A recent analysis has ranked the World Cup venues across the U.S., and SoFi Stadium has emerged as a significant underperformer.
According to ticket experts, the evaluation considered all 11 stadiums set to host matches in the 2026 World Cup. Methods included examining factors like hotel prices, crime statistics, weather conditions, beverage costs, and even complaints about mosquitoes.
Each venue received a final fan experience rating out of 10, and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood came in last place.
With a rating of just 5.82 out of 10, the Los Angeles venue’s poor score can be attributed to several factors, including sky-high prices for drinks—$14 for a beer and $7 for water.
Additionally, it had the highest mosquito risk score, a solid 10 out of 10, based on Orkin’s survey of the most significant hotspots from March 2024 to April 2025.
Hotel rates weren’t much better, averaging around $383 per night for fans.
“We took a look at various factors that contribute to whether your World Cup experience is enjoyable or, well, not so great—not just the price of tickets,” said SeaPick co-founder Gilad Zilberman.
Interestingly, on the other side of the spectrum, Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, ranked highest in terms of fan experience, boasting a score of 8.08. It features the lowest beer prices at $8.58 and minimal mosquito activity at 0.5.
Following closely in second place was Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, with a score of 8.03, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, came in third at 7.87.
Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara also completed the top five with a score of 7.48, showcasing a decent fan experience.
As of now, LA Stadium has hosted five matches, including a recent game where the U.S. men’s national soccer team lost to Turkey 3-2 in a nail-biting finish.
The next game for the USA is against Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1 at Santa Clara Stadium.
The complete list of venues ranked by fan experience is as follows:
- Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA (8.08)
- Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri (8.03)
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia (7.87)
- Lumen Field, Seattle, WA (7.54)
- Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California (7.48)
- Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL (7.35)
- AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas (7.07)
- Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (6.44)
- MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ (6.32)
- NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas (5.96)
- SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA (5.82)
