Lifeline for Venice Beach as World Cup transforms city into its former self: ‘Much more than sports’

Thousands of fans packed one of the world’s most iconic beaches for a two-day World Cup festival — a hopeful sign for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

FIFA hosted the Los Angeles World Cup 26 Fan Zone at Venice Beach for the tournament’s quarterfinal matches on July 10th and July 11th.

The event at Venice Beach was one of ten official Fan Zones hosted across Los Angeles County.

“We’ve had over 5000 people both days, and we were expecting the same again tomorrow. Seeing partners like Metro, Councilmember Traci Park and so many community organizations here together has been incredible. Then Rio Ferdinand comes on stage and starts singing Sweet Caroline that doesn’t happen every day,” event producer Jon Besant told the OC Register.

“Venice Beach just showed the world what’s possible. Read how the Official FIFA World Cup Fan Zone energized local businesses, united the community, and offered a bold preview of LA28,” said Councilmember Traci Park on Instagram.

Venice Beach has faced massive tourism struggles throughout the last few years, but the World Cup event is sparking some hope amongst officials and residents.

“I’ve had a business here for about 20 years. I actually closed my store last year because we had such a lack of tourism. Watching thousands of visitors return to Venice this weekend, offering something many local merchants have been waiting years to experience… Even though there are things we know we can improve, it’s a great runway for setting us up for success toward the Olympics,” a longtime Venice resident said.

Los Angeles is set to host the 2028 Olympics from July 14 through July 30 and the 2028 Paralympic Games for the first time from August 15 to August 27.

The Venice event hosted three World Cup quarterfinal matches shown on a massive LED screen, with live music and DJ’s featuring between and after the games.

General Admission tickets were free on a first-come, first-served basis with VIP experiences available.