sofi stadium

ESPN is pulling up stakes from downtown Los Angeles and heading to the NFL’s headquarters at Hollywood Park in Inglewood.

“We look forward to all of ESPN’s L.A. based studio content, originating from a single location, further enhancing creativity and collaboration with expansion possible in the future,” the Walt Disney Co.’s sports media unit said Wednesday in a statement.

ESPN produced “NBA Today” and “WNBA Countdown” out of the L.A. Live location, which opened in 2009. A late night edition of “SportsCenter” was produced there until last year. The productions will move into the NFL’s Los Angeles headquarters near SoFi Stadium.

ESPN’s local radio outlet, KSPN, will continue to broadcast out of the L.A. Live location adjacent to Crypto.com Arena.

The NFL took a 10% equity stake in ESPN last year. As part of the deal, ESPN oversees the NFL Media, including the NFL Network and the RedZone channel, which has its production facilities at the Hollywood Park location that opened in September 2021.

The moves, expected to be completed by early September, come ahead of ESPN producing its first Super Bowl, which will air on ABC in February 2027 from SoFi Stadium.

Although a new round of layoffs is reportedly expected at ESPN, a person familiar with the matter who could not comment publicly said there will be no job cuts related to the move to Hollywood Park.

About 160 employees work at the L.A. Live location. People involved in ESPN’s productions will relocate to Hollywood Park while others will move to a Disney location in Glendale, Calif.

Summer has just begun, but there’s a certain magic in the air in Los Angeles right now. On the heels of Juneteenth and Pride Month, the city is fully immersed in World Cup, which continues through July 19, with some of the matches being played at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium. There are plenty of places to eat and drink near the stadium if you’re heading there for a game and plenty of watch parties at local restaurants and bars for those looking to cheer alongside other soccer fans.

If you’re staying close to home this summer, keep your taste buds entertained with Food’s guide to the 50 essential dining experiences that define living here, from an East L.A. taco truck crawl to pastries in Chinatown and Iranian cafes in Westwood’s Persian Square. There are also plenty of new bars to explore, including rooftop destinations with sparkling views of the city.

And if your summer plans involve travel abroad, bookmark Food’s international dining guides. Far from exhaustive, these food and drink recommendations encompass memorable highlights from past off-the-clock visits to major food hubs like London, Paris, Tokyo, Melbourne, Mexico City, Hong Kong, Lima and little-known Colima, Mexico.

Keep reading for even more dining ideas to keep you busy this month:

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Spain, ranked second in the FIFA rankings and the favorite to win the World Cup, did not play its best game, but did enough late Friday to defeat Uruguay 1-0 and eliminate the South American team in one of the most anticipated matches of the first round.

Spain finished first in Group H, while first-time participant Cape Verde advanced in second place with just three points, the result of three draws. Uruguay was eliminated from the tournament with only two points, following two draws and one loss.

For much of the match on Friday, Spain lacked better offensive coordination ahead of facing more dangerous opponents in the upcoming do-or-die rounds.

Alex Baena scored a goal in the 42nd minute by connecting with the ball after a cross from the right. The ball slipped past goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, who at first seemed to have no trouble blocking the shot, but the ball found the back of the net, making all the difference on Friday night in Guadalajara in front of 45,065 fans — most of whom were rooting for Spain. Muslera did not return for the second half and was replaced by Sergio Rochet.

“We have to celebrate because, honestly, it’s hard to finish first in a group like this,” said Baena, a midfielder for Atlético Madrid.

“It was a physically demanding match — extremely intense — and we rose to the occasion,” said Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, who emphasized that winning the World Cup requires winning tough matches against tough teams like Uruguay.

“I’m proud of this team because they want to keep growing. I have complete faith in this team. We’re where we are, and that’s exactly where we wanted to be,” added De la Fuente, who noted that the team needed to improve its fluidity of play.

Uruguay failed to beat Saudi Arabia or Cape Verde — two teams that, on paper, seemed inferior at the start of the tournament. Coach Marcelo Bielsa’s team couldn’t find its rhythm or play at its best.

“I wasn’t able to bring out the full potential of Uruguay’s players,” Bielsa said, visibly shaken by his failure with the Uruguayan national team. “What I’m leaving behind for Uruguayan soccer is nothing, because any contribution a coach might make to the soccer of a country where he worked for three years never takes root if results aren’t achieved.”

At the end of the match, Uruguay’s Agustín Canobbio was sent off after committing a hard foul on Spanish defender Pau Cubarsí in the 95th minute, prompting several Uruguayan players to protest the decision by U.S. referee Ismail Elfath.

For Bielsa and Uruguay, this marks the end of an era in which many believe the Argentine coach lost control of the locker room and his relationship with the media became strained because of his eccentric and explosive personality, but, above all, a lack of wins.

Cape Verde will face Argentina in the round of 32 on Friday in Miami. Spain will face the second-place finisher in Group J, which will be determined late Saturday by the match between Algeria and Austria. The game will be played at SoFi Stadium.

The match was the fourth and final World Cup game played in Guadalajara. Before the game began, a minute of silence was observed in memory of the victims of the earthquakes in Venezuela. So far, Venezuelan authorities have reported that more than 900 people have died and that thousands are missing.

The Iran soccer team left a note in its SoFi Stadium locker room thanking Los Angeles area fans for their hospitality.

The Iranians made history with two draws in Inglewood, marking the first time the team has avoided a loss through its first two World Cup games. While the matches drew protests against the Iranian regime, including some booing both times the national anthem was played before kickoffs, the crowds heavily favored and cheered loudly for the Iranian team.

Iran will close group play against Egypt at Seattle’s Lumen Field on Friday night.

Before leaving Sunday, the Iranian soccer federation and forward Ramin Rezaeian shared pictures of the team’s note of appreciation.

“Thank you, Los Angeles, for your hospitality,” the note read. “And thank you to every Iranian who gave their heart, voice, and soul for Iran throughout these 180 minutes.

“May peace, respect and friendship prevail among all nations.”

