{"id":426478,"date":"2025-12-05T12:54:20","date_gmt":"2025-12-05T12:54:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/426478\/"},"modified":"2025-12-05T12:54:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T12:54:20","slug":"los-angeles-world-cup-2026-guide-what-to-do-eat-and-see","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/426478\/","title":{"rendered":"Los Angeles World Cup 2026 guide: What to do, eat and see"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the trailer for \u201cGood Rivals\u201d<\/a>, the Amazon docuseries about the rivalry between the United States and Mexico men\u2019s national soccer teams, two quotes spliced together \u2014 one from a star of each team \u2014 are used to underscore a major theme of the series.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlaying against Mexico, it didn\u2019t matter whether we were in Mexico City or Los Angeles\u2026\u201d former USMNT defender Alexi Lalas begins.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe stadium was full and it\u2019s mostly Mexicans,\u201d former Mexico striker Javier \u2018Chicharito\u2019 Hern\u00e1ndez finishes, in Spanish. \u201cIt was obvious that noise, applause and support were for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s as good a place as any to start understanding Los Angeles and its storied soccer history. For as much as Los Angeles\u2019 image is tied to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, the city is home to a Hispanic population of between 1.8 and 1.9 million, who account for just under half of its nearly 4m total residents, according to U.S. census data.<\/p>\n

As a greater metropolitan area, Los Angeles has a unique blend of dense population and rugged geography that make it difficult to traverse. The United States\u2019 second-largest city, unlike its largest (New York) or third-largest (Chicago), does not lend itself well to mass transit around a centralized downtown hub.<\/p>\n

Instead, it is a set of enclaves \u2014 often divided by race or income \u2014 most of which are only realistically accessible by car. Every stereotype you\u2019ve ever heard about the awful Los Angeles traffic is 100 per cent correct. The famous opening scene<\/a> of the 2015 film \u201cLa La Land\u201d only becomes inaccurate when people start singing and getting out of their cars \u2014 and even then, only slightly.<\/p>\n

Immigrants are an inextricable part of the region \u2014 more than 3m Los Angeles County residents were not born in the U.S., according to 2023 U.S. census data. Large swathes of that immigrant population still hold deep affinity for soccer and, especially, their national team of origin.<\/p>\n

For thousands, that means unwavering support and the aforementioned passionate turnouts for El Tri whenever the Mexican national team makes (frequent) trips to Southern California. Virtually every other nationality \u2014 and thus, national soccer team \u2014 in the world is also represented in the region, particularly Central and South American countries.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

It is not uncommon to drive through the streets of Los Angeles and see a shirt with a name like Marquez, Ronaldo or Messi on the back. Parks turned into soccer fields dotted with children learning to play the game are increasingly common in the inner city and the suburbs alike.<\/p>\n

The region\u2019s two MLS sides, LA Galaxy and LAFC, have passionate fanbases, trophy-filled histories and a fierce rivalry dubbed \u201cEl Trafico\u201d. They also enjoy plenty of celebrity support (they are still right next to Hollywood, after all). Actor Will Ferrell has been a prominent part of LAFC\u2019s ownership group since its mid-2010s founding. Actress Natalie Portman has done the same for neighboring NWSL women\u2019s side Angel City FC since 2020.<\/p>\n

Which is where we return to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Yes, Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the world. That, plus the mild year-round weather in the area and loads of amusement options, makes it home to dozens of global celebrities \u2014 not just in entertainment, but in sports, too. And for every LeBron James and Luka Doncic on basketball\u2019s Los Angeles Lakers or Shohei Ohtani on baseball\u2019s Los Angeles Dodgers, there is a longstanding tradition of soccer players spending parts of their professional careers in Southern California.<\/p>\n

David Beckham shocked the world by joining the Galaxy in 2007 as a 31-year-old, a watershed moment for MLS. Decades before him, Manchester United icon George Best and Dutch legend Johan Cruyff both spent time with the Los Angeles Aztecs of the North American Soccer League in the late 1970s. Over the past few years alone, soccer icons who have arrived in Los Angeles for a late-career spell include Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marco Reus of the Galaxy and Gareth Bale, Giorgio Chiellini, Olivier Giroud, Hugo Lloris and Son Heung-min of LAFC.<\/p>\n

This is not Los Angeles\u2019 first time on an international tournament stage, either. This is the city that hosted the summer Olympics in 1984 and will do so again in 2028. The finals of the 1994 men\u2019s World Cup, 1999 Women\u2019s World Cup and 1984 Olympics men\u2019s soccer tournament were all held in the Rose Bowl, located in the Los Angeles suburb of Pasadena. The Rose Bowl and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in downtown L.A. both have long histories of hosting international Concacaf matches, usually featuring at least one of the USMNT or Mexico.<\/p>\n

