SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, has received the lowest fan experience score among the 11 U.S. stadiums slated to host matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to a recent analysis by ticket experts SeatPick.
The study evaluated venues based on several metrics, including hotel prices, crime rates, weather conditions, and the cost of concessions and beer. Each stadium was assigned a composite score out of 10.
SoFi Stadium received a composite score of 5.82 out of 10. Contributing factors included the high cost of beverages, with a pint of beer priced at $14 and a bottle of water at $7. The stadium also registered the highest mosquito risk score, a perfect 10 out of 10, based on Orkin data from March 2024 to April 2025. Hotel costs in the area were also a significant factor, averaging $383 per night, placing Los Angeles as the third most expensive city for accommodation among the host sites.
"We looked at everything that actually determines whether a World Cup trip is enjoyable or miserable — not just ticket prices," Gilad Zilberman, Co-Founder of SeatPick, stated. "The range across these venues is extraordinary."
Top-Ranked Venues
In contrast, Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, topped the rankings with a fan experience score of 8.08. This was attributed to factors such as the cheapest beer prices at $8.58 and low mosquito activity, with a score of 0.5.
Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, secured the second spot with a score of 8.03, followed by Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, which placed third with a score of 7.87. Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, rounded out the top five, earning a score of 7.48.
The analysis provided a complete ranking of the 11 U.S. venues based on their fan experience scores:
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA (8.08) Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO (8.03) Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA (7.87) Lumen Field, Seattle, WA (7.54) Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA (7.48) Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL (7.35) AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX (7.07) Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA (6.44) MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ (6.32) NRG Stadium, Houston, TX (5.96) SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA (5.82)
As of the report, five matches had already been played at the Los Angeles stadium. The U.S. Men's National Soccer Team played there on Thursday night, losing to Turkey 3-2 in the closing seconds. The U.S. team is scheduled to play Bosnia and Herzegovina at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on July 1.