Iran has complained about U.S. government restrictions that forced them to spend limited time in the Los Angeles area before and after its matches, quickly returning to its base camp in Tijuana. But the complaints don’t extend to those who they crossed paths with while practicing briefly in Carson, spending two nights in a Manhattan Beach hotel and playing two big games at SoFi Stadium.

“From ancient Persia of thousands of years ago to the civilized Iran of today, the spirit of Iran remains alive and steadfast,” the note read. “We came to Los Angeles with pride, competed with honor, and leave with dignity.”

Daiki Kaneko had only 24 hours before his World Cup journey took him to Dallas, where his home country’s squad will take on Sweden.

The Japanese soccer fan was making the most of it on Tuesday in Inglewood, snapping pictures of SoFi Stadium before taking in a different kind of monument: a space-age, two-story branch of the chicken chain Raising Cane’s, complete with a 308-square-foot screen, a mirrored dog sculpture and a massive halo hovering around the exterior.

For Kaneko, 25, who lives in the Tokyo suburbs, it was the perfect encapsulation of American grandeur.

“All this for chicken,” he said. “I love America.”

Inglewood is already diverse — most residents are Latino or Black, and nearly a third are immigrants. But during the World Cup, it’s looking more like the United Nations. English, Japanese, Swiss, Iranians, Paraguayans, Bosnians, Belgians and others are flocking to the city of about 102,000, where eight matches are being played at SoFi Stadium.

Though visitors from abroad may not have heard of Inglewood until now, they’re soaking up the vibes of a city that has long been a major sports and entertainment hub, home to venues such as the Kia Forum and Intuit Dome, and a crucible of Black culture, immortalized in hip-hop songs by artists such as Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre.

“We’re an international city now,” Mayor James Butts said.

Butts said locals were already proud of what the city has become, but the World Cup has put the celebratory feelings over the top.

“We have people from so many different countries migrating to Inglewood, and there’s an explosive sense of community pride,” he said.

City officials are doing everything they can to embrace the spirit of the tournament, including speeding up permits so small businesses and neighborhoods can hold World Cup gatherings and watch parties, Butts said. During the U.S.’s opening match against Paraguay on June 12, the city hosted the Wood Cup, a block party on Market Street that brought in more than 5,000 people.

Businesses across the city are embracing the tournament as well, vying for a piece of the roughly $17 million the city expects to haul in. For a few weeks, concerns about skyrocketing housing costs and gentrification, brought on by the city’s increasing popularity as a place to settle down, are taking a back seat to the sheer fun of international soccer.

The supersized Raising Cane’s had its grand opening on June 11, the first day of the tournament. During the USMNT’s opening match, Cinepolis, a luxury movie theater down the road from SoFi Stadium, turned into a global sports hub, according to CEO Luis Olloqui.

Maddy Daversa, a bartender at the Meeting Spot, a restaurant near the stadium, said 2,000 people poured in when the Americans played Paraguay.

“I was selling beers for five hours straight,” she said. “It was crazy.”

Daversa said the restaurant is usually closed on Mondays but opened in hopes of getting some spillover fans from the Iran-New Zealand game at SoFi.

“Every table was full,” she said. “We’re taking advantage.”

Tuesday was an off day for Inglewood, with no games at SoFi. But the energy was still palpable, with locals sporting soccer jerseys and tourists popping up across the city.

“I just want to be where the fans are,” said David Meier, a Swiss fan in town for his home country’s match against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Thursday.

Meier, 45, plans to explore L.A. via bars, restaurants and watch parties, taking in every game that his schedule will allow before heading north of the border to Vancouver, where Switzerland will face Canada on June 24.

“Everyone has been so kind,” he said. “Soccer and beer turns strangers into friends.”

The energy carried over to Market Street, a historic shopping district about a mile from SoFi Stadium. Businesses set up signs, posters and international flags to lure locals and tourists alike, while the Miracle Theater hosted a watch party for the match between France and Senegal.

Owen Smith, who co-owns the theater with his wife, Mariana, said a Senegalese friend who grew up in France asked if he would be willing to show the game on the big screen. A day later, fans of both teams assembled inside, snapping photos in front of a giant inflatable World Cup trophy in the lobby.

“The Miracle is a cultural event theater. It’s about accommodating the community,” Smith said.

Benyam Woldegiorgis, who co-owns the Nile Bar on Market Street, is showing every single World Cup match — all 104 of them.

“It brings in business,” he said. “Usually it’s just football, basketball and baseball, but now we’re adding soccer to the mix.”

Dionte Johnson, owner of the streetwear store Kingsrowe, partnered with Adidas to hold a watch party for the U.S. team’s opener and said the turnout was massive, bringing in loads of Mexico fans who are local residents, even though their team had already won their opener the day before.

“The downside of the World Cup is that tickets are so expensive, so a lot of locals can’t go check out the games themselves. That’s why we’re hosting events,” Johnson said. “The games are in our backyard, so this is something people have had on their calendar for a long time.”

Homeowners are cashing in as well, with some renting out their places on Airbnb for a small fortune, figuring that crashing on a friend’s couch or booking a hotel room elsewhere is well worth the lofty payouts brought by World Cup demand.

Across L.A., hotel demand lagged compared with initial expectations, but short-term rental prices still jumped 56% compared with typical rates, and more than 70% of rentals were booked by December 2025.

In Inglewood — especially for rentals walkable to SoFi Stadium — prices became dizzying.

Peggy Orenstein and her husband, David, own a home steps from the stadium that typically rents for $400 a night on Airbnb. For the U.S. team’s opener, the nightly rate shot up to $3,000.

For other matches, the four-bedroom house is going for $1,200 to $1,500 a night. Orenstein said the high demand and international crowds are a teaser for what’s to come.

“Next up is the Olympics,” she said. “This is a great learning lesson for what we can expect.”

Imagine it. A neophyte coach, leading a team for the first time at any competitive level, and it being a high-profile assignment on the biggest of big stages.

A self-assured broadcaster, critical and competitive, having his bluff called, being invited to not just talk about it, but to be about it: Walk the walk, why don’t you?

