Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said he doesn’t expect federal immigration enforcement activities at the FIFA World Cup 2026 soccer games in Los Angeles that start June 12.
Some reporting in recent weeks indicated that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers might attend the games, Luna told a press conference of local, state, and federal authorities.
“I personally called the head of Homeland Security for the L.A. region,” Luna told reporters June 1 at a press conference ahead of the event. “In regard to civil immigration enforcement, they told us that would specifically not be occurring at any of the games.
“Any of that is subject to change, but I have trust that they’re giving me the appropriate information, because if that starts occurring, we’re going to have a whole new host of problems,” Luna added.
Immigration operations in downtown Los Angeles last summer sparked riots and resulted in multiple arrests.
Federal and local authorities are gearing up for the influx of fans expected to attend the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 soccer games in Los Angeles.
“We’re excited,” Luna said. “We want everyone to enjoy this as much as we can. We want you to have fun, as well. As we prepare, it is our hope that everyone attending has a positive experience.”
The 39-day tournament could draw up to 180,000 out-of-town visitors and deliver a quarter of a billion dollars in increased wages for workers in Southern California, according to the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission.
The commission estimates the event could deliver up to $595 million to the Los Angeles-area economy.
The Southern California games will be played at Los Angeles Stadium—also called SoFi Stadium—in Inglewood, about 12 miles west of downtown Los Angeles.
The 104-game tournament will feature 48 teams across 16 host cities in three countries—Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Los Angeles will host USA vs. Paraguay on June 12, on the second day of the tournament at Los Angeles Stadium.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna holds a press conference following an explosion at the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department’s Biscailuz Training Center in East Los Angeles, Calif., on July 18, 2025. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
Other U.S. cities to host the games will be San Francisco, Houston, Seattle, Dallas, Kansas City (Missouri), Atlanta, Miami, New York, New Jersey, Boston, and Philadelphia.
In Los Angeles, law enforcement is increasing staffing around Iran’s two games—June 15 and June 21.
“For us, we take an all-hazards approach,” Luna said. “But Iran does take a different dynamic. There will be additional staffing for some of those games and some contingency plans to make sure we are prepared for anything around the stadium.”
The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office Assistant Director in Charge Patrick Grandy said he was working with partners to secure the event, especially around the issue of unmanned aircraft. Operators of drones were warned not to use them in the game area.
A 2026 FIFA World Cup logo is pictured at a press conference of Belgian national soccer team Red Devils in Atlanta on March 27, 2026. The team is preparing for tomorrow's friendly match against the United States in preparation for the 2026 World Cup. (Dirk Waem/BELGA MAG/Belga/AFP via Getty Images)
Anyone operating a drone in areas that are restricted or using them improperly could face federal charges, fines up to $100,000, and have their drones confiscated. Drone pilots can check FAA.gov/uas for information.
“We will be deploying drone mitigation,” Grandy said.
The U.S. Secret Service has also prepared to protect foreign dignitaries attending the games and is working with partners to secure the event.
David Burris, FIFA’s West Coast safety and security director, encouraged people to report anything that may look “out of the ordinary,” but overall he said he believes they can pull together a very successful event.
“We think we are ready to deliver this to the city,” Burris said.
