By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
INGLEWOOD — For years, people have talked about Inglewood as a city on the rise. This week, the world gets to see it.
The FIFA World Cup officially kicks off Thursday, June 11, in Mexico City, but Southern California’s moment comes one day later, when the United States Men’s National Team opens its World Cup run against Paraguay on Friday, June 12, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. For the tournament, the venue will be known as Los Angeles Stadium, but for the people who live, work and do business here, there is no confusion. This is Inglewood’s stage.
This year’s World Cup is the largest in FIFA history, bringing 48 teams and 104 matches across the United States, Mexico and Canada. Los Angeles is scheduled to host eight matches, including the U.S. opener and a quarterfinal, making the region one of the tournament’s most important stops.
For Inglewood, this is more than soccer. It is another chapter in a city that has carried the weight of change, investment, traffic, development, opportunity and concern all at once. The stadium has already brought the Super Bowl, major concerts, college football championships and international attention. Now comes the World Cup, an event followed in nearly every corner of the globe.
That spotlight brings energy. It also brings responsibility.
Hotels, restaurants, transportation workers, security staff, street vendors, small businesses and local families will all feel the impact. Some will see opportunity. Others will wonder whether the benefits of such a massive event will truly reach the neighborhoods that have sustained Inglewood long before the cameras arrived.
That is the question every world-class city must answer: Who gets to share in the win?
The Los Angeles World Cup Host Committee has called the U.S. opening match a major moment for the region. Kathryn Schloessman, CEO of the host committee, said the schedule “set the stage” for Los Angeles to host five group-stage matches, including the U.S. opener against Paraguay. Former U.S. player and committee co-chair Chris Klein said the region will be “the starting point for the United States’ FIFA World Cup journey.”
Fans who cannot get inside the stadium will still have a place to gather. From June 11-14, the FIFA Fan Festival Los Angeles will transform the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum into an opening weekend celebration of football, culture and community. The official event will include live match broadcasts, music, cultural programming, interactive experiences and food reflecting the diversity of Los Angeles. General Admission tickets are $10, including fees, and kids under 12 are free.
The featured match schedule gives fans plenty to cheer for: Mexico vs. South Africa at noon Thursday; Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina at noon Friday, followed by USA vs. Paraguay at 6 p.m.; Brazil vs. Morocco at 3 p.m. Saturday and Haiti vs. Scotland at 6 p.m.; then Germany vs. Curacao at 10 a.m. Sunday and Netherlands vs. Japan at 1 p.m.
Still, Friday belongs to Inglewood.
When the teams walk onto the field, the world will see the bright lights, the flags, the chants and the beautiful game. But those of us who know this community will see something else: a city that has been tested, reshaped and too often underestimated.
The World Cup is coming through Inglewood. The hope now is that when the final whistle blows, the people of Inglewood can say the moment did not just pass through town — it left something meaningful behind.
Schedule
Thursday, June 11
- Mexico vs. South Africa — Noon
Friday, June 12
- Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina — Noon
- USA vs. Paraguay — 6 p.m.
Saturday, June 13
- Brazil vs. Morocco — 3 p.m.
- Haiti vs. Scotland — 6 p.m.
Sunday, June 14
- Germany vs. Curacao — 10 a.m.
- Netherlands vs. Japan — 1 p.m.
Tickets: $10 (fees included). Children 12 and under are admitted free with a paid adult.