The 2026 FIFA World Cup is just around the corner, and the SoFi Stadium in the United States, which is set to host its first game, is facing challenges as food service staff at the venue may go on strike at any moment. This uncertainty is casting a shadow over the preparations for the event.
Located in Inglewood, California, just about 3 miles from Los Angeles International Airport, the SoFi Stadium is a massive outdoor sports arena and entertainment complex with a seating capacity of over 70,000 people. On June 12, the stadium will host the first World Cup match in the United States, with the U.S. team facing off against Paraguay.
At this crucial juncture, negotiations between “UNITE HERE Local 11” union representing over 32,000 hotel, restaurant, airport, stadium, and convention center workers and the food service provider at the stadium, as well as FIFA, have hit an impasse due to key demands.
On Friday, June 5, “UNITE HERE Local 11” union announced that the workers at SoFi Stadium had overwhelmingly voted at 96% in favor of authorizing a strike.
This strike authorization means that if workers’ demands for a fair contract are not met, they could take strike action at any time. The strike would involve around 2,000 cashiers, chefs, bartenders, and dishwashers.
The union’s main demands include: 1) increasing wages and providing additional allowances during the World Cup and other major events; 2) an immigration enforcement response mechanism – if federal immigration enforcement officers enter the stadium and cause legitimate concerns among workers about their safety, workers have the right to stop work and leave the premises. 3) strict protection of job opportunities for workers, prohibiting outsourcing and AI-driven methods that would lead to unemployment.
With the event approaching, labor negotiations between the union and management are expected to continue on Monday.