Los Angeles is preparing for an uptick in international visitors as the 2026 FIFA World Cup arrives in June and will carry on through mid-July, bringing a global influx of attention expected to boost tourism spending across the region.
The surge will test not only the city’s infrastructure, but also whether individual neighborhoods can capture their share of the economic windfall.
The region will host eight matches at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, including two featuring the U.S. men’s national team, positioning the region as a key hub for the tournament. The U.S. is expected to welcome up to 1.24 million international visitors for the games, according to Tourism Economics.
While the 2022 Super Bowl LVI boosted local activity for a week, the World Cup’s multiple matches and international draw will likely sustain economic momentum over several weeks, according to the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission. This extended spotlight offers a unique platform for the region to showcase its diversity – and thus shift the course of the region’s dwindling tourism.
“The World Cup gives L.A. businesses the opportunity to tell our own stories about the amazing region we have,” said Stephen Cheung, president and chief executive of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. “If we are able to weave those positive experiences together as a region, this could become a marketing campaign that will drive repeat visitors and potentially investors in years to come.”
By the numbers
Los Angeles and the state as a whole could use the boost.
The number of international visitors to the L.A. region dropped 6.4% in December year-over-year and fell 2% for the state as a whole across all ports of entry, according to Visit California, the state’s official tourism marketing organization. The drop reflected the impact of “higher global tariffs and negative sentiment over trade policies,” the organization reported.
Heading into this year, the number of international travelers has crept higher – rising 6% as of February in L.A. compared to the same month a year ago, reaching a total of 291,974. The state welcomed close to 500,000 in February, a 3.3% jump from the same period a year ago.
According to the LASEC report, after the 2022 games in Qatar, the nation aimed to attract up to 6 million tourists per year through 2030. Data collected for the first two months of 2023 show that Qatar welcomed 730,000 visitors, a 347% increase over the prior year.
That long-term opportunity for Los Angeles is underscored by the scale of the World Cup’s projected economic impact.
The FIFA World Cup is projected to deliver nearly $892 million in economic impact for the Los Angeles region, according to the LASEC. Combined with more than $230 million in media value from increased future tourism, the total economic impact of the FIFA World Cup in L.A. is projected to surpass $1.1 billion.
“More than $515 million will come from direct visitor spending on lodging, dining, retail and transportation,” said Kathryn Schloessman, president and chief executive of LASEC and chief executive of the Los Angeles World Cup 2026 Host Committee. “With our hospitality infrastructure, including luxury hotels, mid-range accommodations, and budget options, we are confident in our ability to accommodate visitors and their preferences.”
Much of that demand is expected to come from international travelers.
According to an analysis by Airbnb Inc. released in February, non-U.S. travelers are expected to account for 70% of gateway travel resulting from the tournament. The report also found that non-U.S. guests will visit more destinations during their World Cup trips than U.S. guests, and that international travelers will stay an average of three nights longer.
At the local level, that national uptick is expected to generate significant economic activity across the Los Angeles region.
The games are expected to attract nearly 150,000 out-of-town visitors, according to the 2024 LASEC-commissioned study. The average spending per visitor is expected to reach $2,350, with approximately half spent on lodging. The city of Los Angeles should realize a total economic impact of almost $256 million, while Inglewood, home of SoFi Stadium, will see an impact of over $17 million. Other popular tourist destinations are also forecast to see an economic boost, with Long Beach expected to see a total economic impact of $49 million, Santa Monica a total of $30 million and Pasadena upward of $23 million.
An Olympics ‘test run’
Much of the visitor activity, both domestic and international, is expected to funnel through downtown Los Angeles, where local organizations are preparing for a significant increase in foot traffic.
“It’s almost like a test run for the Olympics,” said Nick Griffin, executive vice president of the DTLA Alliance. To that end, “we’ve surged services along key corridors, bringing together Metro, LAPD and other partners to improve public safety and the overall experience in advance of these major events.”
Downtown Los Angeles is set up to absorb major sporting and entertainment events, as home to the Crypto.com Arena, L.A. Live, the convention center and the L.A. Memorial Coliseum.
“One of the key roles a downtown plays is to accommodate an influx of tens or hundreds of thousands of people,” said Griffin. “There are no other parts of the city that can absorb that kind of surge.”
Other major cities within the county are still gearing up. They city of Long Beach and Santa Monica plan to host official fan “activation” zones during the World Cup games this summer. The city is also opening its amphitheaters and launching its water taxi system.
“(Opening) the amphitheater (and water taxis) will be a test of our mobility,” Mayor Rex Richardson told the Business Journal in January. “(If that works out,) then that’s the strategy we can use to connect the waterfront during the Olympics; and so you’re going to see a lot of stress testing take place this summer to build up for 2028.”
