Prateek Tanmay
3 min readJun 6, 2026 09:52 PM IST
Even as hosts United States prepare for their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign-opener against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium, workers at the venue have voted to authorize a strike. The 2,000-strong staff of bartenders, servers, cooks and dishwashers in the Inglewood-based stadium thus has the option to walk off the job on June 13, after contract talks stalled with the stadium’s food service provider.
Associated Press quoted union member Yolanda Fierro as saying that workers were concerned about pay and security on the job amid ramped-up immigration enforcement under USA president Donald Trump’s administration.
“What good is the World Cup for Los Angeles when workers don’t earn enough to pay the rent and must choose between showing up and being kidnapped by ICE?” said Kurt Petersen, co-president of UNITE HERE Local 11, as per the report. “If we’re forced to strike, those USD 100,000 FIFA suites will have nothing but bottled water and Doritos.”
Los Angeles county sheriff Robert Luna had earlier said the United States department of homeland security told him federal authorities would be at the World Cup games to help with security but not civil immigration enforcement.
Meanwhile, Legends Global, which handles hospitality at the venue, said the company has a longstanding relationship with the union and is committed to reaching an agreement through contract negotiations. “We look forward to delivering an outstanding hospitality experience for fans at the FIFA World Cup matches at SoFi Stadium,” the company said in a statement.
Petersen said contract talks were moving at a “glacial” pace. He added that Legends had agreed to tiny wage increases for cooks and dishwashers and freezes for some suite attendants and bartenders, even as the quadrennial showpiece is expected to rake in considerable revenue.
The union is also seeking Legends’ support with protections from subcontracting and potential federal immigration raids.
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Community groups in other World Cup host cities like Atlanta and Miami have also called for a moratorium on USA immigration enforcement during the games, fearing arrests near stadiums and watch parties could spoil the festivities. The World Cup is expected to draw lakhs of fans to the record 104 games between June 11 and July 19 across 16 host cities in USA, Canada and Mexico.