A former player — scorer, shooter — being challenged to step up and right a listing ship while navigating politics and the push and pull of history and high hopes.

Imagine that guy going: “Bet.”

As in, you betcha. As in, I’d bet on me.

Lakers fans, you’ve seen JJ Redick run this play in the NBA.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s faithful — who comprised the vocal majority amidst the full house for Thursday’s 4-1 Group B loss to Switzerland at SoFi Stadium — are seeing manager Sergej Barbarez pull the same improbable stunt.

The 54-year-old Barbarez is Bosnia’s national soccer team’s fifth manager since 2022. He’s also a former national team captain turned professional poker player turned broadcaster whose turn coaching this team came as a complete shock.

He might be the most interesting man amidst a mass of most interesting men at the World Cup, and he has Bosnia back on two feet.

And he had them on equal footing Thursday until Switzerland scored the match’s first goal in the 74th minute.

“Maybe our start wasn’t that good,” Barbarez said through an interpreter. “But from the first cooling break until the goal, we were the better players, the better team.

“I don’t like self-pity,” he added. “I entered the dressing room and told them all that they have one hour to cheer up to lift their heads up.”

The loss to the 19th-ranked Swiss was the first in six matches for 64th-ranked Bosnia, following six consecutive 1-1 or 0-0 draws, including their 1-1 World Cup opener against host Canada.

They know they’ll have to win their next match Wednesday against Qatar for an opportunity to reach the knockout stage: “It seemed,” Barbarez said, “from the very beginning that the last game would be the most important one, and it turns out it is.”

And they’ll be ready, he said.

“It’s hurtful; it’s quite painful,” he said. “But this is my job, and trust me, I’ll make sure they will be fine ahead of the next game. We will try to remedy what happened.”

We’d expect to hear something similar from Redick — whose poker face isn’t as good as Barbarez’s, whose small sigh and slight smile betrayed his only emotions during his postgame news conference Thursday.

(As for who wore it better: Barbarez pumping up Bosnian fans in all-black business attire beats Redick’s all-black athleisure.)

Ahead of schedule and happy to be here, Bosnia is playing in the World Cup for the first time in 12 years. Playing hard with house money.

Barbarez spent most of his 14-year professional playing career in the Bundesliga, scoring 105 goals for Borussia Dortmund, Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen. When he retired, he got his coaching license but didn’t use it until 2024, taking a gamble on a different competitive calling.

He played poker professionally in Europe for a decade, made at least $143,000, according to Cardplayer.com, and reached two final tables in the World Series of Poker.

He also became an unabashed critic of the Football Assn. of Bosnia, which was churning through managers; three of them were hired and fired within months. Beyond failing to qualify for the 2024 Euros, Barbarez admonished the association’s leadership for its 2022 decision to schedule friendlies with Russia soon after it was banned by FIFA and UEFA for invading Ukraine.

And then, in April 2024, he was introduced as the national team manager.

“His energy and authority can be crucial factors in getting the national team back on track for success,” the president of the Football Federation Vico Zeljkovic told reporters.

Also key: “Personality,” Zeljkovic said.

Barbarez maintained from the outset that his goal was to qualify for the Euros in 2028 — and for his players to feel proud wearing Bosnia’s blue, yellow and white.

On Thursday, his players felt it and so did thousands of fans who showed up at SoFi Stadium wearing those colors for a World Cup match. All of them, all in.

“They support us all over the world,” said Ermin Mahmić, who scored his side’s only goal in the 93rd minute. “It’s not normal to be honest, and we’re very thankful for them.”

And surely for Barbarez, who took a path rarely traveled, willing to bet big on Bosnian football.

Unprecedented sports feats and historical firsts are usually joyous affairs. Something to celebrate, fun trivia to tuck away for later.

On Monday in Inglewood, the history was much more fraught, and not at all trivial.

Iran’s national soccer team played on American soil — this time on SoFi Stadium’s natural turf — for the first time in 26 years. And for the first time, a country hosted a World Cup participant with which it is mired in an on-again, off-again war.

There was, in the days and hours leading up to the match, protest and pushback from portions of the large, local Iranian diaspora who didn’t think it was possible to support the country’s football team without supporting the oppressive regime.

But inside SoFi Stadium, thousands of L.A.’s Iranian supporters gave the team its full-throated support. So did many new Mexican fans who’ve adopted Team Melli, which has been staying and training in Tijuana between matches as it was barred from the United States except for game days.

Most of the near-sellout crowd of 70,108 were there cheering Iran, helping propel this team under so much pressure to an entertaining 2-2 tie with New Zealand.

And there, among the thousands of enthusiastic Iran supporters swept up in the match, was my son’s favorite soccer coach, Narbé Mansourian, with his son, 13-year-old Daniel.

Narbé’s brother got his hands on a pair of nosebleed tickets and immediately handed them over to his soccer-loving relatives.

And Narbé — a fifth- and sixth-grade social studies teacher in Hollywood — had no qualms about backing these Iranian men. There were no second thoughts about separating the players from the politics in the country with the complicated geopolitical — and personal — history.

Now, know this: Mansourian is no fan of Iran’s Islamic regime. He was 7 in 1983 when his father, a political dissident, was executed in Evin Prison, nine months after he’d been apprehended.

Narbé remembers visiting his dad, Vazgen, at the notorious prison. He remembers the long drive to get there, the long wait to see him and the game he and his mom used to play: “Today you are 4 years old.”

What started as a way to avoid paying bus fares for 6-year-old Narbé became the way to fool guards at prison, where only the small children were allowed to physically touch their imprisoned loved ones.

He remembers being allowed behind the glass, where he’d wait for his dad to emerge, blind-folded.

When his dad was killed at 37, Narbé said his mother didn’t immediately find out. And when she did, she initially told Narbé that he’d been sick. There was no funeral and when they went to visit his father’s grave, they found a dirt field. There were no markers, Narbé recalls.

He has kept Vazgen’s Coke-bottle glasses, his watch and the still-intact little LEGO house they built together before his dad was taken to prison.

