INGLEWOOD, Calif. — With just 30 days remaining until the FIFA World Cup 2026 officially arrives in Los Angeles, city leaders, transportation officials, venue executives and community stakeholders gathered Tuesday at SoFi Stadium to unveil sweeping plans to host one of the biggest sporting events in the world.
Los Angeles will host eight FIFA World Cup matches this summer, including the U.S. Men’s National Team opener on June 12 following an opening ceremony featuring global music stars Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla. Organizers said the city is preparing for millions of visitors through an ambitious regional plan focused on transportation, fan engagement, security, tourism and community outreach.
“Los Angeles is ready to deliver a world-class FIFA World Cup 2026 experience for fans, athletes, and visitors from around the world,” Kathryn Schloessman, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission and CEO of the Los Angeles World Cup 2026 Host Committee, said during Tuesday’s event.
The tournament will transform the region into a month-long soccer festival. Organizers announced a 39-day fan engagement calendar that includes the Official FIFA Fan Festival at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum from June 11-14 and 10 official fan zones spread throughout Southern California. Tickets for the opening festival begin at $10, while children 12 and under will be admitted free.
Magic Johnson, serving as a Los Angeles World Cup 2026 community ambassador, praised the city’s preparations and predicted a massive economic and cultural impact.
“The world game is coming to the greatest city in the world, Los Angeles,” Johnson said. “Fans from all over the world will get a chance not only to see some great soccer being played here, but also to enjoy our city at the same time.”
Johnson highlighted the Fan Festival and community programs designed to make the World Cup accessible even for fans unable to attend matches inside SoFi Stadium.
“If you can’t come here to SoFi to enjoy it, go to the Coliseum,” Johnson said. “There’ll be artists performing as well as big screens so they can watch the games.”
Transportation was a central focus Tuesday as officials attempted to address concerns about traffic and accessibility during the tournament. Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins said expanded rail and bus service will be available throughout the event, with transportation options ranging from Metro rides costing $1.75 each way to park-and-ride programs and rideshare access.
“Metro is proud to play a leading role in helping Los Angeles welcome the world for FIFA World Cup,” Wiggins said. “We’ve been working closely to expand and enhance service across our systems, so fans have safe, reliable and convenient ways to get to the matches and fan experiences throughout the tournament.”
Inside SoFi Stadium, preparations are already underway to convert the NFL venue into a world-class soccer stadium. Otto Benedict, senior vice president of facility and campus operations for SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park, detailed the process of installing a temporary hybrid grass field imported from Moses Lake, Washington.
“The grass is currently in the state of Washington, Moses Lake, about 1,600 miles north of here,” Benedict said. “They will harvest that tonight, put it directly into refrigerated trucks, drive it down here and we’ll lay sod early tomorrow morning.”
Benedict explained that FIFA officials are closely overseeing every aspect of the field installation, including irrigation, mowing patterns and maintenance schedules.
“That field becomes FIFA,” Benedict said. “They are dictating who’s going out there, what’s happening, when the grow lights go on and when they come off.”
The stadium has also removed seating from four corners to widen the pitch and meet FIFA specifications. Benedict said only about 400 seats were removed from the venue’s more than 70,000-seat capacity.
Beyond the matches themselves, organizers announced a community initiative that will provide 600 young people from underserved communities with World Cup experiences that include attending matches, participating in the Fan Festival and even playing on the SoFi Stadium pitch after the tournament.
The Host Committee also unveiled a human rights initiative tied to the event in partnership with LA vs Hate and 211 LA, including multilingual support services available in more than 140 languages.
Schloessman addressed questions Tuesday regarding immigration concerns and security planning surrounding the event. She said organizers continue to work closely with federal, state and local agencies to ensure a safe tournament environment but acknowledged that many security-related decisions remain outside the committee’s control.
“Our goal is to provide a safe and secure event for everybody who attends,” Schloessman said. “We’re doing everything we’re supposed to be doing and more because it’s very important to us to make sure nothing happens and everybody has a really great experience here.”
The World Cup is expected to serve as a major rehearsal for Los Angeles ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will also utilize SoFi Stadium and many of the same regional transportation and fan engagement systems.
“This is a practice run for them,” Schloessman said of LA28 organizers. “It’s a major event in and of itself, but it also is a great opportunity for them to see how things are happening.”