BY MIRABEL ODETA
After welcoming thousands of football fans from around the world during a month-long FIFA World Cup, SoFi Stadium is already preparing for its next major global events with renewed confidence. Stadium officials say the successful hosting of eight World Cup matches has confirmed that the state-of-the-art venue is fully equipped to handle the world’s biggest sporting occasions, including the upcoming Super Bowl and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
The $5 billion stadium in Inglewood served as one of the tournament’s premier venues, hosting eight World Cup matches, including the United States’ opening game and two high-profile fixtures involving Iran. Despite the heightened security concerns surrounding politically sensitive matches and the enormous crowds that attended throughout the tournament, the event concluded without any major security incidents.
Otto Benedict, Senior Vice President of Facility and Campus Operations at SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park, described the World Cup as a major success and said it validated years of detailed planning and preparation.
According to Benedict, one of the biggest achievements was the coordination between multiple law enforcement agencies and security teams. Federal, state and local authorities worked closely together throughout the tournament to ensure every match was conducted safely, while thousands of spectators were able to enjoy the games in a secure environment.
Benedict praised the efforts of everyone involved in the operation, noting that public safety remained the highest priority from the opening match through to the final game hosted at the venue. He said the successful management of large crowds and high-profile fixtures demonstrated the effectiveness of the stadium’s operational plans.
The World Cup also served as a valuable rehearsal for several major events that SoFi Stadium will host in the coming years. The venue is set to stage another Super Bowl in February before playing a key role during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where it will host swimming competitions as well as the Opening Ceremony, placing it once again at the centre of the global sporting spotlight.
Beyond security, the tournament provided an opportunity to evaluate every aspect of stadium operations under sustained high-demand conditions. Benedict said systems for ticketing, crowd movement, concessions, transportation and stadium entry performed smoothly, even though many international visitors were experiencing the venue for the first time.
He explained that staff carefully monitored crowd movement throughout each match and were pleased with how spectators moved through the stadium. Officials found no areas where congestion became a significant concern, with fans able to access seating sections, concession stands and exits efficiently.
The World Cup also highlighted important differences between football and NFL crowds. Benedict noted that football supporters tend to leave their seats in much larger numbers during halftime, placing temporary pressure on food outlets, walkways and restroom facilities. Managing these concentrated surges gave stadium staff valuable operational data that will help improve planning for future international sporting events.
Officials believe those insights will prove especially useful as SoFi Stadium prepares to host even larger global audiences over the coming years.
Another major success during the tournament was the installation of a temporary natural grass playing surface. FIFA requires natural grass for World Cup matches, prompting the stadium to replace its regular artificial surface specifically for the tournament.
According to Benedict, the grass pitch performed better than expected throughout the competition. Rather than deteriorating after multiple matches, the surface continued to improve in quality and vitality as the tournament progressed, earning positive feedback from players and officials.
However, Benedict acknowledged that maintaining a permanent natural grass field at SoFi Stadium would not be practical. The venue’s unique design, built below ground level and covered by a massive canopy roof, combined with its packed schedule of NFL games, concerts and other entertainment events, makes year-round natural grass maintenance extremely challenging.
He explained that the stadium is home to two NFL franchises while also hosting dozens of major events every year, making an artificial playing surface the most practical long-term solution.
Although Benedict believes SoFi Stadium had the capability to host a World Cup semi-final or even the final itself, he said the tournament nevertheless proved that the venue is ready for any challenge. Having already staged the 2022 Super Bowl and now successfully delivered one of the World Cup’s busiest schedules, the stadium has further strengthened its reputation as one of the world’s leading sports and entertainment venues.
He added that the experience has given stadium management even greater confidence in its operating procedures and long-term planning. Every successful event reinforces the systems already in place while providing valuable lessons that can be applied to future competitions.
With another Super Bowl approaching and the countdown to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics already underway, SoFi Stadium now enters its next chapter with the experience, infrastructure and confidence gained from successfully hosting one of the biggest sporting events in the world. The World Cup not only showcased the venue’s world-class facilities but also demonstrated its ability to deliver safe, efficient and memorable experiences for fans from across the globe.
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