When the suits at FIFA were determining where the World Cup final should be played, they might well have snubbed the sporting capital of the western hemisphere.Los Angeles missed out on hosting this summer’s showpiece to New York and in turn, football bigwigs snubbed the most glamorous, sun-drenched and star-studded city on the planet.With technology and stadiums that feel like something from the future, the real winners of the World Cup may well be those who get to experience life in Los Angeles.But while sport in LA may feel futuristic, their chiefs insist sport in their city isn’t the future… it is the now.‌In recent years, LA has already hosted a Super Bowl, WrestleMania and the All-Star games of the NBA, MLB and MLS, and is gearing up for another golden run: World Cup 2026, Super Bowl LXI in 2027 and the Olympics in 2028.It’s easy to see why they are being awarded so much. The SoFi Stadium will be the standout stadium at the World Cup, while their new basketball arena, the Intuit Dome, is taking cutting-edge technology to a whole new level.The SoFi is the jewell in USA’s sporting crown. This £4billion mega-structure looks more like a spaceship from a distance and, after being privately bankrolled by Arsenal’s Stan Kroenke, it is the most jaw-dropping arena ever built.And it shows.‌When walking to your seat, before you even set your eyes on the pitch, the 70,000 square foot Infinity Screen looms above your head.It hangs right over the pitch in a gigantic oval. No matter where you are sitting in the 70,000-capacity stadium, you have a perfect, high-definition view creating a completely unique way to watch sport.It is officially the biggest screen in the world, and it blasts out replays, stats, and entertainment that will leave your head spinning.‌The NFL’s LA Rams and LA Chargers call this palace home.Next year, it will host Super Bowl 61. The year after that? It transforms into an Olympic swimming hub and likely the place where Leon Marchand becomes one of the all-time Olympic greats. Talk about a sporting Mecca.Otto Benedict, senior vice president of facility and campus operations at the SoFi Stadium says: “There is no other place that can host those three events. The World Cup, which will host eight matches, followed by a Super Bowl, followed by the Olympics, in which we will be the swimming venue.‌“We'll play our role in the opening ceremonies as they see fit and how that's designed. But what we have here from a technology standpoint, from the hospitality standpoint, from the size of our campus, this was designed to be a global destination for entertainment. And that's what we're looking to be a part of over the next three years.“The Infinity screen is 1) going to entertain, 2) educate and 3) allow for the fan to experience so much more that you don't traditionally see in a football, soccer-type stadium.“FIFA will be able to take that board and push so much other content. It's not just so much what's happening on the field.“Obviously, soccer is different (to NFL). You've got two 45-minute halves. It's not like an NFL game with all the stoppages and the things that happen there.‌“I think FIFA is going to do a really incredible job of taking that video screen and the amount of footprint it has to really create some unique views and experiences that the fan would never normally see.”If you think SoFi is futuristic, wait until you step inside the brand-new Intuit Dome just down the road.This is the gleaming new home of the NBA’s LA Clippers, the basketball franchise looking to finally step out of the giant shadow cast by the legendary LA Lakers. Driven by the deep pockets and manic energy of former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, this arena is completely rewriting the rulebook on how fans experience live sport.‌The best thing: queuing for a pint is dead. Finished. Consigned to history.The Intuit Dome uses revolutionary 'GameFace ID' tech. You register your face, you walk in, you grab your hot dog and your beer, and you simply walk out of the concession stand. Up to 52 cameras recognise you in a split second and automatically charge your account.At no point does anyone need to take their phone or wallet out of their pockets.But Ballmer didn’t just build a tech playground; he built a terrifying fortress.‌Behind one of the hoops is a massive, towering 4,500-seat single-tier stand. They call it 'The Wall'. Think of Borussia Dortmund's famous Yellow Wall, but supercharged with the adrenaline of American showbiz culture.The first 300 seats are strictly standing-room only (“they’re called stands for a reason,” our guide tells us). Known as ‘The Swell’, it’s packed with die-hard Clippers ‘ultras’ designed to intimidate visiting teams. It works, too. In 2024/25, visiting teams had the lowest free-throw percentage in the NBA.Like SoFi, they have an Infinity Screen of their own and spectator experience is front of mind. It’s the little things, like how no supporter walks up stairs to get to their seat. You always walk down.‌Throw in a full-sized outdoor basketball court for fans to play pick-up games before tip-off, and you have an absolute masterclass in sporting entertainment.Alongside new technologies is also the rich history of the LA sporting scene. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was where Daley Thompson defended his decathlon gold medal and where Carl Lewis cemented his name in history with four gold medals at the 1984 Games.The arena has seen everything from historic college football matches to stuntman Evil Knievel using it as his daredevil playground.