But for all of Los Angeles\u2019 multicultural fabric and rich soccer history, the sport is far from a dominant cultural force. Rather, it is just one more entertainment option out of many in a massive, fragmented region that is used to the spotlight.<\/p>\n

As is the case across the U.S., soccer only has a relatively small niche carved out in the city\u2019s sports culture. Neither the Galaxy nor LAFC come anywhere close to bringing Angelenos together like the NBA\u2019s Lakers, basketball\u2019s equivalent of a gold-plated global brand like Real Madrid, or MLB\u2019s Dodgers, which have enjoyed a Manchester City-like run of perennial title contention and trophy hauls over the past decade-plus in baseball.<\/p>\n

Son\u2019s introductory press conference this year is a microcosm of that. The region\u2019s thousands of soccer fans, not to mention large swathes of its more than 300,000 Korean residents, buzzed with excitement, particularly at Son\u2019s new close proximity to the L.A. neighborhood officially known by the self-explanatory name of Koreatown.<\/p>\n

And then during the ceremony, Los Angeles city councilwoman Heather Hutt turned to Son \u2014 the captain of the South Korea men\u2019s national team \u2014 in her remarks and said<\/a>: \u201cWhen the World Cup comes, we are expecting a win here in LA for the USA, aren\u2019t we, everybody? We are here to support you to get that done.\u201d<\/p>\n

In Hutt\u2019s defense, she was, in a way, accurately representing her constituents. For every Angeleno cringing at Hutt\u2019s error as Son chuckled politely and put his head in his hands, there are likely several who, like Hutt, do not understand how the World Cup<\/a> functions on even a basic level. Why would they, given everything else available in LA?<\/p>\n

So, yes, Los Angeles is home to thousands of soccer fans from all corners of the world, and they will turn out in full force in summer 2026. But can the World Cup\u2019s return fully capture the attention of this massive, diverse city and region as a whole? Time will tell.<\/p>\n

The stadium<\/b>\"\"<\/p>\n

\n SoFi Stadium (Shaun Clark via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

While the two century-old stadiums mentioned above, the Rose Bowl and L.A. Memorial Coliseum, remain functioning venues for both American and European football, all Los Angeles-based World Cup games will take place at modern SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., roughly 12 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

A marvel of modern architecture featuring a translucent roof and gigantic double-sided oval scoreboard hovering above the field, SoFi Stadium is just over five years old and has already hosted a Super Bowl, in 2022. Its two primary tenants are Los Angeles\u2019 two NFL teams, the Rams (who won that Super Bowl in their home venue) and Chargers. SoFi Stadium\u2019s usual capacity sits at 70,000 seats with the ability to expand to 100,000 for larger events. The man behind its construction is a familiar name to Arsenal fans \u2014 Stan Kroenke, who owns the Rams as well as SoFi Stadium, in addition to the Premier League club.<\/p>\n

While SoFi Stadium has hosted several high-profile soccer matches, including multiple Concacaf tournament finals, Copa America games in 2024 and two pre-season friendlies featuring, of course, Arsenal, its road to becoming a World Cup host venue came with twists. The initial layout of the stadium drew criticism from FIFA due to its below-regulation width and turf field \u2014 both were rectified by remodels installing removable field-level seats and adding capabilities for a grass pitch.<\/p>\n

Kroenke and FIFA then got into a brief standoff<\/a> over revenue sharing in late 2023, during which he threatened to pull SoFi Stadium as a host site. The impasse was quickly resolved, and SoFi Stadium will host the United States\u2019 first and third group-stage matches on June 12 and June 25. In total, SoFi Stadium is set to host five matches in the group stage, two in the new round of 32 and one in the round of 16.<\/p>\n

Getting there, however, can be a challenge. Inglewood is not a very accessible place by either car or public transportation from most other areas of greater Los Angeles, unless the region makes special accommodations to its usual public transit patterns. This is especially true for those hoping to do some pre-match sightseeing in the extremely spread-out and traffic-filled Los Angeles area.<\/p>\n

What do the players say about the city?<\/b><\/p>\n

Not many new arrivals to Los Angeles decide to move their families right into the heart of the city\u2019s downtown. Robbie Keane, the former Premier League striker and Ireland captain who spent 2011-16 with the LA Galaxy, did just that.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like the atmosphere in downtown; there are a lot of people always walking around. It\u2019s like a little mini-New York,\u201d Keane told the Galaxy\u2019s website in 2016<\/a>. \u201cI like the atmosphere because, in Europe, a lot of people don\u2019t eat out as much as they do in LA. Every restaurant is always busy and has a great atmosphere.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t really get that in Ireland, except perhaps only on the weekend. I like that vibe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other high-profile European arrivals to Los Angeles have similarly raved about the city. In an interview last year with FIFA.com<\/a>, Hugo Lloris praised the culture and the weather of his new Southern California home.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it comes to sport, I like the approach and the culture they have, and I also saw that for myself straight away with the school my children attend,\u201d Lloris said. \u201cCalifornia is a fantastic place to live, too. It\u2019s really nice to have the time to discover the Pacific coast and be there all year round.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of his former LAFC teammates concurred in a separate interview with FIFA.<\/p>\n

