Los Angeles is counting down the final 30 days until the World Cup kicks off at SoFi Stadium—but the pitch itself is still a work in progress. With transportation and food plans locked in, all eyes are on the playing surface, which remains a stretch of dirt just weeks before the U.S. Men's National Team opens their campaign against Paraguay on June 12.
The venue, temporarily renamed Los Angeles Stadium for the tournament, will host eight matches in total. As of Tuesday, the field was bare earth, but that's about to change dramatically. On Wednesday, fresh sod begins its 1,600-mile journey from Washington state in refrigerated trucks, with installation expected to take two days.
"This surface is the players' stage," says Otto Benedict, SoFi Stadium's senior vice president of facilities and campus operations. The stakes couldn't be higher for a venue that wants to set the tone for the entire tournament.
Construction on the field started April 13, right after a Monster Jam event where 12,000-pound trucks tore up the turf. Since then, crews have been working through a two-phase modification: removing corner seats to meet FIFA's wider dimensions and installing a state-of-the-art irrigation system. The result will be a pitch worthy of the world's biggest stage.
"To be the place where the energy first ignites, where the home crowd gets to set the tone for the rest of the tournament is a responsibility we don't take lightly," Benedict adds.
Local organizers and community ambassador Magic Johnson took a moment to applaud the construction, landscape, and engineering crews. Johnson, a co-owner of LAFC in MLS and the Washington Spirit in the NWSL, already has his suite picked out. "When you think about the financial impact it's going to have on Los Angeles, it's going to be amazing," he says.
As the stadium prepares for its global close-up, signage for usual sponsors is already coming down. Fans can still grab premium seating, suites, and hospitality packages, while stadium tours are available for $86.50. And with a wide variety of food and drink options on display, the experience promises to be as memorable as the matches themselves.
For soccer fans and gear enthusiasts alike, this is more than just a stadium upgrade—it's a glimpse into the future of the beautiful game in America.