FIFA World Cup 2026 — SoFi Stadium Employees Call for a Ban on ICE at the Tournament, Otherwise Threaten to Strike

A union representing about 2,000 food service workers at SoFi Stadium said Monday it was demanding FIFA keep U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement away from World Cup operations in Los Angeles and warned that workers could strike if their concerns are not addressed.

Unite Here Local 11, which represents cooks, servers and bartenders at the Inglewood location, said the workers are still without employment contracts as the World Cup approaches.

The union made three key demands of FIFA and stadium owner Kroenke Sports & Entertainment: a public commitment that ICE and Border Patrol will have no role in the tournament, protection of union jobs and working conditions, and support for affordable housing for hospitality workers.

Interior Department acting security director Todd Lyons has said ICE would play a “key role” in the World Cup, a prospect the union said threatened the safety of workers and guests in Los Angeles.

FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. SoFi Stadium representatives declined to comment.

Local 11 said it also wanted assurances that artificial intelligence and automation would not be used to eliminate union jobs during the tournament.

The union linked its labor demands to broader concerns about housing costs in the Los Angeles area, particularly Inglewood, and called for support for a workforce housing fund, restrictions on short-term rentals and tax measures aimed at financing affordable housing and protecting immigrant families.

“FIFA and its corporate sponsors will pocket billions from Los Angeles while refusing to even recognize the chefs, servers and exhibitors who make this event possible,” Kurt Petersen, co-president of Local 11, said in a statement.

The union said it had repeatedly sought meetings with FIFA since Los Angeles was chosen as the host city but had been ignored. Los Angeles will host eight World Cup matches at SoFi Stadium, the first of which will be the US versus Paraguay on June 12.

Published on April 7, 2026