Metrolink officials say they are preparing for a rise in transit demand during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The event is expected to bring thousands of soccer fans to Southern California this summer. 

During a recent Metrolink board meeting, Special Projects Director Michael Litschi presented an update on transportation planning for the tournament, which will include eight matches at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. 

The World Cup will be hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States and is expected to be the largest competition in FIFA history.

“The projections we’re receiving right now for the L.A. region are about 150,000 additional visitors above what would normally be,” Litschi said. 

All eight games in Los Angeles will be held in SoFi Stadium, which is not directly connected to Metrolink trains.

To help fans get to the games, transit officials plan to coordinate with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which will operate shuttle buses from Union Station to the SoFi Stadium.  

​​Litschi said the shuttle service would operate similarly to the Dodger Express, which transports fans between Union Station and Dodger Stadium during baseball season.

Metrolink officials said current train schedules can handle transportation demands on some games, but others, specifically evening games, and weekend games, require additional trains and schedule adjustments.

Sunday matches also seem to be a challenge because they will require additional services, as Metrolink usually operates on reduced schedules during the weekends.

The biggest challenge “for the most part, we’re pretty good inbound at the beginning of the match to get people to Los Angeles and then to SoFi Stadium,” Litschi said. “The problem comes more on the return trip for the later evening matches.”

The planning for the World Cup is still ongoing because transit agencies are still waiting for additional information from FIFA, including ticket sales data that could help better estimate where soccer fans will be traveling from and to. 

Besides the soccer matches themselves, Los Angeles will be hosting a fan festival expected to draw large crowds. Officials say one festival will be hosted at the Los Angeles Coliseum, and could attract about 40,000 visitors per day. 

Litschi said that Metrolink is also pursuing federal funding to support security preparations during the World Cup. The agency is requesting roughly 1.5 million from the federal World Cup security fund that is administered through FEMA. 

Officials are also conducting a threat and vulnerability assessment to help guide security planning as the World Cup approaches.