The Torched guide to LA's World Cup

Los Angeles, our megaevent age is upon us. Today begins a new chapter: over the next two years, our region will be visited by millions — maybe? maybe not? — as we assert our global status as the host with the most. And it all starts with this 39-day test run. Let this guide serve as a mission statement, a calendar of events, and an invitation to help shine a light on LA's public spaces, public transit, and public benefits — including what, if anything, will be left for Angelenos after FIFA leaves town.

Torched readers approach megaevents differently. We might be watching sports, but we're training our eyes on parks and plazas, subway stations and bus shelters, tree wells and curb ramps. We're tracking law-enforcement surveillance. We're observing which bars get shut down because people are cheering on the sidewalk. We're talking to workers, volunteers, and city employees. We ask questions like: where are the security perimeters, does the wayfinding work, how's the grass, is the trash being picked up, what's the experience for disabled people? We're examining shade solutions that combat extreme heat, closely monitoring air quality, and curiously awaiting to see which communicable diseases surface in our wastewater systems. And on that note, we're constantly, constantly wondering: where's the nearest public bathroom?

As your far-flung correspondent, I'll be putting a heavy emphasis on the activations of Metro and the city of LA. I'll be testing the dedicated shuttles to SoFi. I'll be putting in serious bike share miles. And yes, I'm going to try to make it to all the fan zones — all 10 of them! (Can I also make it to all 19 LA city parks hosting watch parties? Stay tuned!) There will also be many bars, restaurants, and breweries to visit, some literally playing every single match: that's 104 games, 48 teams, three countries, one continent for those keeping track. I see these as wayfaring outposts, not necessarily destinations. If there's an exceptional outdoor viewing scene, please invite me — LA Al Fresco, your time to shine! — but I'm much more interested in the ephemeral celebratory infrastructures that test the limits of our permit-restricted urban landscape: pop-up beer gardens, innovative vending concepts, dance parties in the streets.

Disclaimer: This is not a guide for people who want to attend World Cup matches. (My only advice there is: Go Metro.) This is not really even a guide for watching World Cup matches. This is how to find the best of our city over the next 39 days — and how to help share what you discover so we can piece together a cohesive civic narrative. Because we are Los Angeles.

How to use this guide

Torched readers know there are official World Cup events — and there's everything else. If events are ticketed, I highly recommend RSVPing, even for free tickets, as many of these have strict capacity limits and you could get turned away. The flip side of this is that you're going to be giving your information to promoters, brands, and potentially FIFA. Which is why I've separated out the two types of events below.

Official FIFA-sanctioned events

• FIFA fan festival: June 11 to 14. Coliseum in Expo Park. $10, kids under 12 free
• Los Angeles World Cup fan zones: June 11 to July 19. 10 sites across the region. Dates and prices vary
• Michelob ULTRA Pitchside Club: June 11 to 26. Santa Monica Pier, 21+, free
• U.S. Soccer House: June 11 to 26. The official U.S. team hospitality house in Venice, free

Community events

• Metro's transit-first activations: Station pop-ups, events easy to access on transit, and/or adjacent open streets. This is my gold standard as far as guides go, and all this information is also compiled on a very good-looking map
• Discover LA: Yes, Discover LA is an official sponsor but there are plenty of community events on this calendar
• Kick it in the Park: 100 watch parties at LA city parks. Free!
• Kick it in the Library: Watch parties at the Central Library in DTLA. Indoor! Air conditioned! And more activities at branches
• LA County fútbol viewing parties: Watch parties and a solid list of county resources
• LA Galaxy Soccer Celebration: Long Beach, Carson, Hermosa Beach
• Casa México: The official Mexico team hospitality house at El Pueblo
• The LA Local's guides for the Eastside and South LA/Inglewood (and don't miss their essential news coverage)
• LA Taco: A well-curated mix of community events and bar watch parties
• Eater LA: Solid bar recommendations for soccer-watching
• The Latin District: Watch parties in downtown bars and plazas, including a resurrected Clifton's
• More events in El Segundo, Culver City, Glendale, Pasadena, Long Beach, Marina del Rey, Pico Rivera, Santa Monica, West Hollywood
• The People's World Cup: Organized locally by the NOlympics LA coalition
• NEW: Here are some of my recommended places to watch matches indoors due to air quality or heat: Grand Central Market basement (inside and also has great AC), Clifton's (forest-setting seating, kids allowed until 9 p.m.), Central Library (not playing all matches, no food or drink, but best viewing experience), the gorgeous One Culver City atrium (Monday through Friday only), the Hammer Museum's indoor theater, IKEA Burbank ("rock your favorite team’s gear, and show it off to our greeter to receive one FREE frozen yogurt voucher")