Narbé has held onto so many difficult memories, including the nighttime terrors associated with bombings during the Iran-Iraq war. But there are also happier recollections. Like the stories he would make up about good guys going against the greedy. And, yes, memories of going to soccer games with his dad.

So, “absolutely, I’m going to root for the Iranian national team,” Narbé said before Monday’s match, saying that, to him, equating the Iranian national team with the country’s regime is like rooting against the Knicks because you don’t like President Donald Trump, a native New Yorker.

“It’s not like a cartoon good guy, bad guy,” Narbé said. “There’s so much gray. Because they live there. My heart goes out to them. It can’t be easy, to kind of teeter-totter like that.”

I should’ve expected this outstanding youth soccer coach would be most concerned with the players on the pitch.

Some fans got into SoFi on Monday with the Iranian Lion and Sun flag, a historic Iranian national and opposition flag that was banned from the stadium because FIFA desires to steer free of politics (unless it’s steering straight into them). It was a strange sight in Los Angeles, seeing stadium workers asking attendees to discard flags in an effort to censor the expression of people here.

Some of those fans turned their backs during the national anthem, which many in the stands jeered at its start. But then, once the game took hold, so did the support.

“There were many Iranians here,” Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said through an interpreter. “They believe in different political affiliations, different beliefs, but they all wholeheartedly encouraged us, and I think that’s a victory for all of us.”

The Iranian national team finally got to just play soccer.

Their journey to the World Cup has been uniquely fraught, with a war erupting between the host of their matches and their home country.

They had to relocate their base camp from Arizona to Tijuana, struggled to get all of their traveling party into the United States amid visa scrutiny and absorbed President Trump’s suggestion they may not be safe if they chose to play in the World Cup.

With the focus shifted solely to soccer, Iran’s 2-2 draw with New Zealand in front of an announced crowd of 70,108 Monday night at SoFi Stadium may have felt like a victory because of the sheer fight it took for Team Melli to play in Inglewood.

After Belgium and Egypt tied 1-1 earlier Monday, all the teams in Group G are tied at one point apiece.

The All Whites showed no signs they were rattled by the pro-Iran crowd or their standing 65 slots behind Iran in FIFA world rankings.

Iran fell behind twice, but the team rallied to avoid plummeting to the bottom of its group.

A flurry of chances generated by both teams during stoppage time never translated into a winning goal.

New Zealand struck first.

Elijah Just rumbled toward the box and seemed to pinball around the Iranian defense. He passed to Sarpreet Singh, who chipped the ball to Chris Wood in the box. Wood then chested the ball back to Just, who took one touch before kicking the ball in for New Zealand’s first goal in the seventh minute.

A small but hearty contingent of New Zealand cheered.

After the hydration break, Iran’s Ramin Rezaeian pushed the ball into the box and tapped it to Saman Ghoddos. Shahriyar Moghanlou’s shot was blocked, but Rezaeian was in position to tap the deflection into the far lower left corner of the net in the 32nd minute.

The stadium roared as Mexico fans joined Iran fans cheering and waving flags.

Both teams has chances to break the tie late in the first half.

New Zealand earned a free kick in the 45th minute just outside the box. Wood took a direct shot at the goal, but Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand gathered it with ease.

During first-half stoppage time, Rezaeian’s free kick was headed home by Ali Nemati, but Nemati was clearly offsides and the goal was waived off by the referees.

In the 54th minute, Iran turned the ball over and Just connected with Just for his second goal of the match.

Iran responded in the 64th minute with Rezaeian’s cross headed home by Mohammad Mohebi, tying the game and delighting fans.

Before the game, protesters outside SoFi Stadium argued Iran’s oppression regime should be sanctioned for human rights violations and banned from competition. Other Iranian Americans countered they gathered at the venue to cheer on players rather than Iran’s totalitarian leaders.

Iran captain and star striker Mehdi Taremi said before the game he hoped the team that has unified in the face of massive distractions could provide solace during a difficult time.

“We, the players of the national team, we play for every Iranian, be it the Iranian diaspora or be it Iranians in the country,” Taremi said through a FIFA interpreter. “Look, in every country, people have different opinions, but we are here as footballers to unite people, and we will try to bring joy to all Iranians, irrespective of where they live.

“Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and we respect them, but we are here to bring joy to the Iranian people. We do not get involved in politics. We are here to play football.”

The 2026 World Cup, the largest ever, will be played in three countries and 16 stadiums, organized by geography, not national borders.

Seven of the 11 U.S. venues — all but Kansas City, Philadelphia, Santa Clara and Miami — plus Vancouver normally have artificial-turf fields.

So for the World Cup, which FIFA mandates must be played on grass, those surfaces underwent multi-million-dollar transformations, with state-of-the-art fields — each with its own root system and irrigation methods — rolled out across the plastic turf.

Additionally, stadiums that have corporate names not affiliated with FIFA sponsors — SoFi Stadium, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, etc. — will use generic names such as Los Angeles Stadium and Atlanta Stadium during the tournament.

The U.S. men’s national team made its first World Cup game on home soil in 32 years one to remember, defeating Paraguay 4-1 in front of a sold-out crowd at Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium) in Inglewood on Friday night.

Here’s a look at some of the best moments before and during the game as captured by the Los Angeles Times photography staff:

Tickets to watch the U.S. dominate Paraguay 4-1 on Friday night at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium cost a fortune. But roughly nine miles north, fans such as Jose Santiago and Ivan Gonzalez enjoyed the match at a fraction of the price.

The pair each paid $10 for a ticket to watch the Stars and Stripes flourish in their first World Cup game on home soil in 32 years on big screens at the packed Coliseum on Day 2 of the Los Angeles FIFA Fan Festival.

“We bought these tickets [at the] last minute, not knowing what to expect,” said Santiago, of Fullerton. “And so far, we’ve been blown away. We definitely want to come back.”

“It’s dope,” added Gonzalez, of Yorba Linda. “You feel it. You feel the game. You feel the atmosphere. It’s fun. Everyone’s into it right now.”

