For one summer, the whole world is in Los Angeles. The FIFA World Cup 2026 is underway across North America through July 19, and LA is one of the main host cities, with eight matches at SoFi Stadium and a city-wide party happening well beyond the stadium gates. Forty-eight nations, dozens of languages, and millions of fans are turning parks, plazas, transit hubs, and beaches into one long celebration.
The best part is how much of it is free. You don’t need a match ticket, or any ticket at all, to be in the middle of the action. This is a comprehensive guide to the public World Cup events around Los Angeles this summer, with the free neighborhood watch parties and official fan zones front and center, plus the ticketed festivals and big-screen options if you want them. We’ve noted what costs money and what doesn’t so you can plan around your team’s schedule.
The tournament at a glance
Here is the whole tournament on one calendar: every match day, with the free LA City watch parties hosting it. Scroll down for the full day-by-day schedule with kickoff times.
June 2026
July 2026
Every match day below has free LA City watch parties, with the host parks listed in each day. Red outline = today · USA = U.S. men play · badges (R32, R16, QF, SF, FINAL) mark the knockout rounds. On phones, tap through to the day-by-day list for the full park lineup.
Free watch parties in the parks: Kick It In the Park
This is the easiest and most family-friendly way to watch. Kick It In the Park is a free program from the Mayor’s office and LA Recreation and Parks that turns neighborhood parks into watch parties on match days, with giant LED screens, free youth soccer clinics through PlayLA, and community programming. No tickets and no registration required. Just bring a blanket or a chair and show up. Each site holds up to about 1,000 people, and the events are alcohol-free and all-ages.
The program runs at 19 park sites across the city throughout the tournament. Locations include:
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Echo Park Lake (751 Echo Park Ave). Hosted the opening celebration, with internationally themed performances and arts programming.
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MacArthur Park, Sycamore Grove Park, and Seoul International Park. Central neighborhood sites.
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Venice Beach, Westwood, Cheviot Hills, and Stoner Recreation Centers. Westside options.
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Sylmar, Northridge, Sheldon Arleta, Whitsett Fields, and Lanark. San Fernando Valley sites.
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El Sereno, South Park, Green Meadows, Jackie Tatum/Harvard, and Wilmington Recreation Centers. South and Eastside sites.
Sites and match-day schedules rotate, so check the official map at kickit.lacity.gov to find the watch party nearest you.
Every upcoming match and where to watch it free
Here’s the full run of remaining World Cup matches and the free LA City watch parties showing them, day by day. All times are Pacific. Knockout-round teams fill in as the group stage finishes. Most sites show every match listed for that day, and a few add extra screens for the marquee games, so check the official map for the exact lineup at your local park.
Friday, June 19
12pm USA vs Australia · 3pm Scotland vs Morocco · 5:30pm Brazil vs Haiti · 8pm Turkey vs Paraguay
Watch free at: Cheviot Hills Recreation Center, El Sereno Recreation Center, Green Meadows Recreation Center, Original Farmers Market.
Saturday, June 20
10am Netherlands vs Sweden · 1pm Germany vs Ivory Coast · 5pm Ecuador vs Curaçao · 9pm Tunisia vs Japan
Watch free at: Lanark Recreation Center, Northridge Recreation Center, Original Farmers Market, Sycamore Grove.
Sunday, June 21
9am Spain vs Saudi Arabia · 12pm Belgium vs Iran · 3pm Uruguay vs Cape Verde · 6pm New Zealand vs Egypt
Watch free at: Echo Park, LACMA, Original Farmers Market, Sheldon-Arleta Park, Wilmington Recreation Center.
Monday, June 22
10am Argentina vs Austria · 2pm France vs Iraq · 5pm Norway vs Senegal · 8pm Jordan vs Algeria
Watch free at: Central Library, Jackie Tatum / Harvard Rec Center, Stoner Recreation Center.
Tuesday, June 23
10am Portugal vs Uzbekistan · 1pm England vs Ghana · 4pm Panama vs Croatia · 7pm Colombia vs Congo DR
Watch free at: Seoul International Park, Sylmar Recreation Center, Whitsett Fields.
Wednesday, June 24
12pm Switzerland vs Canada · 12pm Bosnia-Herzegovina vs Qatar · 3pm Scotland vs Brazil · 3pm Morocco vs Haiti · 6pm Czechia vs Mexico · 6pm South Africa vs South Korea
Watch free at: Central Library, Cheviot Hills Recreation Center, El Sereno Recreation Center, South Park Recreation Center.
Thursday, June 25
1pm Curaçao vs Ivory Coast · 1pm Ecuador vs Germany · 4pm Japan vs Sweden · 4pm Tunisia vs Netherlands · 7pm Turkey vs USA · 7pm Paraguay vs Australia
Watch free at: Central Library, Lanark Recreation Center, MacArthur Park, Northridge Recreation Center, Union Station, Warner Center Park.