Getting around

• Metro is running dedicated shuttles to matches, and I will be testing the experience, but regular transit service, including transit parking at stations, shouldn't be impacted — HOWEVER, please read this very important information about parking that will definitely impact your choices: On World Cup match days June 12, 15, 18, 21, 25, 28 and July 2, 10:  Regular transit parking (non-reserved) will be $10 at Harbor Gateway Transit Center, North Hollywood, Norwalk, Aviation/Imperial, Lakewood Bl, El Monte and Atlantic stations. Regular transit parking will NOT be available at Hawthorne/Lennox, Crenshaw and Pierce College stations. At Union Station, parking will be $65 on a first-come, first-served basis on match days as well as “Heart of the City: Los Angeles Union Station Fan Zone” event days: June 12, 15, 18, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28, July 2, 10.
• No TAP cards required! Use your credit or debit card
• Metro has a new app but the Transit app is still way better
• There are two Metro Micro zones set up for match days
• Metro Bike and Lime Bike both have passes that will save you money. I use both systems depending on where I'm going. I have an annual pass for Metro Bike where all rides under 30 minutes are free, and LimePrime pass where all rides under 20 minutes are $2.80. Here's a Lime referral for a $5 credit
• Metrolink and Amtrak are both offering enhanced service, with reservations required on Amtrak
• All Metro's shuttles will have the same accessibility as regular bus service. Here's LA City accessibility information. Most events have a number you can call ahead of time if you need accessibility accommodations

Paying attention

• The California Office of Emergency Services held a very informative briefing. Be sure to sign up for emergency alerts for LA County and LA city — and encourage tourists to do so as well
• Los Angeles County's Department of Public Health has created extensive World Cup public health resources and an advisory for mass gatherings
• Metro has an entire heat mitigation guidebook
• The Boyle Heights warehouse fire has wreaked havoc on local air quality. Here's my air quality guide from the 2025 fires so you can protect yourself
• The Sunita Jain Anti-Trafficking Initiative — which has pushed for LA's host committee to create an actual human rights strategy — has an essential guide to human trafficking during major events
• LA officials say ICE won't be doing immigration enforcement at games, but that's no guarantee for the region. Torched readers also know federal agencies are in charge due to security designations that are already in place for 2028. Keep in mind that you will see a whole range of uniforms. Just because it says "Homeland Security" doesn't mean it's ICE. Here's CHIRLA's rapid response hotline: 1-888-624-4752
• Follow these fellow journalists and megaevent-watchers: Libby Rainey, Jared Cohee/Eat the World LA, Kavish Harjai, Isaiah Murtaugh, Eduard Cauich, Cerianne Robertson, Tupac Zapata Dubon, Dave Zirin, Jules Boykoff, Lexis-Olivier Ray, Hanna Kang, Henry Bushnell, Izzy Ramirez, Tariq Panja, Talib Visram
• NEW: Follow me on Bluesky where I'm posting a daily Situational Awareness thread, and on Instagram where you'll find my coverage in this highlight and this highlight

Torched's LA World Cup schedule

Many of these happenings run multiple days, but these are the days I'm planning on attending due to other events and/or my attempt at clustering events together due to transit accessibility. (Because of course I'm not driving.) Just because there's nothing listed on a specific day doesn't mean there's nothing happening; I just haven't set my schedule yet. This calendar is aspirational, subject to change, and will be updated regularly — so be sure to send me your tips!

June 11: Casa México opening weekend at El Pueblo. Kick it in the Park at Echo Park Lake. Koreatown watch party in Liberty Park.

