Los Angeles to host World Cup games for 3rd time: 5 things to know about the City of Angels

Los Angeles is hosting eight matches, including the U.S. opener vs. Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, which is being called Los Angeles Stadium during the World Cup.

Los Angeles County has the largest foreign-born population of any U.S. county. ICE enforcement actions in recent months have targeted public locales and resulted in thousands of arrests. Visitors will also notice the city’s long-running homeless crisis and the highest gas prices in the country.

Landmarks/places to see

Within walking distance of LA Stadium is Inglewood Park Cemetery, the final resting place for such notables as Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald and Cesar Romero (the original Joker in TV’s “Batman”). The Santa Monica Pier marks the end of historic Route 66. Griffith Park is home to the Observatory, the LA Zoo, the Hollywood sign and hiking trails. Four major movie studios offer tours. For arts and culture, check out the new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Getty Center or the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Food scene in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is a premier food city, with Latin, Asian and Middle Eastern among the cuisines that rival anything to be found abroad. Among the city’s popular stops are Langer’s Deli for the No. 19 pastrami sandwich, In-N-Out Burger, Philippe the Original for French-dip sandwiches, the original Randy’s Donuts in Inglewood near LA Stadium, Quarter Sheets for pizza, Grand Central Market, Spago in Beverly Hills, and trendy Holbox for Mexican seafood near Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Fan zones

The party gets going at the official FIFA Fan Festival from June 11-14 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with tickets costing $10 per day. There will be 10 fan zones scattered around the area open on various dates from June 18 to July 19. Four of them are free — Downey, Union Station in downtown LA, Magic Johnson Park and Whittier Narrows Recreation Area in South El Monte. Tickets at the other locations, including Venice Beach and Burbank, range from $5 to $25 per day with costlier VIP options. Besides live match broadcasts, there’ll be food, live music, beer gardens, art, interactive games and cultural activities.

Transportation options

Los Angeles is notorious for its traffic. Five of the eight matches start at noon PT; the other three are at night. With limited and expensive parking at the stadium, most spectators will want to use public transportation or ride share. Metro bus or rail (roundtrip tickets are $3.50) will drop riders at one of 15 pickup locations, where free buses will take them to the stadium. Other options are park-and-ride locations with direct service to the stadium, walking or getting dropped off. Early-bird pricing for reserved parking at all locations ranges from $12 to $102.

Stadium tips

Arrive a few hours early at Los Angeles Stadium to navigate long security lines and congestion. Tailgating is limited to the Pink Lot, if it’s allowed during the World Cup. There’s a clear bag policy in effect. Only credit, debit or mobile pay is accepted inside. Fans can bring one unopened 20 ounce or less bottle of water. A translucent canopy with panels that can open for ventilation covers the 70,240-seat stadium, which opened in 2020 and will host the opening ceremony and swimming competition at the 2028 LA Olympics. The stadium has open sides that can leave the seating bowl subject to wind.

AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup