SoFi is the most expensive stadium ever built at roughly $5.5 billion and the first indoor-outdoor NFL venue. For the tournament, its ETFE roof stays on but the field is widened and regrassed to FIFA spec — meaning the grass is lit by artificial sun lamps because SoFi's 'open' ends still don't let enough daylight in.
Getting there
Los Angeles is less a city than a region that occasionally agrees to share a freeway system. SoFi Stadium is in Inglewood, not Los Angeles proper, about four miles north of LAX and fifteen miles southwest of downtown. How you get there is going to define your tournament.
Flying in: LAX is the closest airport to the stadium and the only one that matters if you're staying on the Westside. Burbank (BUR) is smaller, cheaper from DFW sometimes, and dramatically less painful to get out of. Long Beach (LGB) and John Wayne (SNA) exist; use them if the math works.
Getting to SoFi: Here's the surprise — LA Metro actually works for this now. The Metro K Line (Crenshaw/LAX) opened in 2022 and stops at Westchester/Veterans, roughly a 15-minute walk to SoFi. Connect via the C Line from downtown or the E Line from Santa Monica. Metro is also running direct buses to SoFi on match days from multiple pickup points across the county, starting four hours before kickoff and running 90 minutes after the final whistle. Fare is $1.75 with a TAP card. If you have any choice at all, take the train. Driving to Inglewood on a match day will be one of those Los Angeles stories you tell for years.
Base yourself: Santa Monica or Venice if you want the beach and a walkable neighborhood between matches. Downtown / Koreatown if you want food and nightlife and don't care about the ocean. Hollywood if you have to, I guess. Staying in Inglewood itself is increasingly viable — the area around SoFi has new hotels and it's close to LAX, but there's not much beyond the stadium complex yet.
The fan zone
The FIFA Fan Festival Los Angeles takes over the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Exposition Park, the same venue that hosted the 1932 and 1984 Olympics and is getting a third Games in 2028. The headline activation runs the tournament's opening stretch — June 11–14 — turning the Coliseum into a global viewing party with big screens, a performance stage, and food stalls built around LA's actual neighborhoods (Oaxacan, Salvadoran, Thai, Korean, Persian — it's going to be the most interesting food you eat all month). Note this one isn't free: general admission is around $10 (kids under 12 free) via Ticketmaster.
Exposition Park is also home to the California Science Center (Space Shuttle Endeavour), the Natural History Museum, and the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art — which means you can do the fan zone and a cultural afternoon in one trip. Get there via the E Line (Expo Park/USC station) — no parking, no excuses.
Beyond the Coliseum, LA28 has layered additional Fan Zones across the county — check losangelesfwc26.com closer to kickoff for the satellite sites in the Valley, South Bay, and Westside.
Where to watch without tickets
Note: Santa Monica's long-running Cock 'n Bull closed in 2024; the site is now a Mexican spot, Tacos Por Favor (opened July 2025) — do not go looking for the old pub. These are the ones still standing.
- The Fox and Hounds (Studio City, 11100 Ventura Blvd) — Valley expat HQ. Premier League every Saturday for years, World Cup energy will be exponential. Opens at 4 a.m. for marquee early kicks.
- Tom Bergin's (Hancock Park, 840 S Fairfax Ave) — 1936 Irish tavern. Shamrocks with regulars' names on the ceiling. Quieter than the Valley pubs; better for an Ireland or Scotland match than Brazil-Argentina.
- Timmy Nolan's (Toluca Lake, 10111 Riverside Dr) — Another Valley staple, tighter crowd, Celtic supporters club meets here. Opens early for matches.
- Britannia Pub (Santa Monica, 318 Santa Monica Blvd) — The English one on the Westside now that Cock 'n Bull is gone. Small, loud, absolutely no chairs during a big match.
- Mo's Place (Burbank, 403 N Pass Ave) — Warehouse-sized, screens in every direction, the "watch three matches at once" option. LAFC crowd overlaps here on weekends.
- Barney's Beanery (West Hollywood, 8447 Santa Monica Blvd) — Not a soccer bar by pedigree, but huge, cheap, open forever, and the overflow option when the Westside pubs are full.
Eat & drink
The single best thing about watching the World Cup in LA is eating like every group is playing in your neighborhood.
