logged as a natural phenomenon.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Malik Tillman free kick goal for USMNT caused a fanquake in Seattle

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