The 2026 FIFA World Cup is officially underway, and with it comes a wave of events cropping up around the U.S. as one of three host countries. Airbnb is capitalizing on the excitement with a lineup of watch parties, fan meet-ups and food tours through the month of June.
Starting June 12, Los Angeles’s Grand Central Market partnered with Airbnb on a localized food tour in honor of the Cup’s return to the city. The Market currently hosts 41 food vendors and “spans an entire city block,” featuring the wide range of global cuisines L.A. has to offer. Headed by host and food influencer Eddie Zamora, the tour is a shoppable event for visitors and locals alike.
“People that are coming to Los Angeles for the games can add it as an experience to their itinerary, sample the food, meet the people that are behind the concepts and connect with Eddie, who’s very knowledgeable about the different cuisines and Los Angeles in general,” says Katya Khazei, Grand Central Market’s director of marketing.
The Market is also building out the lower levels to screen the games for attendees and hosting an official FIFA store to sell merchandise. “When you come to Grand Central Market, I think you truly feel the culture and the community of L.A., and it’s unlike any other place,” she says. She hopes that the space will transform into a “really fun place with a lot of energy — and somewhere that’s free where people can enjoy the World Cup.” She explains that the venue still uses neon signs to preserve the analog qualities of the 1917-established market.The Grand Central Market x Airbnb activation is one of a dozen in Los Angeles alone, with curated experiences popping up across the country, each priced from $50 to $250 on average.“Airbnb has always believed the best travel experiences happen when you connect with a place through the people who call it home,” says Doug Weiss, director of experiences at Airbnb. “As an official supporter of FIFA World Cup 2026, we wanted to go beyond accommodations and create a way for fans everywhere to feel the energy of the tournament, not just those lucky enough to be in the stadium around this shared fandom of soccer.”
