While members of the Organizing Committee of the 2026 Soccer World Cup in Los Angeles celebrated on Tuesday With much fanfare that the opening match between the United States and Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium is less than a month awaythe picture is complicated because approximately 2,000 workers threatened to go on strike if the presence or access of ICE agents to the Inglewood property is not prevented.
“They are going to be here,” said Kathryn Schloessman, executive director of the 2026 World Cup host committee in Los Angeles, about the presence of ICE agents. He did so after a press conference behind a goal at SoFi Stadium, which will be renamed “Los Angeles Stadium” during the competition.
“The 2026 FIFA World Cup is finally here in the sports capital of the world and we are excited about all the opportunities Angelenos and visitors from around the world will have to participate in the largest sporting event on the planet,” said Schloessman.
“Los Angeles Stadium” will host eight matches, including group stage and knockout round matches. It will host the aforementioned opening match of the United States national team, as well as seven other matches over 39 days this summer.
Schoessman stressed that the World Cup is much more than just the eight games at SoFi Stadium:
“The experience consists of 39 days of football-themed events taking place across our regiongiving visitors the opportunity to discover everything Los Angeles has to offer.”
Regarding the presence of ICE at the Los Angeles stadium, executive Schloessman explained: “We have been working very closely with our government officials – at the federal, state and local levels – as well as security and protection agencies, to ensure we offer a safe and secure event. From what we have been informed, their exclusive focus is on safety and security, and not on any other issue.“.
Fan areas at the World Cup
Everything will start with Official FIFA Fan Competition at the LA Memorial Coliseum, June 11-14; a space where thousands of fans will be able to gather to watch the games, enjoy live music and gastronomy, and cheer together for their favorite teams and countries.
Following that opening weekend, the World Cup celebration in Los Angeles will spread throughout the region through 10 official Fan Zones, spanning from Union Space to West Harbor in San Pedro, and from Venice Seaside to the Fairplex in Pomona.
The executive said the Host Committee and LA Tourism have put together a comprehensive guide to make it easier for visitors to enjoy Los Angeles. The guide is located on the website www.LosAngelesFWC26.com.
The host committee has also created various programs focused on providing youth with meaningful and memorable experiences that create a lasting legacy.
“Our programs focus on our 26 ‘Community Champions,’ Schoessman added. “There are 26 community organizations that use soccer as a tool to empower and uplift more than 17,000 Angelenos each year across the region.”
Schloessman announced that through the “community legacy” program, they will select 600 young participants to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime FIFA World Cup experience, which includes attending a World Cup match at SoFi Stadium.
Fast, cheap and reliable transportation
José Ubaldo, Metro spokesperson, highlighted the importance of public transportation during the World Cup and said that the agency will provide a fast, safe and reliable service for fans.
In addition to the collaboration of the Los Angeles police, agents of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and Metro private security, Ubaldo reported that the agency will have 300 ambassadors to assist passengers.
“They are going to help be the eyes and ears of what happens at the stations,” said the Metro spokesperson. “In addition, they are in charge of assisting passengers with everything they need with any type of information necessary to make their passage through the system very easy and without any problem.”
He added that the agency also has cleaning teams to keep everything “very clean,” and indicated that they have a team specialized in people who have mental problems or who do not have homes and try to help them locate in an area.
“We have all of this to provide security on buses and trains and in stations,” he stated.
For her part, Stephanie Wiggins, executive director of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, announced that During the 39 days of competition in Los Angeles, 300 special transportation services (shuttles) will be made available. dedicated to each of the parties, in order to guarantee that said additional service does not interrupt the routine operation of the agency or affect regular users.
“So the smartest way to get to any game is to use public transportation: for just $1.75, you can get directly to your destination or use Park & Inch. You can reserve your parking space by visiting http://www.metro.accumulate/WorldCup.
“If current gasoline prices are taken into account, The smartest way to get around is to travel by Metro for $1.75 each way”, he stressed.
“And let me tell you something: Parking and riding Metro will be much more economical and hassle-free than trying to get to the stadium by driving your own vehicle, or trying to access any of the numerous ‘Fan Zones’ spread throughout our city and throughout the Southern California region,” he said.
Metro’s special World Cup service adds to its extensive Metro bus and train network, which now includes the new Subway D Line extension stations: Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/La Cienega and Wilshire/Fairfax.
FIFA shares sensitive data with DHS
In addition to the 2,000 workers threaten to strike if ICE agents are present in or around SoFi StadiumTogether with the American Civil Liberties Association (ACLU) and the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE), leaders of the union UNITE HERE Native 11 filed a complaint with the California Privacy Protection Agency and the California Department of Justice.
They are urging California Attorney General Rob Bonta to immediately investigate and stop the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) accreditation process for the 2026 World Cup, which forces stadium workers to choose between their financial livelihood and giving up their right to privacy, guaranteed by California law.
Civil rights and labor organizations claim that FIFA has asked stadium workers to hand over confidential data, such as their Social Security numbersresidential addresses, nationality and country of birth, and to waive your privacy rights under California law as a condition of working at the World Cup; data that could reach ICE to be used in workplace raids.
The confidential information is allegedly being shared with the United States Department of Homeland Security, the parent agency of ICE and Customs and Border Protection.
“FIFA is putting the same workers who make the World Cup possible at an impossible crossroads: either hand over their most confidential information and waive their rights under California law, or lose their jobs. in the World Cup,” accused Kurt Petersen, co-president of UNITE HERE Native 11.
“This constitutes coercion. We call on the general prosecutor [Rob] Bonta to intervene and protect California stadium workers from a process that is clearly illegal and gives FIFA carte blanche to share workers’ data with any third party, including ICE and the intelligence agencies of foreign countries.
Official calendar of the World Cup in Los Angeles
Los Angeles will host eight matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles Stadium). The schedule includes five group stage matches, two closing round of 32 knockout matches and one closing quarterfinal match (Pacific time):
- Friday, June 12: United States vs. Paraguay (Group D) – 6:00 PM
- Monday, June 15: Iran vs. New Zealand (Group G) – 6:00 PM
- Thursday, June 18: Switzerland vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina (Group B) – 12:00 PM
- Sunday, June 21: Belgium vs. Iran (Group G) – 12:00 PM
- Thursday, June 25: Türkiye vs. United States (Group D) – 7:00 PM
- Sunday, June 28: Round of 32 (Game 73) – 12:00 PM
- Thursday, July 2: Round of 32 (Game 84) – 12:00 PM
- Friday, July 10: Closing quarters (Game 98) – 12:00 PM
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