‘I love America!’: With the World Cup, Inglewood becomes an international hub
Bartender Elijah Gonzalez mixes a drink at the Nile Bar in Inglewood while customers watch Croatia play England as businesses and locals embrace the World Cup soccer tournament.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Daiki Kaneko had only 24 hours before his World Cup journey took him to Dallas, where his home country’s squad will take on Sweden.
The Japanese soccer fan was making the most of it on Tuesday in Inglewood, snapping pictures of SoFi Stadium before taking in a different kind of monument: a space-age, two-story branch of the chicken chain Raising Cane’s, complete with a 308-square-foot screen, a mirrored dog sculpture and a massive halo hovering around the exterior.
For Kaneko, 25, who lives in the Tokyo suburbs, it was the perfect encapsulation of American grandeur.
Searching for acceptance: How the World Cup drove Mexican Americans back to their roots
Brian Gutierrez, right, a Mexican American born in Illinois, played for Mexico’s national team during the World Cup.
(Natacha Pisarenko / Associated Press)
MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s improbable World Cup run ended Sunday with a loss to England, but it didn’t keep the team’s heart and tenacity from delivering one success:
A notable increase in Mexican Americans venturing south to reconnect with their roots, language and culture, according to longtime observers and travel figures.
The trend, which emerged long before the World Cup, gained intensity against the backdrop of uncertainty in the United States generated by what many see as an anti-immigrant climate fueled by the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.
With World Cup glory on the line, Argentina fans flock to this family-run Valley mercado
Fans cheer after Lionel Messi scores a goal against Algeria in a group-stage match during an Argentina World Cup watch party at Mercado Buenos Aires in Van Nuys.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
On most mornings, in the heart of the San Fernando Valley, Mercado Buenos Aires is quiet. A few older Argentine men might sip coffee with medialunas and chat about soccer and politics in the family-owned deli.
But on a recent June afternoon, as Argentina faced off with Algeria in a group-stage match at the World Cup, soccer fans stood on tables, families in sky-blue-and-white Lionel Messi jerseys chanted in unison, and every goal sent the room into gleeful mayhem.
World Cup fans flock to In-N-Out, Erewhon and Trader Joe’s for a taste of California
Soccer fans ahead of a World Cup match at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood in June.
(Alisha Jucevic / For The Times)
World Cup tourists are coming to L.A. for the soccer, but they’re staying for the $21 smoothies and Double-Doubles.
As the last Los Angeles FIFA World Cup event ended Friday, soccer fans were eating like locals and famous chains from the region were cashing in.
In the weeks that L.A. has hosted the World Cup, international soccer enthusiasts have flocked to big brands from the area, often in large groups wearing their countries’ jerseys.
It is a phenomenon seen at many of the host cities. In Dallas, giant gas station Buc-ee’s is the main attraction. For people visiting New Jersey, deli shops have been a hot ticket. In L.A., the place to be between matches was Erewhon.
Fans slam FIFA’s cooling breaks. Why the U.S. World Cup team doctor disagrees
Canadian head coach Jesse Marsch, center, speaks to his team during a hydration break during a round of 32 knockout match between Canada and South Africa at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on June 28.
(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
While it may not be remembered as FIFA’s most controversial decision of the 2026 World Cup, the institution of mandatory cooling breaks in all matches has been met with boos and derision, with critics saying the pauses disrupt the game’s flow and offer little benefit in air-conditioned environments.
“They’re in a dome here! Temperature-controlled, climate-controlled — why are we having a break?” fumed one England fan to a radio reporter outside the England-Croatia match in Arlington, Texas, where field temperatures inside AT&T Stadium approached a comfortable 70 degrees Fahrenheit despite an outdoor heat and humidity index near 105 degrees.
But for Dr. Bert Mandelbaum, chief medical officer for U.S. men’s soccer and vice chair of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s orthopedic surgery department, the breaks set an important precedent for prioritizing athlete health in extreme heat, even at the highest levels of competition.
