2026 World Cup Guide: Los Angeles
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FIFA World Cup 2026 Travel Guide
Los Angeles opens the FIFA World Cup 2026 by hosting the tournament’s first match in the US on June 12. SoFi Stadium in Inglewood will be one of the busiest venues in the competition with eight matches on the schedule, including two group-stage appearances by the US men’s national team, a pair of knockout rounds, and a quarter-final.
SoFi’s location near LA International Airport, major freeways, and Metro lines makes it one of the most accessible venues on the World Cup circuit. And that ease of access extends to accommodations, with well-connected neighborhoods like Downtown LA, Culver City, and the South Bay offering a range of hotels and direct transit routes to the stadium. LA is hosting eight matches in 2026 and tickets are in demand.
Venue: SoFi Stadium
Capacity: 70,240
Match dates
- Friday, June 12, 2026: Group Stage, Match 4
- Monday, June 15, 2026: Group Stage, Match 15
- Thursday, June 18, 2026: Group Stage, Match 26
- Sunday, June 21, 2026: Group Stage, Match 39
- Thursday, June 25, 2026: Group Stage, Match 59
- Sunday, June 28, 2026: Round of 32, Match 73
- Thursday, July 2, 2026: Round of 32, Match 84
- Friday, July 10, 2026: Quarterfinal, Match 98
FIFA Fan Festival
Los Angeles opens the tournament with an official FIFA Fan Festival at the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Exposition Park. During the World Cup, this venue will be used for performances, activations, culinary events, concerts, and more.
In early 2026, additional venues throughout LA County will be named as Official Fan Zones where more activations, viewing parties, and celebrations will take place. Among these events, Grow the Game of Soccer clinics will provide hands-on training supported by all three major professional soccer teams—The Los Angeles Galaxy, The Los Angeles Football Club, and Angel City Football Club—to empower and inspire the next generation of players, coaches, referees, and fans.
Feel like kicking a ball around? Visit Meetup LA Soccer for group listings all over the city. See soccer murals displayed throughout the LA Arts District, Pico-Union, and Koreatown with new official World Cup art installations coming to Hollywood Park and Exposition Park.
How to get to SoFi Stadium from Downtown LA
Photo: Ringo Chiu/Shutterstock
You have a few options for the best way to reach SoFi Stadium from downtown Los Angeles, depending on whether you value speed or cost. By car, the fastest route is via the I-110 South to the I-105 West. Exit at Prairie Avenue and follow signs for the stadium; the trip takes about 25 to 40 minutes (or more, depending on LA’s notoriously bad traffic). Rideshare services like Uber or Lyft drop off and pick up in designated zones near Kareem Court and Pincay Drive. SoFi Stadium does allow you to reserve a parking space in advance, which is advisable during popular events like the World Cup. But note that you may still have a long walk from your parking spot.
If you’d prefer public transportation, take the Metro C Line (Green) to Hawthorne/Lennox Station, the board the free SoFi Stadium Shuttle, which operates on event days and drops off near the stadium entrance. You can also take the Metro Bus (Line 117), which stops about a 10-minute walk from the stadium.
Official LA FIFA Fan Zones
LA hasn’t announced its official FIFA Fan Festival location, as of May 2025. It’s likely it’ll be somewhere central in the city, as it’s a free, public space where anyone can come to watch the games and meet other excited fans. The Fan Fest info will be available online closer to the LA World Cup matches, and shared on the official LA World Cup page.
Getting around LA
Although LA is still one of the most famous car-focused cities in the country, getting around LA without a car has never been easier. Skip the traffic, parking hassles, and ride share costs by using public transportation. For the World Cup, LA Metro is expanding the dedicated SoFi Stadium Shuttle to and from LAX/Metro Transit Center Station and is working on more rail service, supported by extensive rideshare options.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is undergoing a sweeping modernization, with the highly anticipated Automated People Mover to streamline both arrivals and departures.
Downtown to Sofi Stadium
By car, the fastest route is via the I-110 South to the I-105 West. Exit at Prairie Avenue and follow signs for the stadium; the trip typically takes 30 to 40 minutes. SoFi Stadium allows you to reserve a parking space in advance. At the stadium, rideshare services like Uber or Lyft use designated zones near Kareem Court and Pincay Drive.
By public transportation, take the Metro C Line (Green) to Hawthorne/Lennox Station, then board the free SoFi Stadium shuttle at Bus Bay 8, which operates on event days and drops off near the stadium entrance. You can also take the Metro Bus (Line 117), which stops about a 10-minute walk from the stadium.
When arriving at Los Angeles Union Station on Amtrak, travel to SoFi Stadium on the Metro A-Line connecting to Metro C-Line at Willowbrook-Rosa Parks Station. Disembark at Hawthorne Lennox Station in Inglewood and board Bus Line 212 to the stadium. The journey is about 90 minutes.
LAX to SoFi Stadium
If driving, exit the airport onto W. Century Boulevard. Continue three miles to S. La Brea Avenue and turn right on E. Hardy Street, following signs for the stadium entrance.