Friday, June 26
12pm Norway vs France · 12pm Senegal vs Iraq · 5pm Uruguay vs Spain · 5pm Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia · 8pm Egypt vs Iran · 8pm New Zealand vs Belgium
Watch free at: Central Library, Echo Park, Sheldon-Arleta Park, Union Station, Wilmington Recreation Center.
Saturday, June 27
2pm Panama vs England · 2pm Croatia vs Ghana · 4:30pm Colombia vs Portugal · 4:30pm Congo DR vs Uzbekistan · 7pm Algeria vs Austria · 7pm Jordan vs Argentina
Watch free at: Central Library, Jackie Tatum / Harvard Rec Center, NoHo Arts District, Union Station, Venice Beach Recreation Center.
Sunday, June 28
12pm Round of 32 (teams TBD)
Watch free at: Seoul International Park, Sylmar Recreation Center, Union Station, Whitsett Fields.
Monday, June 29
10am Round of 32 (teams TBD) · 1:30pm Round of 32 (teams TBD) · 6pm Round of 32 (teams TBD)
Watch free at: Central Library, El Sereno Recreation Center, South Park Recreation Center, Westwood Recreation Center.
Tuesday, June 30
10am Round of 32 (teams TBD) · 2pm Round of 32 (teams TBD) · 6pm Round of 32 (teams TBD)
Watch free at: Lanark Recreation Center, Northridge Recreation Center, Sycamore Grove.
Wednesday, July 1
9am Round of 32 (teams TBD) · 1pm Round of 32 (teams TBD) · 5pm Round of 32 (teams TBD)
Watch free at: Central Library, Echo Park, Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park, Sheldon-Arleta Park.
Thursday, July 2
12pm Round of 32 (teams TBD) · 4pm Round of 32 (teams TBD) · 8pm Round of 32 (teams TBD)
Watch free at: Central Library, Hansen Dam, Jackie Tatum / Harvard Rec Center, Venice Beach Recreation Center.
Friday, July 3
11am Round of 32 (teams TBD) · 3pm Round of 32 (teams TBD) · 6:30pm Round of 32 (teams TBD)
Watch free at: Hansen Dam, Seoul International Park, Sylmar Recreation Center, Whitsett Fields.
Saturday, July 4
10am Round of 16 (teams TBD) · 2pm Round of 16 (teams TBD)
Watch free at: El Sereno Recreation Center, Hansen Dam, South Park Recreation Center, Westwood Recreation Center.
Sunday, July 5
1pm Round of 16 (teams TBD) · 5pm Round of 16 (teams TBD)
Watch free at: Hansen Dam, Lanark Recreation Center, Northridge Recreation Center, Sycamore Grove.
Monday, July 6
12pm Round of 16 (teams TBD) · 5pm Round of 16 (teams TBD)
Watch free at: Central Library, Echo Park, Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park, Sheldon-Arleta Park.
Tuesday, July 7
9am Round of 16 (teams TBD) · 1pm Round of 16 (teams TBD)
Watch free at: Central Library, Jackie Tatum / Harvard Rec Center, Stoner Recreation Center.
Thursday, July 9
1pm Quarter Final (teams TBD)
Watch free at: Seoul International Park, Sylmar Recreation Center, Whitsett Fields.
Friday, July 10
12pm Quarter Final (teams TBD)
Watch free at: Central Library, El Sereno Recreation Center, Green Meadows Recreation Center, MacArthur Park, Westwood Recreation Center.
Saturday, July 11
2pm Quarter Final (teams TBD) · 6pm Quarter Final (teams TBD)
Watch free at: Lanark Recreation Center, Lincoln Heights Youth Arts Center, MacArthur Park, Northridge Recreation Center, Venice Beach.
Tuesday, July 14
12pm Semi Final (teams TBD)
Watch free at: Central Library, Echo Park, Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park, Sheldon-Arleta Park, West Harbor.
Wednesday, July 15
12pm Semi Final (teams TBD)
Watch free at: Central Library, Jackie Tatum / Harvard Rec Center, Venice Beach Recreation Center, West Harbor.
Saturday, July 18
2pm Third-place match (teams TBD)
Watch free at: Central Library, Seoul International Park, Sylmar Recreation Center, West Harbor, Whitsett Fields.
Sunday, July 19
12pm World Cup Final (teams TBD)
Watch free at: El Sereno Recreation Center, Lanark Recreation Center, South Park Recreation Center, West Harbor, Westwood Recreation Center.
Official fan zones around the city
Beyond the parks, the city is running official fan zones built for big crowds, most of them free:
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Union Station, “The Heart of the City” (June 25 to 28). A free, all-ages fan zone in the historic downtown transit hub, with live match viewing, music, and food. Easy to reach by Metro from anywhere in the county.
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Metro Transit-First Fan Zones. Free watch parties and activations at more than 15 Metro stations across the tournament, designed so you can leave the car at home and skip both traffic and parking fees.
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The Bloc (Downtown). Free community watch parties on select dates in the open plaza, with a large LED screen, soccer skill challenges, and activities for kids.
