I went to the World Cup opener at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles as a first-time attendee. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Author Kimberly Wilson attended her first World Cup game.

Kimberly Wilson

I walked into Los Angeles Stadium on June 12, unable to tell you a single rule of soccer, but ironically, excited for what I knew would become one of the best sporting events I've ever attended.That's not to say I hadn't been to a soccer match before. I live in Washington, DC, after all, and the D.C. United team is right in my backyard.I've been to plenty of games, but it's usually a social affair. I sit in the suite, enjoy a couple of drinks, and talk to friends. Very cutesy. Very demure. The World Cup, on the other hand? It doesn't feel built for the casual soccer game-goer. Boy, was I wrong.Although watching from the suite gets you a few perks, it doesn't get you out of the traffic. I commuted from West Hollywood to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, which took close to two hours. Once I was actually there, figuring out where to go and making it through the lines added another 45 minutes to an hour to that.

Tom Cruise joined David Beckham at the US World Cup opener, where Beckham attended as a FIFA ambassador.

Kimberly Wilson