Food and drink options. Pop-up tents featuring brands such as Galaxy and LAFC. A rare on-field experience at the home of USC football. And, of course, some good ‘ol collective effervescence.

“It makes you still feel like you’re a part of it,” Santiago said of his viewing experience. “It still makes you feel like you’re at the stadium, because we’re all watching the game.”

The U.S. took care of business in its World Cup opener. Presumably, those who could afford the intimidating ticket and parking prices at SoFi Stadium considered the experience worthwhile.

Santiago and Gonzalez, however, spoke for many who cherished their inexpensive night at the Coliseum, in the City of Angels itself, during their nation’s statement victory.

Several other attendees would agree — even those who aren’t backing the U.S.

Take Charlotte Cabeca, a 37-year-old from downtown L.A., is primarily rooting for Colombia — as well as “anybody from South America” — but was still grateful for the opportunity to watch the beautiful game with other fans at a bargain.

“It’s so fun,” Cabeca said with a laugh, as “USA” chants rang in the background. “It’s a really kid-friendly and family-oriented [environment.] It’s not as hectic as I had anticipated.”

Cabeca said she’ll attend more fan events in L.A. throughout the tournament, as Friday marked “the closest we can get [and] that we can afford” compared to actually attending a World Cup match.

Perhaps more important, though, Cabeca appreciates the community engagement unfolding before her eyes.

“I love that the city is coming together,” Cabeca said. “I feel the unity. And even these fanfests, they bring us together. So even if we’re not at the game, it still brings all of us together as a country.

“It’s awesome. The traffic is not helpful, but other than that, it’s exciting. I really feel like everybody is for soccer right now, and that’s what we need right now to heal and be happy together.”

While Friday was a night of smiles, chants and relative affordability, there remain fans who wish FIFA and the U.S. would do more to make the World Cup more accessible, particularly by making everything, well, cheaper.

“Obviously, football is a very hard sport to monetize, because we don’t have the breaks like the NFL,” Kunal Mehrotra, a 25-year-old soccer fan from Koreatown, prefaced before saying, “Without the fans, it isn’t really a World Cup. So, it is disappointing from the U.S., and it’s not just the tickets. … It really shows that the U.S. is in it for the money and not at all for the football, which is disappointing.”

“It’s pretty ridiculous,” added Monica Unzueta, a Maywood resident and fan of Mexico and Spain. “But aye, at least FIFA’s holding some events. I mean, they should be free. But, I don’t know — that’s just FIFA.”

While they’d rather attend a World Cup game live, as Mehrotra and Unzueta noted, that isn’t realistic for most residents.

So, nights such as Friday at the Coliseum are the next-best thing.

And for fans such as Tyler David, a 24-year-old from Tampa, Fla., the trip to the home of the Trojans couldn’t have gone better.

“Beyond belief,” David said. “And it’s so cool to see everybody and the cultures colliding. Love it.”

Oh, and the USA’s big victory was splendid for fans too.

“Dude, absolutely magnificent,” David said, in disbelief of the U.S. leading 3-0 after 45 minutes against Paraguay. “Christian Pulisic, [coach Mauricio] Pochettino, all the guys, [Timothy] Weah. They’re playing at the top of the charts right now. I love to see it on the home soil in L.A.

“It’s getting me fired up; the fan base, the environment, the atmosphere — through the freaking roof.”

TIJUANA — Iran’s soccer team arrived in Mexico on Sunday morning for training ahead of the World Cup, before its first two group matches at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood later this month.

Ehsan Hajsafi was the first player to exit the plane with markings for German charter airline USC, which arrived at about 5:05 a.m. He led the team, dressed in blue blazers over white T-shirts, through a brief security check with Mexican officials and dogs before boarding a bus.

The bus stopped briefly at the entrance to the Tijuana airport, where around 20 or so Iran fans waved flags.

The team’s participation in the World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, has been complicated by the Iran war. Problems with processing visas earlier led Iran to move its training base from Tucson to Tijuana.

The team has been training in the Turkish city of Antalya. It flew directly to Mexico on a private jet from the Mediterranean city’s airport.

Some members of their entourage were reportedly still without U.S. visas, according to Iranian state television Saturday. Those include the Iranian Football Federation’s secretary-general, Hedayat Mombeini, and its vice president, Mehdi Mohammad Nabi.

Iran plays its first two games at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21, then heads to Seattle to face Egypt on June 26. Iran and the U.S. could meet in the Round of 32 on July 3 in Arlington, Texas, if both teams finish second in their groups.

In March, President Trump discouraged Iran from participating in the tournament, saying he didn’t think it was “appropriate” and raising concerns over players’ “life and safety.” A day later, Iran’s national team countered, saying “no one can exclude” it from playing.

Iran finalized its team on Monday, including 17 home-based players whose clubs haven’t played since February because of the war. Star forward Sardar Azmoun was dropped in March, reportedly because of a social media post that angered Iranian authorities during the war.

Iran’s sports minister said in March that it would “not be possible” for the team to participate in the World Cup, but the Islamic Republic’s soccer federation said in May that it was moving ahead with a team. The federation had insisted that all players and staff be granted visas, including those who had military service in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Making a rib stop on the way to a game and then eating your barbecue inside your car — or, better, on the hood of your car if you don’t want sauce-stained seats — has been a classic move since the days the Lakers used to play at the Forum in Inglewood. Lately, however, it’s getting harder to find old-school L.A. barbecue — the wood-smoked ribs and links and small ends that have long powered this city. Luckily, Inglewood is home to two outposts from the first family of L.A. barbecue: Woody’s (see separate entry), started by the late Woodrow “Woody” Phillips and Phillips Bar-B-Que from Woody’s cousin Foster Phillips, who still inspires younger pitmasters. Where Woody’s has patio seating, Phillips, in traditional barbecue style, is a take-out-only shop with a tightly packed parking lot off Centinela Avenue. It’s the only location that remains after the 2024 closure of Phillips’ Crenshaw spot. Recently, I stopped in for pork ribs so tender the meat easily came free from the bone; small ends, a meaty cut Phillips helped popularize; plus sides of greens and an especially cheesy macaroni and cheese. If you order your rib sauce hot, it may not be as spicy as it was in the old days, but it still has the sweet taste of nostalgia.