Santa Monica is also set to implement official fan zones, which local officials told the Business Journal this month would be vital to the city’s economic growth. In March, the Santa Monica City Council adopted several economic redevelopment strategies as part of its Realignment Plan Update to encourage private investment and strengthen the local economy.
Critical elements of the package include: a $3 million economic development fund, waivers for critical restaurant fees, an expanded entertainment zone, discounted downtown parking, temporary relief of film permit fees and $750,000 in grants from L.A. Metro earmarked for programming around this summer’s FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Revitalizing downtown Santa Monica remains one of the primary objectives for city officials.
“Santa Monica is at an important juncture, and revitalizing downtown requires us to build back intentionally,” said Debbie Lee, chief executive of Downtown Santa Monica Inc. “Business owners are clear about their priorities for downtown. They want clean, safe, and welcoming streets, steady foot traffic, and economic development support that results in visible momentum. … With major events on the horizon, including the World Cup, beach concerts, the Super Bowl, and the Olympics, Third Street Promenade will serve as a vibrant hub for these experiences.”
In West Hollywood, international tourism typically draws from the U.K., Canada, and Australia. However, Visit West Hollywood expects the World Cup to attract new visitors from Mexico and Argentina, while New Zealand’s matches in L.A. should maintain strong demand in tourists from the country as well.
“West Hollywood’s nightlife, wellness, shopping, culinary/cocktail, and cultural scene always play a defining role in positioning the city as the most advantageous location to stay in L.A.,” said Tom Kiely, president and chief executive of Visit West Hollywood.
To capitalize on this, the city is launching its fan zones and a “Disco Foot” celebration to drive repeat visits and keep the area top of mind long after the tournament ends.
The hurdles in travel
As visitors arrive, their experience will be shaped by safety and accessibility concerns. Rising unease among international travelers regarding mounting concerns over U.S. immigration policies and detainment by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
A survey by Upgraded Points found that 37% of potential international travelers are less likely to attend the World Cup because of ongoing political and logistical concerns. Geopolitical dynamics have already contributed to notable declines in tourism from the Middle East, the Nordic region and Canada.
Despite the U.S. being the only major nation to see a drop in international tourism in 2025, Tourism Economics still projects 3.7% growth in the state for 2026, spurred by the World Cup.
Even as international visitation shows signs of recovery, getting to Los Angeles remains a hurdle for many would-be attendees. Transportation into Los Angeles has become a key concern as the games approach.
According to the Upgraded Points survey, about half of potential international travelers to the games across 22 countries cited high travel costs as their main drawback to visiting the U.S. during the World Cup, especially amid the ongoing turmoil related to the U.S. war with Iran.
Fuel prices have surged. Also new research from the New York-based consultancy Teneo showed that the lowest-priced economy ticket price was 24% higher on average than from a year ago, the BBC reported, noting that the report said that the airspace restrictions has forced airlines to reroute many flights, increasing the amount of fuel they have to use.
“With rising costs that are now impacting the aviation industry, we are seeing jet fuel prices soar,” said Cheung. “If the condition does not improve, this could potentially limit flights coming to World Cup cities. We have (already) seen Nordic and Eva air announce reductions in flights due to fuel prices.”
Beyond air travel, local officials are focused on how visitors will navigate L. A. upon arrival.
“We are working with partners like L.A. Metro to ensure we can deliver seamless transit to the official World Cup events and L.A. Tourism to welcome fans from around the world as they start their World Cup experience right here in Los Angeles,” said Schloessman.
Tickets on sale
Ticket prices have also caused some consternation among fans attending the Los Angeles games. According to the Los Angeles Times, some attendees who had already paid thousands of dollars for Category 1 game tickets learned that those seats would be in less desirable locations after FIFA introduced an additional premium ticket tier.
The FIFA ticket pricing recently caused almost 70 members of congress to write a letter regarding the affordability of the games.
“When the tri-nation model for the 2026 World Cup was announced in 2018, FIFA emphasized an inclusive tournament experience, including the availability of hundreds of thousands of low-cost tickets,” the letter read in part. “That vision of an accessible, global celebration has been undermined by a dynamic-priced ticketing model that is financially exclusionary and stands in dark contrast to the vision presented.”
Even as affordability concerns draw scrutiny from lawmakers, local organizers remain confident in the region’s ability to deliver a successful event.
“We are confident, based on our track record of hosting major events in Los Angeles,” said Schloessman. “That our region will be prepared to welcome an influx of visitors and deliver a memorable 39-day event this summer.”