\u201cI fell in love with Los Angeles,\u201d Giorgio Chiellini said<\/a>. \u201cThere\u2019s an incredible sporting culture here. Basketball, baseball, (American) football\u2026 there\u2019s a competition for everything and this is a city that demands success.\u201d<\/p>\n

Where to go for breakfast<\/b>\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Top: Sunday Gravy, Bottom Left: In-n-Out, Bottom Right: Republique (Images supplied by venues)<\/p>\n

Where to go for lunch<\/b>Where to go for dinner<\/b>Where to grab a drink during the day<\/b>\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Top: Barney\u2019s Beanery, Bottom: 33 Taps (Images supplied by venues)<\/p>\n

Where to grab a drink in the evening<\/b>Where to stay<\/b>\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Casa del Mar Hotel (FG\/Bauer-Griffin via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

What to do<\/b>\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Venice Boardwalk (Tayfun Coskun via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Where to watch other World Cup games<\/b><\/p>\n

If you have the budget for it, there\u2019s no place to catch the action quite like Cosm, a \u201cshared reality\u201d venue located just a short walk away from SoFi Stadium. The cutting-edge immersive technology will make you feel like you\u2019re sitting pitch-side by virtue of a gigantic dome-shaped 12K LED screen that stretches over 87 feet (26.5 meters) in diameter, showing footage that utilizes special strategically-placed cameras. You\u2019ll get comfortable booth seating with food and drinks delivered right to your seat inside the dome by a server. The facility also features multiple fully functional bars and a multi-level restaurant area with several large screens for a more \u2018traditional\u2019 TV viewing experience if you cannot secure access to the dome, which seats a maximum of 350 people and sells tickets for events in advance, similar to a movie theater.<\/p>\n

Game-day hack<\/b><\/p>\n

Parking will be a challenge in the hours leading up to kick-off, so be sure to plan out a strategy in advance. If you\u2019re able, try to find a budget parking lot on Prairie Avenue near the adjacent Forum and walk from there to the stadium grounds. And get there early \u2014 you\u2019ll have several shopping and entertainment options to pass the time at adjoining Hollywood Park development, including the namesake Hollywood Park Casino if you\u2019re feeling lucky.<\/p>\n

The best way to get around<\/b><\/p>\n

Los Angeles has an underrated public transit system, but as we mentioned in our introduction, the decentralized geography of the region limits its usefulness. One of the most stark examples of this is the fact that the closest light rail station to SoFi Stadium is a brisk 30-minute walk away from the venue itself. If you really want to explore all Los Angeles has to offer, be prepared to rent a car or set aside a good portion of your travel budget for rideshare expenses.<\/p>\n

What will the conditions be like?<\/p>\n

Average June\/July temperature: <\/strong>70F\/75F (21C\/24C)<\/p>\n

Average June\/July rainfall: <\/strong>3mm\/2mm<\/p>\n

Altitude: <\/strong>45m<\/p>\n

You can read more here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A sporting fact you might not know<\/b><\/p>\n

Few athletes in Los Angeles\u2019 sporting history are more revered than Kobe Bryant, the late Los Angeles Lakers star whose death in a January 2020 helicopter crash scarred the city deeply. During his basketball career, Bryant was an avid supporter and evangelist of soccer at a time when the sport struggled to make inroads into the broader culture for both Los Angeles and U.S. sports. As Bryant blossomed into an international superstar, he gravitated towards supporting Barcelona<\/a> due in large part to his friendship with Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi. In fact, Bryant famously attended Messi and Argentina\u2019s win over Brazil in the semifinal round of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where Bryant also won gold in basketball for Team USA.<\/p>\n

You can read guides to all of the 2026 host cities here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In the trailer for \u201cGood Rivals\u201d, the Amazon docuseries about the rivalry between the United States and Mexico…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":426479,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5123],"tags":[1582,276,148962,2961,224,1285,8986,3142,2502,6068,79140,2081,3141,9006,5337],"class_list":{"0":"post-426478","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-los-angeles","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-california","10":"tag-fifa-mens-world-cup","11":"tag-la","12":"tag-los-angeles","13":"tag-los-angeles-angels","14":"tag-los-angeles-chargers","15":"tag-los-angeles-clippers","16":"tag-los-angeles-dodgers","17":"tag-los-angeles-fc","18":"tag-los-angeles-galaxy","19":"tag-los-angeles-kings","20":"tag-los-angeles-lakers","21":"tag-los-angeles-rams","22":"tag-losangeles"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115667067326523215","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/426478","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=426478"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/426478\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/426479"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=426478"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=426478"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=426478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}