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.
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 countries, 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.
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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
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
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 — if it is, you better let me know!
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
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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!
📣 Once again, here's how to send in tips. Email: Simply reply to this one. Text: 323 207 5607 — save it in your phone as Torched Tips. Or Signal: awalkerinla.99
