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With less than a week until the U.S. men's national team opens its 2026 World Cup campaign in Los Angeles, approximately 2,000 stadium employees at SoFi Stadium have voted to authorize a strike.
The venue's hospitality workers, represented by UNITE HERE Local 11, are pushing for improved wages and protections, the latter stemming from the anticipated presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at this summer's tournament.
The Department of Homeland Security had previously stated that ICE personnel would be present at stadiums strictly for security purposes, targeting counterfeiters and traffickers, rather than carrying out civil immigration enforcement that has become a hallmark of President Donald Trump's administration.
Nevertheless, workers at SoFi Stadium remain deeply concerned about their safety, a key factor driving the strike authorization. "The main concern, first of all, is the ICE issue being on the grounds," worker Yolanda Fierro said, via CBS News.
"Myself and my co-workers are a little bit scared of coming to work, because I do have a lot of employees that are here on working visas from different countries."
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What the Strike Means for the World Cup
UNITE HERE Local 11 confirmed that 96% of its membership voted in favor of a strike after months of unresolved concerns from the union. However, an authorized strike does not guarantee one will take place.
The thousands of bartenders, servers, cooks, and dishwashers employed at SoFi Stadium now hold the power to walk off the job, but only if no agreement is reached before the World Cup gets underway.
Legends Global, the hospitality management company at SoFi Stadium, is scheduled to return to the bargaining table with UNITE HERE Local 11 on Monday, June 8. The company has already agreed to modest wage increases, but the union is seeking additional safeguards against potential federal immigration enforcement actions.
"We look forward to delivering an outstanding hospitality experience for fans at the FIFA World Cup matches at SoFi Stadium," Legends Global said in a statement.
Another Controversey Added to the 2026 World Cup Backdrop
The 2026 World Cup, set to take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, has been clouded by a mounting series of controversies in the lead-up to the marquee event. From exorbitant ticket prices and inflated transportation costs to immigration concerns and boycott calls, the tournament has generated far more off-field headlines than FIFA likely anticipated.
The U.S.'s military tensions with Iran further complicated matters, with President Trump discouraging the nation from taking part in the World Cup.
A potential strike looming over a stadium scheduled to host eight matches adds yet another blemish to a tournament that has yet to begin. The USMNT kicks off its campaign under the lights in Inglewood, Calif. on June 12 against Paraguay. Mauricio Pochettino's side then heads to Seattle to face Australia before returning to SoFi Stadium for a final Group D showdown against Türkiye.
The home of the NFL's Rams and Chargers is also set to host three additional group stage fixtures, two round of 32 matches, and a quarterfinal. Without hospitality staff to serve the anticipated 70,000 fans, the experience at those matches would be severely compromised.
"What good is the World Cup for Los Angeles when workers don't earn enough to pay the rent and must choose between showing up and being kidnapped by ICE?" said co-president of UNITED HERE Local 11, Kurt Petersen, via ESPN. "If we're forced to strike, those $100,000 FIFA suites will have nothing but bottled water and Doritos."