June 12: The Wood Cup in Downtown Inglewood with Metro K line station activations. World Central Kitchen watch party in Santa Monica. Autry Museum in Griffith Park.

June 13: Pride House opening weekend in WeHo. Nike + Lego's Play on Instinct at Ovation in Hollywood. Paris Saint Germain hospitality house in Hollywood.

June 14: Last day of FIFA's fan festival at the Coliseum. Check out the new World Cup-themed bus shelters at Figueroa and Flower. Look at the empty lap pool at Expo Center and cry. Little Tokyo Soccer Celebration. Academy Museum's Fútbol Free Day.

June 15: Kick It in the Library at the Central Library in DTLA. Check out the World Encounter over El Arroyo Seco mural by East Los Streetscapers. Iran vs. New Zealand at SoFi. Monitor Dodger Express interacting with SoFi shuttles at Union Station under heightened security.

June 16: Survey the Metrolink experience. Open loop happy hour in Pomona.

June 17: Michelob ULTRA Pitchside Club x Hypebeast on the Santa Monica Pier. U.S. Soccer House in Venice. Kick It in the Park Venice Beach. Culver City entertainment zone.

June 18: Farmers Market fan zone opens. Boyle Heights block party with Mariachi Plaza E line activations. Koreatown watch party at Seoul International Park. Niky's Mercado popup in Koreatown. LA Taco at Homage in Chinatown. Pelé playing at the MacArthur Park bandshell.

June 19: The BLOC watch party in DTLA with a Brazilian dance performance in the Metro station. Turkish Vibe Zone by Chobani in Grand Park. Ride the A to the LA Galaxy Soccer Celebration in Long Beach.

June 20: Downey fan zone. Southeast LA Open Streets connecting Maywood, Bell, Cudahy, and Bell Gardens. Nike East LA Community Store block party. Ride the D to the LACMA art parade. Go see In Between Stops by Alfonso Gonzalez Jr. and Fútbol Is Life by Lyndon J. Barrois, Sr.

June 21: Last day for Farmers Market fan zone. Estadio Niky's Nike popup in Westlake. 7-Eleven Fanland on the Sixth Street Bridge. (Free Slurpees!) Protest Fossil Fuel Sportswashing at SoFi and Dodger Stadium. Watch matches in Frogtown bars along the LA River during the River Solstice Festival.

June 22: Survey the LAX experience. Ride the people mover. JUST KIDDING!

June 23: Getty Museum watch parties. Gotta be the best view/viewing combination in all of the city. Hammer Museum watch parties. Colombia Tailgate and Watch Party in Westlake.

June 24: Koreatown watch party in Liberty Park for South Korea vs. South Africa at 6 p.m. (Should have better crowd control this time.) Also at 6 p.m.: Mexico vs. Czechia at Casa México at El Pueblo. El Sereno Night Market moves to El Sereno Park for Kick It in the Park. After party at Clifton's.

June 25: Discofoot in WeHo. Union Station fan zone opens and turns the area around Union Station into a pedestrian plaza — like it should be all the time. Türkiye vs. USA at SoFi at 7 p.m.; watch at the Turkish Vibe Zone in Grand Park.

June 26: The Music Center’s ¡Dale! Fútbol Watch Party in DTLA. Grand Central Market basement.

June 27: NoHo Fútbol Fest. Last day for LA Galaxy Soccer Celebration in Long Beach. Midcity Mercado watch party. Culver City entertainment zone for PRIDE festival. Pico Rivera World Spirit Festival with open streets on Whittier Boulevard.

June 28: Last day for Union Station fan zone plus nearby open streets. Also nearby: El Pueblo Heritage Festival. Ride the E to CicLAvia Leimert Park meets Expo Park. Really Really Free Market with the NOlympics coalition at Echo Park Lake.

June 29: Torched Talks with anti-trafficking advocates Stephanie Richard and Paloma Bustos (take a timeout from soccer and join me for this important conversation!)

June 30: France vs. Sweden, watch at IKEA Burbank. Mexico vs. Ecuador, watch at Casa México.

This is the halfway point! Take a hydration break.

July 1: USA vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina. Survey CityWalk's new metal detectors and security setup. Boo-Boo Bandage Brigade Fill the Hole Fundraiser in DTLA.