Tacos every day: Guerrilla Tacos (Arts District, wood-fired, James Beard), Leo's Taco Truck (al pastor on a trompo, the 2 a.m. answer), Tacos Villa Corona (Atwater Village, breakfast burritos worth setting an alarm for). Sonoratown downtown for flour-tortilla Sonoran-style.
Korean BBQ: Park's BBQ (Koreatown, $$$, worth it), Quarters (fast and good), Soot Bull Jeep (charcoal, no frills). You are in the best Koreatown in the US.
Thai: Night + Market Song (Silver Lake), Jitlada (East Hollywood, Southern Thai, face-meltingly spicy), Pa Ord (Thai Town, boat noodles).
Oaxacan: Guelaguetza (Koreatown, the mole negro, the mezcal list, the whole room when Mexico is playing). Madre in Torrance.
Sushi / Japanese: Sushi Gen (Little Tokyo, omakase at the bar), Katsuya, Shin-Sen-Gumi for ramen.
Mexican beyond tacos: Broken Spanish, Gracias Madre (veggie), Sonoratown.
If you only eat one thing: get a breakfast burrito from a random truck at 7 a.m. before a morning match. You'll understand.
Things to do
- Griffith Observatory — free, views, planetarium. Go at sunset. Walk from the Greek Theatre side to skip the worst parking.
- The Getty Center — free (parking is $25). Richard Meier architecture, Mediterranean garden, best museum views in the city.
- Hollywood Sign hike — Griffith Park, early morning, bring water. The Wisdom Tree / Cahuenga Peak route is less crowded than the main trail.
- Santa Monica Pier + Venice Beach — obligatory, ride bikes between them on the boardwalk.
- A Dodger game if the schedule lines up — Dodger Stadium at dusk, a Dodger Dog, a 90% chance of a home run. It's still the best sports experience in LA.
- Disneyland is 30 miles south in Anaheim. If you brought kids, this is the off-day answer.
Match-day logistics at SoFi
Branded "Los Angeles Stadium" for the tournament per FIFA's neutral-stadium rule — same roof, same $5.5 billion.
LA hosts eight matches, more than any city except Dallas and the NY/NJ final venue:
– June 12: USA vs. Paraguay — the USMNT opener. Plan your life around it.
– June 15: Iran vs. New Zealand
– June 18: Switzerland vs. Bosnia & Herzegovina
– June 21: Belgium vs. Iran
– June 25: USA vs. Turkey
– June 28: Round of 32
– July 2: Round of 32
– July 10: Quarterfinal
SoFi's ETFE roof means no rain delays and manageable heat, but the field is natural grass grown under artificial lighting — which is a first in World Cup history and has been a source of nervous commentary from coaches all spring.
Clear bag policy (12"×6"×12" or small clutch). Cashless stadium. Mobile-ticket only. SoFi's security has been tighter than most NFL venues even pre-World Cup — get there two and a half hours early and thank us later. Rideshare drop-off is a known nightmare; take the K Line or the Metro World Cup bus and walk the last 10-15 minutes.
LA traffic as a World Cup subplot
You will sit in traffic. Everyone sits in traffic. Plan for it, carry water, have something to listen to, and try to have at least one match day where you just stay in your neighborhood, walk to a bar, and watch someone else's game. That's the actual move.
Getting There
Airports, transit, driving, and rideshare options for match day and beyond. Plan your arrival window well ahead of kickoff — World Cup crowds are unlike anything these cities have hosted before.
Fan Zone
FIFA Fan Festival Los Angeles at the LA Memorial Coliseum & Exposition Park
The official FIFA Fan Festival is free to attend, runs throughout the tournament, and broadcasts every match on giant LED screens. Expect food vendors, live music, family activities, and plenty of atmosphere.
Open in Maps →Where to Watch Without Tickets
Soccer bars, pubs with proper Premier League energy, neighborhood spots, and outdoor watch parties. No ticket? No problem — the city experience is half the tournament.
See watch parties →Eat & Drink
Local specialties, the must-try restaurants, and where to grab a proper pre-match meal. We'll highlight cuisines from visiting nations as the tournament approaches.
Browse World Cup eats →Things to Do
Between matches, on off days, and for traveling companions who aren't here for the soccer. The neighborhoods, attractions, and local experiences worth your time.
Explore the experience →Matches at Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium)
Match schedule will populate once the draw is complete and FIFA confirms venue assignments. Check back as we get closer to the tournament.