Alternatively, take the free shuttle connecting airport terminals with LAX/Metro Transit Center that provides access to Metro C and K Lines. The shuttle operates at the lower level of each terminal with service approximately every 10 minutes.
Using public transportation in LA
Considering the notoriously heavy traffic throughout greater Los Angeles, visiting LA without a car has merits. Discover LA, the tourism organization, suggests “The Guide to Los Angeles Public Transit” as a useful tool for visitors. Make plans using GuideGeek, a free AI-powered travel assistant to get instant personalized tips via Instagram, Facebook Messenger, or WhatsApp.
Know before you go
- TAP Card: Pay fares with the reloadable card available for purchase from vending machines at Metro Rail and Bus stations
- Metro: Apple Wallet and cash are also accepted ($1.75 one-way or $3.50 roundtrip for unlimited use for two hours; kids under 6 are free)
- LAX/Metro Transit Center: Connects Metro C and K Lines directly to LAX via a free airport shuttle
- LAX Flyaway Bus: Frequent non-stop transportation between the airport, Union Station in Downtown LA, and Van Nuys in the San Fernando Valley
- Schedules: PDFs of the Rail and Bus schedules are found on the Metro website
Where to Eat, Play, and Stay in LA During the World Cup
Where to Eat, Play, and Stay in LA During the World Cup
One of the World Cup host cities is none other than the capital of the entertainment industry, Los Angeles. It’s tied with Chicago for the most stadiums in a US city and has developed an impressive soccer culture.
The Best Hotels Near SoFi Stadium
The Best Hotels Near SoFi Stadium
Whether you’re coming to Los Angeles this summer for the 2025 Club World Cup — with teams like PSG and Atlético de Madrid playing at the Rose Bowl — or planning ahead for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, here’s where to stay.
The 8 Best Soccer Bars in LA
The 8 Best Soccer Bars in LA
With LA playing host to FIFA World Cup matches in 2026, the city’s bars are bound to be packed. And LA’s soccer bars are rooted in the city’s history as a sports capital and entertainment powerhouse.
More to do in Los Angeles
Photo: Chizhevskaya Ekaterina/Shutterstock
In 2026, visitors can enjoy a wave of new attractions and openings timed around the World Cup. Highlights include Universal Studios Hollywood’s Fast & Furious Rollercoaster, Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, the new Hotel Lucille and Downtown Mama Shelter, and the 12-day Summer Dine LA Restaurant Week beginning in late July.
Los Angeles is a soccer town
Los Angeles has a deep-rooted connection to soccer, positioned firmly at the top of footie-friendly US cities. LA Galaxy, one of the founding members of MLS in 1996, plays at Dignity Health Sports Park and is considered a cornerstone of American soccer. Over the years — boosted by star players David Beckham, Cobi Jones, Robbie Keane, Zlatan Ibrahimović, and Landon Donovan — this franchise is the most successful in MLS history.
With celebrity backing from Will Ferrell and Magic Johnson, among others, Los Angeles FC is the city’s second high-profile club competing in the MLS Western Conference. Since launching in 2018, the team has made the playoffs every season and in 2025, acquired South Korean superstar Son Heung-Min from Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League. Home field is Exposition Park’s BMO Stadium, also used by Angel City FC, the professional women’s soccer team co-owned by Disney boss Robert Iger and his wife Willow Bay.
Celebrity spotlight
Celebrities are part of this city’s DNA. Snoop Dogg is the official community chairman and he’s joined by a team of official community ambassadors: Cobi Jones, Eva Longoria, and Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Together, their mission is to inspire communities and encourage global fans to start their World Cup experience in Los Angeles.
Reliably warm and sunny in summer, Los Angeles provides great weather as a bonus. Get ready for a citywide soccer-themed atmosphere, special menus and cocktails, crowded sports bars, trivia nights, live music, outdoor street parties. Cultural celebrations featuring music, dance, and ethnic foods tied to participating countries will take place throughout 30 culturally rich Los Angeles neighborhoods.
LA CityPASS
Fans can use the multi-attraction Los Angeles CityPASS to save up to 50 percent on SoFi Stadium Tours to experience this world-class, state-of-the-art venue before or after matchdays. Guides take visitors through team locker rooms, through the player tunnel, into premium suites, and right onto the field.
LA Perks Pass
The LA Perks Pass is loaded with curated attractions, tours, retailers, restaurants, and more that are offering discounts and deals to redeem during your visit. It’s free, it can be used multiple times, and there’s no app to download. Just send and save the LA Perks Pass to your mobile phone via email or SMS text and it’s ready to use immediately.
Plan ahead or when visiting any participating business, just show your screen to redeem and take advantage of the offers. For example, take a 20% discount on Big Bus Tours’ popular Hop On Hop Off service, get 15% off the 90-minute Bikes & Hikes tour that takes visitors behind the famous HOLLYWOOD sign, save $5 on unlimited rides admission at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier, enjoy the action at Tom’s Watch Bar with 10% off food and non-alcoholic beverages.
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