Thousands of stadium workers vote to strike days before 2026 FIFA World Cup matches, demanding fair pay and a ban on ICE at the tournament, raising risks for the mega-event's operations.
Workers at Los Angeles ' SoFi Stadium, represented by Unite Here Local 11 , are threatening to strike just one week before the stadium is scheduled to host its first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The union, which includes over 2,000 cooks, dishwashers, concession workers, bartenders, and servers, voted overwhelmingly (96%) in favor of strike action. The core disputes revolve around stagnant wages despite rising costs and the union's demand to prohibit Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol from having any presence at the tournament during the World Cup.
These workers have been without a contract since their previous agreement with stadium operator Legends Global expired last year, and they cite a lack of progress in recent negotiations. The potential strike could see the massive global event begin without staff to sell food and beverages to spectators. Beyond economic concerns, the threat of immigration enforcement has created a climate of fear.
Workers report that when federal agents conducted operations in Los Angeles last year, hundreds of SoFi employees stayed home. The stadium's proximity to locations like a Home Depot and an El Super grocery store, known sites for immigration raids, has heightened anxiety. Union members have created networks to alert each other to suspicious activity and avoid traveling alone.
The situation intensified in February when then-acting ICE director Todd Lyons testified that the agency would play a role in World Cup security. In response, the union has directly appealed to FIFA and the stadium's owner, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, to mandate a ICE-free zone for the tournament.
During a May press conference, union leaders highlighted the human toll, sharing the story of a member who was arrested in an ICE ambush after a routine courthouse check-in, leaving his distraught family, including young children, behind. The union maintains a legal defense fund that has helped release about a dozen members detained since Donald Trump's return to the presidency.
Workers acknowledge that Legends Global may not have the legal authority to restrict federal operations, but they see the World Cup as a unique leverage point to pressure both FIFA and the federal government by threatening to halt labor during a profit-generating mega-event. FIFA has not commented directly on the standoff, though its president Gianni Infantino has previously aligned himself with Trump.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson stated that ICE agents will be present at airports and around World Cup sites to support security operations, emphasizing their role is focused on public safety, not checking immigration status. The union's stance is clear: FIFA is hosting a sporting event, not governing the city, and neither Infantino nor Trump were elected to decide the safety of Los Angeles residents.
The outcome of this labor dispute could set a significant precedent for worker protections at mega-events and the intersection of immigration policy with major international gatherings. As the World Cup approaches, the world will watch whether the tournament proceeds with full stadium services or faces operational disruption from a labor walkout, placing the onus on stadium management, FIFA, and the U.S. government to resolve the standoff
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