SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Los Angeles, was one of the star venues of the 2026 World Cup, and it earned that status the hard way: by hosting champions. Spain played two of their defining knockout matches there, beating Austria 3-0 in the round of 32 and Belgium 2-1 in the quarter-final, the latter the only match in which anyone scored against the eventual champions. For fans who attended those games, SoFi delivered the modern stadium experience at its best, and also its most expensive.

SoFi's first advantage is that it was built for spectacle. Opened in 2020 as the home of the NFL's Rams and Chargers, it features a translucent roof, a giant hanging video board and a bowl designed so that even upper-tier seats feel close to the action. For World Cup matches, that design mattered: the roof kept the worst of the California sun off fans, the video board made replays and VAR decisions easy to follow, and the acoustics trapped crowd noise. Compared with the open, sun-exposed bowl at MetLife, SoFi felt like a stadium designed for people, not just for capacity.

The stadium's location, however, needs honest discussion. SoFi is in Inglewood, not downtown Los Angeles, and Los Angeles is a city built for cars. Fans who drove faced heavy traffic and expensive parking, while fans who relied on public transport found the options thinner than in cities with dense metro networks. The practical lesson from 2026 is to plan the journey as carefully as the ticket: book parking or a rideshare in advance, allow far more time than the distance suggests, and consider staying in Inglewood or near the stadium corridor rather than across the city.

Inside, SoFi's food, drink and concourse experience was among the best at the tournament, but it came at a price. Concession costs at American stadiums drew complaints throughout 2026, and SoFi was no exception, with fans reporting some of the highest prices in the tournament. The trade-off was quality and variety, and the concourses were wide enough to move around even at half-time. For families, the stadium's size and shelter made it one of the more comfortable venues for children, provided parents had budgeted for the day as a whole rather than just the ticket.

SoFi's tournament legacy is tied to Spain. The 3-0 win over Austria announced that La Roja's knockout form was ruthless, and the 2-1 win over Belgium, sealed by a Mikel Merino goal in the 88th minute after Charles De Ketelaere had equalised, showed their nerve under pressure. Fans who were there saw the champions at their most tested, in a stadium that looked made for television. For future visitors to Los Angeles, SoFi remains a must-see venue, but the 2026 lesson stands: book transport early, budget for concessions, and arrive early enough to enjoy a stadium that rewards those who do.

SoFi also offers a lesson for fans choosing between venues. The best stadium is not always the one with the most history or the biggest capacity, but the one where the whole day works: shelter from the weather, a screen you can actually read, concourses wide enough to move, and a journey home that does not undo the enjoyment of the match. SoFi scored highly on the first three and less well on transport, which is why planning mattered so much there. Fans who treated the journey as part of the ticket, booking parking or rideshares days in advance and staying near Inglewood, consistently rated SoFi among their favourite venues of 2026. Those who left transport to the last minute did not, and that gap is the most useful thing future visitors can learn from the Los Angeles experience.