July 2: Watch Spain vs. Austria at Casa España in Culver City. Hansen Dam fan zone opens in Pacoima.

July 3: Hansen Dam fan zone in Pacoima. Don't sleep on the country's largest municipal pool, you guys. UPDATE: The pool is closed during the fan zone! The city is closing the largest pool in the U.S. for the 4th of July weekend? Australia vs. Egypt at the Music Center and the splash pad is on during daytime matches! Colombia vs. Ghana at the Courtyard in DTLA.

July 4: America's 250th birthday — hopefully we made it! LA Galaxy Soccer Celebration moves to Carson, with a drone show. Magic Johnson Park fan zone opens in Willowbrook.

July 5: Last day for Magic Johnson Park fan zone in Willowbrook plus Paseo Willowbrook open streets on Avalon Boulevard. Plaza Mexico in Lynwood. Mexico vs. England hosted by the Latino Theater Company at the Los Angeles Theater Group in DTLA. Estadio Niky's in Westlake.

July 6: USA vs. Belgium at Echo Park Lake. Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Music Center watch parties (with splash pad on during the daytime matches).

July 7: Kick It in the Park watch parties at Jackie Tatum Harvard Recreation Center and Stoner Recreation Center (both have excellent public pools). Music Center watch parties (with splash pad on during the daytime matches).

July 8: No matches!

July 9: Whittier Narrows fan zone opens. France vs. Morocco at the Penmar golf course with France Club USA in Venice. Human rights rally at LASEC in DTLA. Music Center watch parties (with splash pad on during the daytime matches).

July 10:Last match at SoFi: Spain vs. Belgium at noon. Venice Beach fan zone (paid) opens with adjacent Windward block party (free). Whittier Narrows fan zone. Kick it in the Park at MacArthur Park and Park to Park open streets in Westlake. The Wood Cup II in Downtown Inglewood. Casa España is back at Ivy Station in Culver City. Poetry, Like Fútbol, is for Everyone in Venice. Youth Climate Strike at SoFi.

July 11: Kick it in the Park at MacArthur Park and Park to Park open streets, both in Westlake. Mariachi Festival at Casa México at El Pueblo. Whittier Narrows fan zone plus SGV Championship Corridor open streets on Rosemead Boulevard. Venice Beach fan zone with adjacent free block party. UPDATE: there's not really a free block party.

July 12: No matches!

July 13: No matches!

July 14: West Harbor fan zone opens in San Pedro. Fairplex fan zone opens in Pomona. Nike x UNDEFEATED Athletic Club popup in HiFi. Casa España in Culver City. Penmar golf course with France Club USA in Venice. Bastille Day at Grand Performances in DTLA. (Yes, France is really playing on Bastille Day.) LA Galaxy Soccer Celebration moves to Hermosa Beach. Kick It in the Park at Echo Park. Kick It in the Library at the Central Library in DTLA. Music Center with splash pad in DTLA

July 15: West Harbor fan zone in San Pedro. Fairplex fan zone in Pomona. Kick It in the Park at Jackie Tatum Harvard Recreation Center and Venice Beach (back to being free and open to all — let me know if they picked up the trash?). Kick It in the Library at the Central Library in DTLA. Music Center with splash pad in DTLA.

July 16: No matches!

July 17: No matches!

July 18: Downtown Burbank fan zone opens. West Harbor fan zone in San Pedro. Fairplex fan zone in Pomona. The People's Fútbol tournament in East LA. Kick It in the Park at the Hansen Dam Pool, yes, actually in the pool — WE DID IT FRIENDS.

July 19: CicLAvia Meet the Hollywoods and COAST Open Streets in Santa Monica and Beach Streets in Long Beach. Now who's riding to all of them? CicLAvia watch party at noon on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood. Autry Museum in Griffith Park, part 2. West Harbor fan zone in San Pedro. Fairplex fan zone in Pomona. Downtown Burbank fan zone. Music Center with splash pad in DTLA. Kick It in the Parks at Westwood, Lanark, South Park, and El Sereno Rec Centers.

July 20: Only 725 days until the Olympics. 🔥