Why not them? Disappointed U.S. players hope their World Cup run inspired future stars
U.S. defender Tim Ream (13), with midfielder Malik Tillman and forward Folarin Balogun, reacts after Belgium scored during their World Cup match at Lumen Field in Seattle on Monday.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
SEATTLE — Last fall, in an effort to inspire a national soccer team lacking in confidence and belief, coach Mauricio Pochettino came up with a slogan for this summer’s World Cup, one the U.S. would be playing at home.
“Why not us?” he asked.
Why couldn’t the U.S. make a deep run in the tournament? Why couldn’t the U.S. compete with the best teams in the world? Why not us?
Monday he got his answer: Because the U.S. just isn’t good enough.
Paraguayan senator demands apology from Kylian Mbappé for his response to her racist posts
France’s Kylian Mbappé scores from the penalty spot for the only goal of his team’s 1-0 World Cup victory against Paraguay on Saturday in Philadelphia.
(Matt Slocum / Associated Press)
A Paraguayan senator has deleted social media posts that included racist remarks about French soccer superstar Kylian Mbappé that led to Paris prosecutors opening an investigation into possible aggravated public insult and incitement to hatred or violence.
Celeste Amarilla, a 61-year-old senator from Paraguay’s Liberal Radical Party, indicated in an open letter to Mbappé on Monday that she regretted the comments she posted following Paraguay’s 1-0 loss to France in a World Cup knockout game on Saturday.
In the same letter, however, Amarilla threatened to take legal action if Mbappé did not retract and apologize for comments he made in response to one of her posts.
Arellano: The Trump ‘curse’ at the World Cup is his latest red card against Americans
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, right, awards President Donald Trump with the FIFA Peace Prize during the draw for the 2026 World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington in 2025.
(Chris Carlson / Associated Press)
For the past 11 years, I’ve waited for a scandal, a slip up, a moment of clarity that would finally make President Trump’s supporters realize that their man is a charlatan.
My fellow Americans, I think we finally found it.
Earlier this week, Trump appears to have successfully lobbied FIFA to allow U.S. striker Folarin Balogun to play in this week’s round of 16 match against Belgium despite the player receiving a red card in the previous match, which in normal times would’ve made him ineligible to play.
Swanson: SoFi Stadium proves to be one of the biggest stars of the 2026 World Cup
SoFi Stadium hosted its last game of the World Cup on Friday, a quarterfinal victory for Spain over Belgium.
(David M. Barreda/Los Angeles Times)
Erling Haaland and SoFi Stadium, ladies and gentlemen. Your breakout stars of the World Cup.
We’ve all fallen for the blond forward who has rowed Norway to its first World Cup quarterfinal berth — and also for SoFi Stadium.
Mikel Merino lifts Spain over Belgium, setting up World Cup showdown with France
Spain midfielder Rodri, left, and Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne battle for the ball during Spain’s 2-1 win in the World Cup quarterfinals at SoFi Stadium on Friday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
If Mikel Merino is sleeping, please don’t wake him. If the last week has been a dream, he’d just as soon keep dreaming.
Because on Friday, for the second time in five days, Merino came off the bench for the final five minutes of a World Cup knockout game and scored the winning goal, the latest lifting Spain to a 2-1 victory over Belgium and into next week’s semifinal against France in Arlington, Texas.
“Not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined what’s happening right now, right?” Merino said in Spanish. “Honestly, it’s crazy.”
World Cup quarterfinals schedule: Start times for every match and how to watch
Norway’s Erling Haaland celebrates after a win over Brazil at the World Cup on July 5. Norway faces England in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
(Frank Franklin II / Associated Press)
The 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals are underway, with France defeating Morocco on Thursday and Spain beating Belgium on Friday.
World Cup co-hosts U.S., Canada and Mexico will be watching from the sideline after being eliminated in the round of 16.
Here’s everything you need to know about the two World Cup matches being played Saturday (all times Pacific).
Looking back at the first 29 days of the World Cup
The first 29 days of the 2026 FIFA World Cup offered plenty of memorable moments.
Check out The Times’ daily recaps ahead of Saturday’s two quarterfinal matches:
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