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Library and Cultural Affairs watch parties. City of LA libraries, the Department of Cultural Affairs, and El Pueblo are broadcasting matches and hosting cultural celebrations throughout the tournament, free and open to the public.
Fan zones in the surrounding areas
The party stretches well beyond city limits. Several neighboring communities are running multi-day fan zones with live broadcasts, food, and entertainment. A few are free, and the rest are ticketed but inexpensive:
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Original Farmers Market (June 18 to 21). $5 daily, $17 multi-day, free for kids under 3.
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City of Downey (June 20). Free community celebration.
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Earvin “Magic” Johnson Park (July 4 to 5). Free LA County community celebration.
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Whittier Narrows (July 9 to 11). Free LA County community celebration.
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Hansen Dam Lake (July 2 to 5). Ticketed, around $25 general admission.
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Venice Beach (July 10 to 11). Tickets starting around $10.
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Fairplex in Pomona (July 14 to 15 and 18 to 19). Roughly $10 to $20.
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West Harbor in San Pedro (July 14 to 15 and 18 to 19). Around $5 per ticket.
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Downtown Burbank (July 18 to 19). Tickets starting around $25.
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Santa Monica Pier. An oceanfront fan zone (21+) with interactive soccer challenges, near the final stretch of the tournament.
The FIFA Fan Festival at the Coliseum
The official FIFA Fan Festival set up at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (3911 S Figueroa St) for the tournament’s opening weekend. It’s a big-screen viewing experience with live match broadcasts, music, international food, and performances. General admission is $10, and kids under 12 get in free. If you want the full festival-and-crowd atmosphere without a stadium ticket, this is the closest you’ll get.
Watch the matches at SoFi Stadium
SoFi Stadium in Inglewood is hosting eight World Cup matches, including a U.S. Men’s National Team game and a quarter-final. These are official ticketed matches through FIFA, and demand is high, but the schedule is worth knowing even if you’re watching from a park:
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June 12. USA vs. Paraguay, group stage.
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June 15, June 18, and June 21. Group stage matches.
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June 25. A second USA group-stage match.
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June 28 and July 2. Round of 32 knockout games.
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July 10. A quarter-final.
Tickets are sold through FIFA’s official platform. If you’re heading to Inglewood, plan your transportation early, since Metro and rideshare are far easier than parking on a match day. For a closer look at the match schedule and the best soccer bars by fan community, see our companion guide, Where to watch the 2026 World Cup in Los Angeles.
Watch parties at bars and restaurants
If you want a loud crowd and a cold drink, LA’s soccer-bar scene is hard to beat. Tom’s Watch Bar at L.A. LIVE has wall-to-wall screens in the heart of downtown’s sports district, the rooftop at Spire 73 runs themed viewing nights built around the competing nations, and dozens of neighborhood pubs fill up with the supporters of a specific country. Find the bar that flies your team’s flag and you’ll have instant company. We break down the best spots by fan community in our where to watch guide.
Tips for fans
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Go by Metro. Match days and fan zones bring heavy traffic. The free Metro fan zones and most park sites are reachable by rail or bus, which is far less stressful than driving and parking near SoFi or downtown.
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Arrive early. The free park watch parties cap at around 1,000 people, and the best fan zones fill fast when a big team is playing. Come early with chairs, water, and sun protection.
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Lean into the languages. A World Cup crowd in LA is one of the most multilingual gatherings on earth. You’ll hear Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Korean, French, and a dozen more in a single afternoon. Learning even a few chants or phrases in your team’s language makes the whole experience richer, and it’s a great excuse to start. Many of our tutors offer a free 30-minute lesson if you want to pick up the basics before the next match.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Are the World Cup watch parties in Los Angeles free? Many are. The Kick It In the Park neighborhood watch parties, the Union Station fan zone, the Metro station fan zones, and the library and Cultural Affairs events are all free with no ticket required. The FIFA Fan Festival and several surrounding-area fan zones are ticketed but inexpensive.
Do I need a ticket for the FIFA Fan Festival? Yes. The FIFA Fan Festival at the LA Memorial Coliseum is $10 for general admission, with free entry for kids under 12.
When does Los Angeles host World Cup matches? SoFi Stadium hosts eight matches from June 12 through July 10, including two U.S. Men’s National Team group-stage games, two Round of 32 knockout games, and a quarter-final.
Which World Cup events are good for families? The Kick It In the Park watch parties are the most family-friendly. They are free, alcohol-free, all-ages, and include youth soccer clinics. The Union Station fan zone and The Bloc also offer kid-focused activities.
How do I get to the fan zones without driving? Use Metro. There are free fan zones at more than 15 Metro stations, plus the official Union Station fan zone, all reachable by rail or bus so you can avoid match-day traffic and parking.
Whether you’re following Mexico, Brazil, France, or any of the 48 nations in the tournament, learning a few phrases in your team’s language makes the whole summer more fun. Our LA-based tutors can get you started.
