Doubts have emerged whether Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium will host games at the 2026 World Cup, with the owners of the 70,240-seater complex prepared to walk away amid a standoff with tournament organizers FIFA. The men’s World Cup will be held across the U.S., Canada and Mexico in less than three years’ time, but the most expensive sports stadium in America might not be one of the 16 host venues.
The tournament will generate billions of dollars in revenue for FIFA, and host cities and stadiums want to reap the financial benefits of being part. That includes Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE), which includes NFL franchise the Los Angeles Rams, NBA team the Denver Nuggets and English Premier League club Arsenal as part of its portfolio.
KSE, according to The Athletic, is not satisfied with the commercial revenue arrangements that FIFA has put forward, and the company, fronted by Stan Kroenke, has threatened to walk away from negotiations. Host venues pay for the right to host games, with a view to recouping the investment from gameday revenue, plus cuts from sponsorship, ticketing and hospitality.
KSE has not commented publicly on the matter, but it is thought the stadium owners are unsatisfied with the offer on the table from FIFA. It is unclear whether there is substance behind the suggestion KSE could walk away, or if it is merely a negotiating tactic.
Los Angeles is a critical site for the World Cup when it is held in North America due to the popularity of soccer in the city, with both LA Galaxy and LAFC attracting attendances in excess of 22,000 for their MLS home games.
The $5 billion SoFi Stadium has become a prominent venue for America’s biggest sporting events since it opened three years ago. The Super Bowl was held there in 2022, when the Rams lifted the Lombardi Trophy in their hometown, and the opening ceremony for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games will take place at the Inglewood complex.
FIFA announced the venues for the World Cup last year, with L.A. among 10 American cities selected. The others are Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, New York (MetLife Stadium in New Jersey), Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle.
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In Mexico, games will be hosted in Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey, while Toronto and Vancouver will host games in Canada.
A FIFA spokesman downplayed the challenges of dealing with KSE. “We have a strong working relationship with LA and all our 16 host committees, and have been working hand-in-hand on the details of delivering an unforgettable and unprecedented FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. in 2026,” they said.
“If you think about the size and scale of the largest single-sporting event in the world, the work involved in successfully delivering such an event for all fans and stakeholders is a massive undertaking. We continue to enjoy an open and productive dialogue on all elements of our collaboration.”
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