First-timers visiting the 35,000-square-foot Mercado La Paloma, take heed: The line likely trailing out the door and into the parking lot is specifically for Holbox, the most decorated and popular among the market’s seven food vendors. Chef Gilberto Cetina’s mariscos creations are revolutionary in their freshness and jigsaw-intricate flavors. Tuna tostada, scallop aguachile, coctel mixto and smoked kanpachi taco number among must-try dishes. Other wonderful options in the mercado await without the Holbox queues. Begin at Komal, where Fátima Juárez’s quesadillas and tacos, as beautiful as they are delicious, showcase the earthy-fragrant masa she crafts daily from heirloom corn varieties, and Chichén Itzá, where the Cetina family serves lush, orange-scented cochinita pibil and other specialties from the Yucatán. The mercado is such a vital sanctuary for the city that fellow critic Jenn Harris and I ranked it number one on our recent guide to the 101 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles.

As if anyone needed a reminder, the Rams know how to go all-in.

On Monday, the already Super Bowl-ready Rams pulled off another massive deal, acquiring defensive end Myles Garrett — the league’s defensive player of the year — in a trade with the Cleveland Browns for edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round draft pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-rounder.

Garrett, 30, is a nine-year veteran, five-time All-Pro and two-time defensive player of the year. Last season, he amassed a league-high 23 sacks, increasing his career total to 125.5.

Garrett is scheduled to earn $31.5 million this season, according to Overthecap.com.

Verse, 25, was the 19th player chosen in the 2024 draft. He was the NFL defensive rookie of the year and last season had 7½ sacks for a Rams team that advanced to the NFC championship before losing to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks.

Verse is scheduled to carry a salary-cap number of $4.1 million this season, according to Overthecap, but is presumably in line for a massive contract extension.

The Garrett trade is the second major offseason deal for the Rams. In March, they traded for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, and then signed him to an extension that makes him the highest paid player at his position in NFL history.

The Rams are a favorite to play in Super Bowl LXI, which will be played at SoFi Stadium.

The move bolsters an already formidable Rams pass rushing unit that has played a integral part in the Rams being among the favorites to win the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium in February. During the 2021 season, the Rams traded for pass rusher Von Miller en route to winning the Super Bowl at home.

This is a developing story. The Times will have more soon on the Rams acquiring Garrett.

Daniel Patterson, the chef behind San Francisco’s Coi, who once helmed Alta Adams alongside chef Keith Corbin, has opened a new tasting restaurant in Hollywood, alongside his wife and former music journalist and producer Sarah Lewitinn. Jacaranda challenges stereotypes of stuffy or restrained fine dining restaurants with a Gen X playlist, casual service and lively conversations among guests. This approach, as Patterson told reporter Stephanie Breijo, better reflects the ethos of Los Angeles, where your next great meal is just as likely to come from a street vendor as it is from a 10-course dinner. The restaurant holds only one seating per night, to allow diners the opportunity to linger as you would at a friend’s dinner party, as well as a multi-course lunch on Sunday.

Matthew Stafford is a master at reading defenses.

The Rams star quarterback manipulates opposing players with his eyes. He knows what he sees.

So the reigning NFL most valuable player can easily anticipate, recognize and digest why moves — on or off the field — are made.

Which brings us to the Rams’ decision to select former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th pick in the NFL draft.

“I understand where the team’s coming from,” Stafford, 38, told reporters last week in his first public comments about a move that stunned many. “Listen, I’m not 25 years old and I get that, so we’re doing everything we can to be as good a football team as we can for now, for the future, for all of it.”

That doesn’t mean Stafford was thrilled about general manager Les Snead and coach Sean McVay spending a first-round pick on his heir apparent.

This, however, is not the San Francisco 49ers trading for Steve Young with Joe Montana on the roster.

But the Rams bypassed an opportunity to give Stafford and an already loaded roster another weapon such as former USC receiver Makai Lemon, who might have provided immediate impact to help them reach and win Super Bowl LXI in February at SoFi Stadium.

Because the Rams showed five years ago that going all in and winning a Super Bowl was worth it, regardless of the perceived and real costs down the road.

Regardless, the Rams are considered among the favorites to return to the Super Bowl for the first time since Stafford led them to victory in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium.

Like they did before and during that 2021 season, the Rams have done almost everything possible to ensure that owner Stan Kroenke can once again bask in the glory of winning a Super Bowl in the stadium he built.

After losing last season’s NFC championship game, the team quickly signed McVay and Snead — who were entering the final years of their contracts — to long-term extensions.

Then they improved their roster’s main weak spot by trading for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, and signing cornerback Jaylen Watson — both of whom played on two Super Bowl championship teams with the Kansas City Chiefs.

On May 21, they signed Stafford to a one-year, $55-million extension that could keep him with the team through 2027.

Whether the 17-year veteran and reigning NFL most valuable player plays beyond 2026 remains to be seen.

But McVay is happy that the future hall of famer will be leading the offense.

“It’s great to be able to have that taken care of,” McVay said in his first news conference with local reporters since April 24, the day after the Rams drafted Simpson.

McVay had spent the previous availability explaining the reason for his somber and dour countenance during an awkward news conference the night before. McVay said he was trying to be respectful of Stafford’s status as the team leader, and that a personal situation also had affected his demeanor.

On the night the Rams drafted Simpson, McVay said he had spoken with Stafford beforehand. When asked what he told Stafford, McVay said, “I’ll keep that between us.”

Last week, when asked about his discussion with McVay, Stafford said, “I’m not going to get in too much to what our conversation was. I appreciate him talking with me about those kinds of things. We have constant dialogue and a great relationship so I appreciate that.”

Stafford said his job as the starting quarterback was to help all players, including Simpson, prepare for the season.

“He’s a guy that asks questions,” Stafford said. “I’ve been trying to answer those as honestly and as thoroughly as I possibly can.

