Los Angeles Stadium workers urge FIFA to bar ICE from World Cup

play Live Sign upShow navigation menu.css-15ru6p1{font-size:inherit;font-weight:normal;}Navigation menuNewsShow more news sectionsAfricaAsiaUS & CanadaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle EastExplainedOpinionSportVideoMoreShow more sectionsFeaturesEconomyHuman RightsClimate CrisisInvestigationsInteractivesIn PicturesScience & TechnologyPodcastsTravelplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upNavigation menucaret-leftTrendingUS-Israeli war on IranTracking Israel's ceasefire violationsRussia-Ukraine warDonald Trumpcaret-rightSport|World Cup 2026Los Angeles Stadium workers urge FIFA to bar ICE from World CupA workers’ union at the World Cup venue has asked FIFA to keep ICE agents away from the venue to alleviate their fears. twitterwhatsappcopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoThe SoFi Stadium, which will be called the Los Angeles Stadium during the FIFA World Cup, will host eight games during the tournament [Kyusung Gong/AP]By ReutersPublished On 7 Apr 20267 Apr 2026A union representing about 2,000 food service workers at the Los Angeles Stadium has asked FIFA to keep United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) away from World Cup operations in the city and warned ⁠workers could strike if their concerns are not addressed. Unite Here Local 11, which represents cooks, servers and bartenders at the Inglewood venue, said on Monday that the workers ⁠remain without a labour contract as the World Cup approaches. The union laid out three main demands to FIFA and stadium owner Kroenke Sports & Entertainment: A public commitment that ICE and Border Patrol will play no role in the tournament, protections ‌for union jobs and working conditions, and support for affordable housing for hospitality workers. Acting director of ICE, Todd Lyons, has said ICE would play a “key part” in the World Cup, a prospect the union said threatened worker and guest safety in Los Angeles. Local 11 said it also wanted assurances that artificial ⁠intelligence and automation would not be used during the tournament to eliminate union jobs. The union linked its labour demands to broader concerns over housing costs in the Los Angeles area, particularly ⁠in Inglewood, and called for support for a workforce housing fund, restrictions on short-term rentals and tax measures aimed ⁠at funding affordable housing and immigrant family protections. “FIFA ⁠and its corporate sponsors will pocket billions from Los Angeles while refusing to even acknowledge the cooks, servers, and stand attendants who make this event possible,” Kurt Petersen, co-president of Local 11, ‌said in a statement. The union said it had repeatedly sought meetings with FIFA since Los Angeles was chosen as a host city, but had been ignored. ‌ The venue is known as the SoFi Stadium, but has been rebranded to the Los Angeles Stadium for the World Cup due to sponsor clashes. Los ‌Angeles is set to host eight World Cup matches at the stadium, the first being the US against Paraguay on June 12. Advertisement AboutAboutShow moreAbout UsCode of EthicsTerms and ConditionsEU/EEA Regulatory NoticePrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyCookie PreferencesAccessibility StatementSitemapWork for usConnectConnectShow moreContact UsUser Accounts HelpAdvertise with usStay ConnectedNewslettersChannel FinderTV SchedulePodcastsSubmit a TipPaid Partner ContentOur ChannelsOur ChannelsShow moreAl Jazeera ArabicAl Jazeera EnglishAl Jazeera Investigative UnitAl Jazeera MubasherAl Jazeera DocumentaryAl Jazeera BalkansAJ+Our NetworkOur NetworkShow moreAl Jazeera Centre for StudiesAl Jazeera Media InstituteLearn ArabicAl Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human RightsAl Jazeera ForumAl Jazeera Hotel PartnersFollow Al Jazeera English: