The planet’s most expensive stadium will swing open its doors as the United States kick off their World Cup 2026 campaign on Friday evening. The Stars and Stripes will launch their title challenge as co-hosts against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium, which cost bosses an estimated £4.1billion to construct.
When the venue isn’t welcoming the Los Angeles Rams and LA Chargers for NFL fixtures, SoFi Stadium has established itself as a premier destination for all manner of acts on the West Coast. However, Inglewood, California, will turn its attention firmly to World Cup business over the coming six weeks as it gears up to host no fewer than eight matches.
No stadium can match SoFi’s construction costs, though that was never the original intention. Early projections suggested the 70,240-seat arena would come in at a fraction of that figure, with a forecasted budget of £1.5bn, before the privately funded project was forced to undergo several rounds of refinancing.
Since its gates first opened in 2020, the ground has chiefly served as home to the LA Rams and LA Chargers American football franchises. Yet it has also welcomed some of the biggest musical acts on the planet, cementing its status as one of California’s finest new venues.
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The Rolling Stones, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Bad Bunny, Kanye West, The Weeknd and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers are just some of the names to have graced the stage in recent years. Little by little, SoFi is recouping its hefty initial outlay given major acts can generate between £10million and £13m in gross revenue per night when performing.
This summer, however, brings an entirely different spectacle, as football mania sweeps across the United States. Mauricio Pochettino’s men will have the privilege of playing in it in their opening fixture of the summer when they take on Paraguay in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Four further World Cup pool-stage matches will be held at SoFi, including the United States’ final Group D clash against Turkey on June 25. The venue will then play host to two round-of-32 ties, along with a quarter-final fixture on July 10.
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View 2 ImagesSoFi Stadium cost more than £4.1billion to construct, almost three times its original estimate(Image: PATRICK T. FALLON, AFP via Getty Images)
Only AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, will stage more matches at the World Cup 2026 (nine). And supporters making the trip to Inglewood are in for quite the experience.
SoFi was conceived by architecture firm HKS and boasts a 1,000,000-square-foot canopy that can be modified to allow additional ventilation when required. The canopy also incorporates 27,000 LEDs that can be programmed to display images and footage visible from above.
The west coast landmark also contains a ground-breaking ‘Infinity Screen’ crafted by Samsung exclusively for this stadium. The oval structure weighs 1,000 tonnes and comprises a double-sided 4K video board, ensuring supporters enjoy the finest possible view of the action, even from the uppermost tiers.
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The plot on which SoFi now stands was formerly occupied by the Hollywood Park Racetrack. Today, Hollywood Park is a sprawling multi-use development featuring a hotel, cinema, shopping space, restaurants and a brewery, perfect for World Cup attendees looking to make more of an event out of their trip.
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World Cup 2026 has been billed as the most glamorous in history, with a host of enormous grounds and cutting-edge venues set to stage 104 matches this summer. Yet none can match SoFi Stadium in sheer spending power.
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