“He’s a smart kid. He’s got talent, obviously. He’s a high draft pick so happy to add good players to our team.”

It is too early to quantify what Simpson has brought to the team, McVay said. The offseason workout program is about “setting foundations” that will help once players are participating in full-speed settings during training camp.

Simpson is on track for a lot of reps when camp begins in late July at Loyola Marymount.

Last year, Stafford was sidelined all of training camp because of a back issue. But he returned before the opener and won his first MVP award.

So the Rams are expected to modify Stafford’s traditional training camp workload — and aim for similar results.

Offseason workouts are going well, Stafford said.

“Throwing it like I know how to throw it and for somebody my age,” he quipped. “I feel pretty good.”

Even with the extension, the Rams and Stafford will continue to talk contract on a year-to-year basis, a practice they have followed since 2024, when Stafford delayed his arrival to training camp because of an impasse.

“I can’t sit there and tell you what it’s going to look like 365 days from now,” he said. “But it’s just one of those deals where I’m doing the best I can to make sure that I can play as long as I can and make sure that my family and I are all on the same page before we embark on whatever season it may be.”

If this season plays out as expected, the Rams could give Stafford another weapon at the trade deadline.

Until then, they’ve guaranteed him plenty of cash.

And motivation.

The Rams will begin the season by traveling about 8,000 air miles to play against the San Francisco 49ers in Australia.

They aim to end the season playing in Super Bowl LXI on their home turf at SoFi Stadium.

The Sept. 10 opener — a Thursday night in the United States and the morning of Sept. 11 in Melbourne — is the first of 17 games on a schedule announced Thursday by the NFL.

With reigning NFL most valuable player Matthew Stafford and a roster fortified by the addition of All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, the Rams are regarded as a Super Bowl favorite. And their marquee status is reflected in a schedule that includes the maximum seven prime-time appearances, an increase of two over last season when the Rams finished 12-5 and advanced to the NFC championship game before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.

Fans will have to wait nearly the entire season to see the Rams play the Seahawks. The first game between the NFC West rivals is Week 16 on Christmas night in Seattle. Two games later, on a date to be determined, they will play in the regular-season finale at SoFi Stadium.

In addition to the Friday night game against the Seahawks on Christmas, they play on “Sunday Night Football” against the Denver Broncos and “Monday Night Football” against the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills. The Rams play the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving eve — Wednesday night — and on “Thursday Night Football” against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Rams play six division games in the NFC West, which is matched this season with the NFC East and the AFC West. The Rams also have games against teams in the NFC North, NFC South and AFC East.

The Rams play a preseason road game against the Chiefs and will play at SoFi Stadium against the New Orleans Saints and the Chargers.

Here is a game-by-game look at the regular-season schedule (all times Pacific):

Sept. 10, SAN FRANCISCO at Melbourne Cricket Ground, 5:35 p.m. (Netflix): Coach Sean McVay starts the season by matching up against mentor Kyle Shanahan and former Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris in a huge NFC West game.

Sept. 21, NEW YORK GIANTS, 5:15 p.m. (ESPN): New coach John Harbaugh aims to build a winning culture in the tradition of the one he established in 18 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.

Sept. 27, at Denver, 5:20 p.m., (NBC): The Broncos aim to reach the Super Bowl that eluded them last season after Bo Nix’s injury. Bonus: There’s history between McVay and Sean Payton.

Oct. 4, at Philadelphia, 10 a.m. (Fox): The Rams opted to draft quarterback Ty Simpson — not former USC receiver Makai Lemon — with the 13th pick. Lemon was selected by the Eagles.

Oct. 12, BUFFALO, 5:15 p.m. (ESPN): The last time the Bills visited SoFi Stadium, the Rams won a 44-42 shootout. First-year coach Joe Brady will try to guide Josh Allen to his first Super Bowl appearance.

Oct. 18, ARIZONA, 1:05 p.m., (Fox): Former Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur parlayed his time with McVay into a head coach opportunity with the Cardinals. Now he has to face Matthew Stafford & Co.

Oct. 25, at Las Vegas, 1:25 p.m. (Fox): The Raiders drafted quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the top pick in the draft. Will he play against the Rams or sit behind Kirk Cousins?

Nov. 1, CHARGERS, 1:05 p.m. (Fox): Quarterback Justin Herbert is expected to benefit from the arrival of new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.

Nov. 8, at Washington, 10 a.m. (Fox): The Rams travel to play the Commanders for the first time since 2020. Quarterback Jayden Daniels looks to remain healthy and recapture rookie form.

Nov. 15, at Arizona, 1:05 p.m. (CBS): The Cardinals selected running back Jeremiyah Love with the fourth pick in the draft. Will it be Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew or rookie Carson Beck at quarterback?

Nov. 22, off week

Nov. 25, GREEN BAY, 5 p.m. (Netflix): Jordan Love leads the Packers offense, Micah Parson the defense. Coach Matt LaFleur is 5-0 against McVay, who hired LaFleur as offensive coordinator in 2017.

Dec. 3, KANSAS CITY, 5:15 p.m. (Amazon Prime): Chiefs have not played the Rams in L.A. since 2018, when the Rams won, 54-51, at the Coliseum. Will Taylor Swift return to SoFi for the end of the Travis Kelce era?

Dec. 13, at San Francisco, 1:25 p.m. (Fox): Quarterback Brock Purdy and running back Christian McCaffrey are mainstays for a team that always challenges McVay.

Dec. 20, DALLAS, 1:25 p.m. (CBS): Dak Prescott comes to town with receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens presumably as top targets. The Cowboys gave up a league-worst 30.1 points per game last season.

Dec. 25, at Seattle, 5:15 p.m. (Fox): Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold elevated his performance for the Super Bowl champions in regular-season and playoff victories over the Rams last season.

Week 17, at Tampa Bay, TBD: Baker Mayfield reignited his career after a crash course in the Rams offense in 2022 under Zac Robinson. Now Robinson is the Buccaneers offensive coordinator.