‌The Coliseum won’t host matches at the World Cup, but it will host the Fan Festival. Fans will pack into this historic arena to watch the games on giant screens, soaking in live music, diverse LA street food, and interactive cultural experiences. It all kicks off with a massive five-day festival before the tournament even begins.And just two years later? The Coliseum will host the Olympic flame once again for LA28.But football is the booming sport in LA, however. LA Galaxy were the original glamour boys of the revolution, signing David Beckham and putting the MLS on the map, but they might not be the hottest ticket in town anymore. Enter LAFC.Taking the approach of being part of the community, rather than the glitz of Galaxy, they have added another dimension to the MLS’ most recognised soccer city.‌Larry Freedman, president of LAFC, said: “If you look at the history, Beckham, others, the Galaxy have a way and a method of doing what they do.“We felt that there was a very different way that, in our opinion, is more authentic to the world's game to do this. The way you do that is you build it through community.“You are building something that is for everyone, and as we are going to see in the summer of 26, nothing brings people together any better than the beautiful game.”‌The NWSL’s Angel City FC - backed by a star-studded Hollywood ownership group - also share BMO Stadium. They pack the place out week after week, proving that women’s football in LA is also an absolute powerhouse.And it is expected that the US will have a second soccer boom on the back of the World Cup.“It is a massive growth opportunity,” says Kathryn Schloessman, the president and CEO of the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission. “We saw it before, as a result of the 1994 World Cup, MLS was formed and not going from there.“I see it as an incredible opportunity for all youth across the city because all you need is a ball. It’s not like you need a helmet, pads, etcetera. It's such an easy sport to take up. You don't need a lot of equipment to play. You can play in a field.‌“You don't have to go to a stadium per se. The opportunity is much easier to access in soccer than, say, in some of the other sports, like tennis. You need a tennis racket, you need to be on a certain court, you need to have a competitor, you need to have somebody to play with. Soccer is just so much easier to access.”On the opportunity for LA as a city, she added: “It's such a tremendous opportunity for all of the 16 host cities, including us, to really showcase our city to visitors who might not have been. Some who may be coming not to see a match at the stadium, but just want to be part of the World Cup experience and want to experience everything that's happening in our city.“We're working real hard to make sure that the people that don't have a ticket have that great World Cup experience.”So the suits at FIFA may have decided that New Jersey was a better location for the World Cup final, but for pure sporting experience, the City of Angels is more a City of Sporting Dreams.‌What other sports are in Los Angeles?From a sporting perspective, MLB World Series champions Los Angeles Dodgers play at the Dodgers Stadium. LA Angels play at Angel Stadium.Los Angeles Kings are the city’s downtown NHL side and are based out of the Crypto.com Arena. The Anaheim Ducks play their games at the Honda Centre.LA Galaxy and LAFC play in the MLS, the latter of which share with NWSL side Angel City at the BMO Stadium, situated in the shadow of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.COSM Los Angeles provides a sporting experience like no other. Watch a Premier League game and feel like you are in the stadium. Watch a UFC fight and feel like you’re in the Octagon. Watch an ice hockey game and duck as the puck fires your way. It truly is something else.What FIFA fan zones are open in LA during the World Cup?June 18-21: The Original Farmers MarketJune 20: City of DowneyJune 25-28: The Heart of the City - Los Angeles Union StationJuly 2-5: Hansen Dam LakeJuly 4-5: LA County’s Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson ParkJuly 9-11: Los Angeles County Whittier NarrowsJuly 10-11: Venice BeachJuly 14-15 & July 18-19: FairplexJuly 14-15 & July 18-19: West HarborJuly 18-19: Downtown BurbankEvent details and programming are subject to change. Additional Fan Zones may be announced at a later date.Fans are encouraged to explore the full schedule of events, match listings, and ticket information, by visiting LosAngelesFWC26.com.What else should you try in Los Angeles?The Petersen Automotive Museum is the perfect place for any petrolhead. It shows off over 100 years of automotive history and even homes the very first Ferrari made, and a host of celebrity, political and racing cars.See the Hollywood sign with an E-bike tour courtesy of Bikes and Hikes. Head down the Hollywood Walk of Fame and then up into the exclusive hills for the most stunning views of the Hollywood sign and the surrounding city.It’s the home of film so it would be rude not to try a film tour. We experienced the Sony Pictures Studio Tour on our visit and stumbled across items such as McLovin’s ID and the Breaking Bad caravan.Where to stay in Los Angeles?On our visit to Los Angeles in November 2025, we stayed at The Shay in Culver City. Rooms are modern and sizeable in a nice neighbourhood, starting at $325 (£249) a night.‌How to get to Los AngelesVirgin Atlantic flies direct between London Heathrow and Los Angeles with return fares from £484 per person, including complimentary food, drink, and inflight entertainment. For further information visit www.virginatlantic.com or call 0344 8747 747.Prices given are correct as of 8th June 2026 and are subject to change.Want to know more about Los Angeles?Visit discoverlosangeles.com for more information.