SoFi Stadium to Host Nine FIFA World Cup 2026 Matches Including USA Opener Against Paraguay

Inglewood is set to become the center of the soccer world in June 2026 as SoFi Stadium prepares to host nine FIFA World Cup matches, including the highly anticipated U.S. Men’s National Team opener against Paraguay.

The final match schedule, announced this week by FIFA and the Los Angeles World Cup Host Committee, confirms that SoFi Stadium—which will be temporarily renamed “Los Angeles Stadium” for the tournament—will welcome eight countries over 13 days of group stage play, followed by two Round of 32 matches and a quarterfinal.

The U.S. team’s opening match against Paraguay is scheduled for Friday, June 12, 2026, at 6:00 PM Pacific Time. This will mark the first World Cup match on American soil since 1994 and represents a historic moment for Inglewood and the greater Los Angeles region.

Additional group stage matches include Iran vs. New Zealand on June 15, Switzerland facing a European playoff qualifier on June 18, Belgium vs. Iran on June 21, and a second U.S. match against another European qualifier on June 25.

For Inglewood businesses, the tournament represents an unprecedented economic opportunity. Local restaurant owner Esaul Martin, whose family operates the popular Fiesta Martin eateries, is planning to open a new location steps from SoFi Stadium ahead of the games.

“Everybody—restaurants, transportation companies, hotels—anybody that’s in the city will have an impact,” Martin told local media. “You have hundreds of thousands of people coming in and they have to go somewhere to eat, somewhere to spend money.”

Economists estimate the World Cup could bring nearly $600 million to Los Angeles County, with the Los Angeles World Cup Host Committee planning 39 days of fan activations across the region.

To accommodate FIFA requirements, SoFi Stadium has undergone significant modifications, including the installation of a natural grass pitch and the removal of 400 corner seats to expand the playing field to FIFA-regulation dimensions of 105 meters by 68 meters.

Mayor Karen Bass emphasized the tournament’s significance: “The World Cup will unite our diverse neighborhoods and boost our local economy in ways we haven’t seen before.”

With an estimated five billion viewers watching the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and six million visitors expected to travel to the U.S. for the 2026 tournament, Inglewood residents are preparing for what promises to be the largest sporting event in the city’s history.