I Went to a USMNT World Cup Game - Here Are the Pros and Cons

World Cup fever is sweeping across North America, and you have a question that keeps mulling through your head: Is it worth it to go to a game this summer?

Well, I went to the opening game for the United States of America on Friday in Los Angeles, and after a full day of activities, waiting in queues, and witnessing the action on the field, I’m here to share my experience while you’re pondering whether you should click that “buy” button on your phone.

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Con: The Price

Let’s get the biggest thing out of the way first. If a ticket is going to send you into debt, go watch the game at a “Fan Fest” near the stadium, or if you’re nowhere near one of those, go to a local bar or restaurant.

While fans were hoping that the ticket prices would drop once the tournament started, they’ve only risen, including the lesser anticipated matches, following the hype of the first few days of the tournament. The day of the U.S. versus Paraguay, the get-in price was nearing $1,500. After the U.S. beat Paraguay 4-1, their next game in Seattle against Australia has skyrocketed to over $2,000 for nosebleed tickets.

It’s possibly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but only do it if it makes some sort of financial sense. Find a community around you if it doesn’t work with your budget, and you’re still going to have a great time.

Pro: The Atmosphere

I’ve been to over 100 events in Los Angeles in my life, and I can firmly say that the U.S. versus Paraguay game is at the top of it. Beyond just the games featuring the national team, the melting pot of every culture across the world converging on North America is awesome. Although the Los Angeles crowd was 95% Americans decked out in red, white, and blue, the tiny contingent supporting Paraguay were loud and vocal even down three goals. Following the game, Paraguayan dancers were mixing it up with Americans dressed as Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. It’s what sports is all about.

Con: The Great Wait

If you’re going to spend on World Cup tickets, get to the venue as early as humanly possible. And I don’t mean showing up two hours before kickoff early. I mean, get there prior to the doors opening four hours before kickoff and make an entire day of it inside the venue. I thought I was playing it smart by getting to SoFi Stadium three hours before kickoff, and I was then directed to a line in one of the blocked off parking lots to wait in a multi-mile-long line for hours under the beaming sun.

After snaking through the parking lot and numerous side streets, we were eventually filtered into a gigantic blob of chaos before making it through a checkpoint to where you’d normally be after parking if you were going to a Rams or Chargers game. All in all, it took two and a half hours for me to get through the throng of humanity and security to get inside and into my seat, completely missing the opening ceremony outside of Katy Perry.

Pro: The Afterparty

While getting into the venue was a mess, the actual aftermath of the game, at least in Los Angeles, was brilliant. You can leave the venue and walk into one of those blocked off parking lots to where they hold one of the “Fan Fest” spots hours after the game is over. Following the big American win, it was the happiest I’ve ever seen a crowd after a sporting event, with families kicking the ball around on the gravel while fans in an array of different nation uniforms were dancing away with the FOX analyst desk a few feet away.

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This story was originally published June 14, 2026 at 5:07 PM.