Culver City to host free World Cup Screenings
The city will screen several games on a large LED display and host the showing of a Paraguayan documentary about its national team, highlighting player stories.
Culver City will bring festivities to its borders with the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In addition to various watch parties and events for games running from June 12 to July 19, Paraguay will host a documentary screening in Culver City. As the first country the U.S. faces at SoFi Stadium (rebranded as Los Angeles Stadium for the event) during the World Cup, Paraguay will present this film at a city-sponsored event before that game on June 12, featuring stories of its players’ journeys.
The city is planning to host its first World Cup viewing party for that matchup at Veterans Memorial Park, starting at 6 p.m. Parties will be equipped with the City’s trailer-mounted high-definition LED screen to ensure visibility, though city staff expects fewer than 1,000 people at each of these locally focused free events.
They are currently scheduled for the following dates and locations:
- June 12 - 6 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park (USA vs. Paraguay)
- June 24 - 6 p.m. at Tellefson Park - (Mexico vs. TBD)
- June 25 - 7 p.m. at Ivy Station (USA vs. TBD) (City Sponsored)
- June 26 - 8 p.m. at Ivy Station (NZ/Belgium) (City Sponsored)
- July 11 - 2 p.m. - Semi-Finals at Veterans Memorial Park- Family Field Day
- July 19 - 6 p.m. - Finals at Town Plaza, Downtown Culver City (City Sponsored with Downtown Business Association)
Event slogans for the city’s marketing campaign connected to the World Cup were decided on Monday. Councilmember Yasmine-Imani McMorrin, reflecting city staff views, emphasized: “shorter is sweeter.”
The city selected three slogans for banners and promotions: “Lights. Camera. Goal!,” “Kick it with Culver City,” and “Soccer Action Starts Here.”
McMorrin also proposed a short community survey to gauge community input on the events and slogans, with the results to be presented at an update in April.
As he has for past major events and the Entertainment District proposal in the Downtown Culver City area, Vice Mayor Bubba Fish suggested closing streets as a potential option for the Finals Watch Party.
His reasoning was similar to that shared when the Downtown Entertainment Zone was initially proposed: a significant number of pedestrians who have consumed alcohol creates a potential safety risk when paired with busy, vehicle-filled streets.
Should that Entertainment Zone — which would allow open carry of alcoholic beverages in Downtown Culver City — be implemented when the World Cup arrives, staff recommends its activation for the Finals Watch Party.
Christian May-Suzuki
Fish also suggested including Main Street in plans for the July 19 event, which Councilmember Dan O’Brien also supported. O’Brien wanted to ensure the Culver City Downtown Business Association was open to the idea, and city staff confirmed this for him Monday night.
He noted that these events are somewhat distant from the Fox Hills neighborhood and asked staff about the possibility of locating events closer to that neighborhood. Venues were chosen based on logistics in collaboration with the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services (PRCS) Commission, according to Special Events Coordinator Edgar Varela.
Along with the traditional venue for major city events at the Town Plaza, Veterans Memorial Park and Tellefson Park were chosen for several specific reasons.
“We were looking at which locations had parking, which locations were able to accommodate the screen,” Varela said. “[Veterans Memorial Park and Tellefson Park] were the two parks [the PRCS Commission] recommended for the highest possibility of a successful event.”
Pairing the screening of the semi-final matchup on July 11 with the city’s Family Field Day at Veterans Memorial Park was another key factor in locating that event. Tellefson Park was selected in part to connect residents with nearby businesses on Washington Boulevard, providing both community engagement and logistical advantages.
Issuing a Request For Proposal for a Beer and Wine Garden similar to those seen at past Fiesta La Ballona events for the two events at Veterans Memorial Park was also approved as part of the final motion, which passed unanimously.
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