Forty-two teams will battle it out across three countries. One will leave the champion.
Los Angeles will host eight matches, so we’ve curated a list of watch parties, key dates and helpful information to help you quickly find what matters without taking your eyes off the game.
You can also get in on the fun and participate in a World Cup of our own: Mesoamerica Madness. Vote to crown the best Latin or Caribbean dish in LA.
VOTING IS OPEN
World Cup meets Mesoamerica Madness — Vote to crown the best Latin or Caribbean dish in LA
To celebrate the global diasporas descending on Los Angeles for the World Cup, we’re launching a 32-dish bracket to crown the county’s best Latin American and Caribbean dish.
Keep readingKey tournament dates
June 11–July 27: Group stage
June 28–July 3: Round of 32
July 4–July 7: Round of 16
July 9–July 11: Quarterfinals
July 14–July 15: Semifinals
July 18: Third-place match
July 19: World Cup final
LA’s World Cup moment
LA’s eight matches will all be at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, including the United States’ opening match on June 12 against Paraguay.
There’s plenty for fans to do, with Los Angeles being home to 10 official FIFA Fan Zones, the city-organized watch parties through its Kick it in the Park series and the countless restaurants and fans groups hosting watch parties across the city.
This World Cup isn’t all fun and games, however, as concerns over ICE have loomed over conversations surrounding the tournament.
So, as LA, a city of diasporas, prepares to watch the world come to us, here’s what you need to know.
Concerns over ICE presence and what we know so far
A year after ICE raids intensified across Los Angeles, the big question is what role ICE will play in this global event.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna told reporters at a June 1 press conference that ICE will play a role in World Cup security, but he’s been told that federal agents will not conduct civil immigration enforcement at the tournament.
Mayor Bass Bass and other local officials stopped short of making guarantees, and immigration and labor organizers are prepping for a possible escalation in immigration raids anyway. “We have to prepare for the worst,” Unión del Barrio organizer Ron Gochez said. Read more here.
Where things stand with the SoFi Stadium workers
Prior to the World Cup, SoFi Stadium workers threatened to go on strike, arguing for better pay and protection from ICE. Three days before the venue is set to host a World Cup match, they reached a tentative deal with Legends Global, the company that operates food and beverage services at the stadium.
“We are pleased to have reached an agreement with Unite Here Local 11 and look forward to delivering an outstanding hospitality experience for fans at the FIFA World Cup matches,” Legends Global said in a written statement to our partners at LAist. The full story here.
World Cup puts health officials on alert for disease
As millions of fans descend upon the city, so too will their germs. With high temperatures, health officials are on the lookout for measles and other diseases. The best way to stay healthy is to follow public health guidance as the Health Security Operations Center alerts health authorities and emergency rooms to any early signs of trouble. Learn more here
Where watch parties are happening across neighborhoods
Traffic, roadclosures? We got you
Alternatively, LA has been preparing its public transit for any upcoming traffic madness. Metro will run-enhanced bus service nonstop to SoFi Stadium, from 15 locations across Los Angeles and Orange counties. The fare will be Metro’s standard $1.75 fee.
This service will include 300 buses provided by Metro and a coalition of regional transit providers, Metro’s spokesperson Jose Ubaldo confirmed to The LA Local.
“So, the regular Metro bus service won’t be disturbed,” Ubadlo said via email. “Services are aimed at helping fans reach matches, fan festivals and related events throughout Southern California.”
See the list of pick-up locations here
Here are four local influencers to follow for soccer news ahead of the World Cup
And finally, looking for more than scores and schedules? Meet four local soccer creators sharing fan interviews, reactions and World Cup moments from LA and beyond.