Week 18: SEATTLE, TBD: Last season, the Rams donned their Midnight Mode alternate uniforms against the Seahawks and escaped with a narrow victory. Will this game decide the NFC West?

Ticket prices are just the start of the soaring expenses many fans will face while trying to watch World Cup games this summer.

NJ Transit is charging $150 for round-trip tickets from Manhattan to the Meadowlands (the regular price is $12.60) for the World Cup final, while host committee shuttle buses will cost $80.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is demanding $80 to ride one of the 14 express trains on the 30-mile trip from downtown Boston to Foxborough for games at Gillette Stadium. That’s more than three times the normal price.

Parking in Kansas City, meanwhile, will set you back by as much as $900, depending on the game and lot.

In Southern California, however, it will cost $1.75 to get to SoFi Stadium on a combination of buses or trains from as far away as Claremont and Simi Valley. That’s also what it costs to get to the Inglewood venue on any other day of the year; only two of the 11 World Cup cities in the U.S. are offering less expensive public transportation.

“We’re trying to make things convenient,” said Conan Cheung, the chief operations officer for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or LA Metro, the second-largest transit agency in the country, servicing more than 305 million riders in 2025.

That’s a marked departure from the experience fans have reported ahead of this summer’s World Cup, which was marked by complaints over difficulty getting access to buy tickets, high ticket prices, shifts in seat locations after they were purchased, high fees and expensive game-day transportation.

“There’s no standardized fare set across the board,” Cheung said of World Cup transportation. “We’ve made a commitment to keep our system accessible. The way we’re planning the entire program is to ensure that we support people from the minute they decide to come to L.A. for the World Cup.

“We also want to make sure that your excitement and your experience for the World Cup starts and ends on Metro.”

LA Metro has been able to hold costs down in part because it received $9.6 million in funding from the $100 million Congress gave the Federal Transit Administration to support transportation to and from World Cup stadiums. LA Metro is adding about 300 buses to its regular fleet to handle the additional demand, with shuttles servicing nine direct routes to SoFi and various fan zones.

Roughly 200 of those buses will lent to LA Metro from 11 regional transit agencies. Additional security officers also will be added.

“I feel prepared,” Cheung said, “but you never know what’s going to happen. We’ve done enough major special events to know that you can do all the planning in the world, but you need to make sure that you have contingencies in place and you’re prepared to pivot at a moment’s notice.”

A case in point: when Game 3 of last fall’s World Series went into extra innings, LA Metro immediately extended the operating hours for Metro buses and trains, ensuring people had rides home when the game ended just shy of midnight.

“Part of our preparedness is going through tabletop exercises,” he said. “The point is to ensure that the flow from the parking, from the transit connection and walking up made sense and was intuitive and easy to follow.”

Since Metro trains don’t run directly to SoFi, Cheung has added shuttle buses to take fans from the stations to the stadium. Portable restrooms and hydration stations will be available. And nine park-and-ride sites will be set up around L.A. and Orange counties. Reserve and pay for a parking space and everyone in your car can ride to the stadium for free. (Be sure to bring a lot of friends since the parking fees range from $59 to $102 for the June 12 opening match.)

Cheung said LA Metro has been preparing for the World Cup almost as long as some of the players. When Taylor Swift brought her Eras tour to SoFi in the summer of 2023, LA Metro used that as something of a dress rehearsal for the World Cup, expanding late service and adding free shuttles from nearby train stations.

That increased ridership by 25%, which meant less traffic on the roads and freeways leading to the stadium. A repeat of that could be crucial during the World Cup since five of the eight games played at SoFi are scheduled to start at noon local time.

And just as the Taylor Swift concerts prepared LA Metro for the World Cup, now the World Cup will help inform preparations for the 2028 Olympics.

“A lot of the strategies that we’re doing now — the process for working with not only local jurisdictions, state and federal agencies, as well as the other transit agencies in the regions — we’re setting up ways that are going to help not only for the Olympics and Paralympics, but anytime we need to pull together to support our communities for special events [or] natural disasters.”

For more information on LA Metro services in and around the World Cup, go to www.metro.net/riding/world-cup

⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week’s episode of the “Corner of the Galaxy” podcast.

Rams All-Pro receiver Puka Nacua was present on Monday when the Rams began voluntary offseason workouts at their Woodland Hills training facility.

Nacua, who entered a rehabilitation facility in March, was not among players scheduled to speak with reporters at the outset of the Rams program, which includes three phases and ends in June.

Coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead are scheduled to speak with reporters on Tuesday during a news conference as a lead-in to the NFL draft, which begins Thursday in Pittsburgh.

The Rams, who have the No. 13 pick in the draft, are regarded as a favorite to play in Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium in February.

But they will need Nacua to make that kind of run.

Nacua, 24, was involved in a string of off-the-field situations the last few months, including an alleged biting incident that led to a civil lawsuit.

Nacua led the NFL with 129 receptions last season. He is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and he is eligible for an extension that could equal or surpass the deal Seattle Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba recently signed that includes $120 million in guarantees.

The Rams’ bone-colored uniforms have been sent to the graveyard.

In a release on Thursday, the team unveiled updated Royal Blue and white uniforms and announced subtle changes to logos as part of what the Rams described as “a refined brand and uniform refresh.”

Later this year, according to the release, the Rams will announce two alternate uniforms to go along with the revamped Royal Blue and white ensembles and the black “Midnite Mode” rivalry uniform they debuted last season in a game against the Seattle Seahawks at SoFi Stadium.

But the team “removed the ‘Bone’ uniform from the rotation,” the release said.

The Rams also made other subtle changes. The “LA” monogram no longer includes gradient coloring. The Rams head logo has been “enhanced to appear bolder and tougher for a fiercer expression, and the horn features a sharper, more defined point,” the release said.

The Rams, with reigning NFL most valuable player Matthew Stafford at quarterback, are expected to be a favorite to play in Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium.

The team begins voluntary offseason workouts on Monday in Woodland Hills, and has the No. 13 pick in the NFL draft, which begins Thursday in Pittsburgh.