The road to the 2026 World Cup final just got a lot clearer for the United States. We are looking at a favorable group draw, two games on the West Coast, and a blockbuster opening match right in Los Angeles.
The USMNT will kick off its campaign on June 12, 2026, against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. That is just one of eight matches the Los Angeles region will host during this historic 48-team tournament. Six days later, the squad heads up to Seattle to face Australia on June 19. The group is completed by the winner of an intercontinental playoff.
Recent history is definitely on America's side here. The U.S. has beaten both Paraguay and Australia 2 to 1 in their last meetings with each team.
One U.S. Soccer Federation official summed it up well after the draw in Miami, calling it about as good as they could have hoped for. You have two opponents you know you can beat, both games are on the West Coast, and the opener is happening in one of the best stadiums on the planet.
Los Angeles: Ground Zero for 2026 World Cup Fever
While only 65,000 fans will fit inside SoFi for each match, city leaders are planning for millions more outside the gates.
The L.A. 2026 Host Committee and the Tourism Board are rolling out a 39-day citywide festival intended to turn the entire region into one giant soccer celebration, whether you have a match ticket or not.
Kathryn Schloessman, CEO of the Host Committee, was honest about the reality that most visitors won't get into SoFi. That is exactly why they are building the biggest off-pitch experience in World Cup history.
Expect:
- A massive official FIFA Fan Fest on the beach in Santa Monica or Downtown L.A.
- Watch parties at the Rose Bowl, Banc of California Stadium, and every major plaza from Long Beach to the San Fernando Valley.
- Cultural activations tying soccer to the local arts scene, like street murals, concerts, and pop-up exhibitions.
- Special programming celebrating the fact that every single one of the 48 participating nations has a community right here in Southern California.
Half a Billion Dollars and Counting
The economic impact is already being tallied, and the numbers are enormous.
Adam Burke, president and CEO of the L.A. Tourism & Convention Board, projects more than 500 million dollars in new revenue for local hotels, restaurants, shops, and small businesses, plus thousands of temporary jobs.
Burke pointed out that tourism supports 540,000 jobs in L.A. alone. He believes the 2026 World Cup will be the single biggest tourism event this city has ever seen, eclipsing the 1984 Olympics and any Super Bowl.
Jersey sales are already through the roof. From Dick's Sporting Goods in the South Bay to neighborhood shops in Koreatown and East L.A., World Cup kits are flying off shelves six months before kickoff.
32 Years in the Making
The last time the World Cup came to the United States back in 1994, the final was played just down the road at the Rose Bowl. That tournament changed American soccer forever.
This time, with 48 teams and 104 matches across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, the stage is exponentially larger, and Los Angeles is ready to steal the show.
As Burke put it, in 1994 we proved we could host a World Cup. In 2026, we are going to prove we can throw the greatest party the sport has ever seen.
American has finalized its game plan for the FIFA World Cup 26, adding 27,000 extra seats across 12 routes this summer. Brian Znotins, the senior vice president of network planning, explained that they are ramping up flights to all host cities to ensure fans don't miss out on this massive moment in North America. Along with increasing connections between Los Angeles and Seattle and between Boston and Dallas-Fort Worth, American is also launching nonstop service between Atlanta and Kansas City specifically for the quarterfinals.