It’s been more than three decades since the FIFA World Cup has been held in Los Angeles, and though the region won’t host the coveted final this time around (Pasadena’s Rose Bowl had that honor in 1994), L.A. will see eight matches this summer—and they’re absolutely electric to attend.
Held from June 11 to July 19 (though action in L.A. will wrap up earlier than that), the World Cup will be staged across Mexico, Canada and the United States—where L.A. is just one of 11 host cities in the U.S. Whether you’re looking to brush up on the match schedule and ticketing details, acquaint yourself with some transit info and hotel recs, or partake in one of the fan zones or some other only-in-L.A. fun, here’s everything you need to know ahead of the FIFA World Cup in L.A.
RECOMMENDED: Our full guide to the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the U.S.
Where is the FIFA World Cup being held in Los Angeles?
FIFA’s official schedule will tell you that the matches take place at Los Angeles Stadium, but this is simply the un-branded name for SoFi Stadium, the (American) football stadium in Inglewood that’s usually home to the Rams and Chargers.
If you’re unfamiliar with L.A., this is in an area known for its concentration of massive entertainment venues; the Forum, a former basketball and hockey arena that now hosts concerts, sits across the street to the north, while Intuit Dome, home to the NBA’s L.A. Clippers is just to the south. It’s—with zero traffic—only about a 15-minute trip from LAX, but at least a half hour from L.A.’s most familiar neighborhoods and landmarks.
How can I get to SoFi Stadium? And what about parking?
It’s traffic-plagued L.A., so you just know this had to be kind of complicated, right? SoFi Stadium is about a mile and a half from the nearest Metro stop (the K Line’s Downtown Inglewood station). So unless you embark on that half-hour walk, you’re going to be sitting in traffic at some point, regardless of whether or not you’re in the driver’s seat. Here’s a rundown of all of your options.
By car
If you’re driving, the stadium has parking on-site, but it’s pricey, from $250 to $300 depending on the match. Off-site parking isn’t much better: You’re looking at between $110 and $348 for lots and garages within walking distance of the stadium.
By bus, subway or light rail
As for public transit, Metro will operate direct bus service from 15 rail and bus-connected spots around L.A. County and in neighboring Orange County:
- two in the San Fernando Valley (Pierce College and North Hollywood)
- one in Downtown L.A. (Union Station)
- one in Santa Monica (near the Third Street Promenade)
- one by the airport (LAX/Metro Transit Center)
- one down in Long Beach (Downtown Long Beach)
- one at the Torrance Transit Center
- one at the Westfield Culver City Mall
- two in Orange County (ARTIC Anaheim Station and Newport Transportation Center)
- four not too far from the stadium (El Camino College, Hawthorne/Lennox, Crenshaw, Harbor Gateway Transit Center).
A bus ride costs $1.75 each way, and service starts three to four hours before the match and runs roughly every 10 minutes until 90 minutes after the match ends. Some of these locations will also offer reserved parking, ranging from $59 to $102. (For Union Station, you can easily avoid the $65 parking by choosing a lot located a Metro stop or two away.)
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At the stadium, buses will arrive at and depart from three locations across the street from the stadium, which you can see below. And make sure to check out my minute-by-minute account of taking one of these buses to the stadium. The short version: Service—at least during my round trip to the opener—is smooth and plentiful, but you’ll still be stuck sitting in the same stadium traffic as rideshares and folks driving themselves.
By regional train
If you’re coming from even farther away, Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner (which runs from San Luis Obispo to the north down to San Diego to the South), will increase the number of round-trip trains between L.A. and San Diego. It’ll also be offering a 20% discount on fares to and from L.A.; you can then connect to the previously mentioned Metro shuttle at Union Station. Metrolink, which also operates regional service, will offer late-night departures on select lines on match days.
Can I still get tickets to the World Cup in L.A.?
For official tickets, the final “last-minute sales” phase started on April 1, with another drop on April 22. Though the round of 32 and quarterfinal stages don’t have any availability, we were able to find limited seats during the group play stage—starting around $400, or a get-in price of nearly $2,000 for the matches featuring the USMNT. Otherwise, you can try your luck on the official resale marketplace.
For what it’s worth, I think the views at SoFi even from higher-up sections are pretty stellar, so if just want to be in the building to soak up the electric atmosphere, consider opting for the cheapest seats possible.
If you’re feeling lucky—like, very lucky—you could also try your hand at the array of World Cup sponsors holding contests for free tickets. I happened to get a peek at Verizon’s pitchside “golden ticket” experience, which gets you on the field for the first 10 minutes of the second half, and it was a pretty one-of-a-kind vantage point. (Psst: Look out for another ticket drop on June 22.)
Where should I stay in L.A. if I’m going to the World Cup?
Are you coming to town for a single match and then leaving the next day? You’ll find tons of hotels right by LAX, as well as a shuttle to the stadium. There’s a hotel right across the street from SoFi Stadium, the Anthem Los Angeles Stadium District, Tapestry by Hilton, but inventory looks pretty limited around match days. Otherwise, you’ll only find so-so motels in walking distance.
Are you spending at least a couple of days in L.A.? Then instead stay in whatever neighborhood best fits your eating, drinking and sightseeing needs—though we’d certainly recommend sticking to a transit-accessible one with shuttle access. Santa Monica is packed with restaurants, hotels and postcard-worthy landmarks; it’s served by Metro’s E Line if you want to explore other parts of the city; and it has access to a not-so-far shuttle to the stadium. Casa del Mar, Shutters on the Beach and the Regent Santa Monica Beach offer quintessential beachfront luxury, while the Georgian Hotel brings a bit of Old Hollywood glamour to the oceanfront city.
Despite its distance, Downtown L.A. makes for another notable option: The hotels—from the museum-adjacent Conrad Los Angeles to the historic Hotel Figueroa—and transit connections are plentiful, and the shuttle’s use of toll and HOV lanes on the freeway makes the ride not-too-awful until you get closer to the stadium.
What else should I do while I’m in L.A.?
The iconic hilltop planetarium Griffith Observatory has won over locals and out-of-towners alike for 93 years, and not too far from it, the classic Hollywood Bowl is the place to see a summertime concert. As for world-class art collections and remarkable grounds, the Huntington, the Getty and LACMA—which just debuted its swanky new building—are all excellent choices.
What’s the World Cup match schedule in L.A.?
All of the times below are in Pacific Daylight Time. While the first stage matchups have already been determined, the round of 32 and quarterfinal teams will be locked in as the tournament progresses. The U.S. men’s national team has two confirmed matches in L.A.: Its World Cup opener against Paraguay on June 12, as well as on June 25 against Türkiye.
Friday, June 12
🇺🇸 USA vs. 🇵🇾 Paraguay at 6pm
Monday, June 15
🇮🇷 IR Iran vs. 🇳🇿 New Zealand at 6pm
Thursday, June 18
🇨🇭 Switzerland vs. 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina at noon
Sunday, June 21
🇧🇪 Belgium vs. 🇮🇷 IR Iran at noon
Thursday, June 25
🇹🇷 Türkiye vs 🇺🇸 USA at 7pm
Sunday, June 28
Group A runners-up vs. Group B runners-up at noon
Group A includes Mexico, Czechia, South Africa and South Korea, and Group B includes Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar and Switzerland.
Thursday, July 2
Group H winners vs. Group J runners-up at noon
Group H includes Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, Spain and Uruguay, and Group J includes Algeria, Argentina, Austria and Jordan.
Friday, July 10
Winner match 93 vs. Winner match 94 at noon
This is one of the tournament’s quarterfinal matches, the highest-ranked match that’ll take place at SoFi Stadium.
How else can I partake in the World Cup fun without attending a match? And where are all of the fan zones?
While it won’t be quite the same as having a seat right on the pitch, the Los Angeles World Cup 2026 Host Committee is hosting a run of major watch parties for this June and July’s matches. The premier event is the FIFA Fan Festival, a ticketed celebration held from June 11 to 14 at the Coliseum during the opening days of the tournament.
There’ll also be a rotating slate of fan zones across L.A. County; details vary from event to event, but you’ll find these traveling watch parties at the Original Farmers Market (June 18–21), the City of Downey (June 20), Union Station (June 25–28), Hansen Dam Lake (July 2–5), Earvin “Magic” Johnson Park (July 4, 5), Whittier Narrows (July 9–11), Venice Beach (July 10, 11), Fairplex (July 14, 15, 18, 19), West Harbor (July 14, 15, 18, 19) and Downtown Burbank (July 18, 19). Check out more events in our full guide to World Cup watch parties in L.A.
