Big tournaments are no longer only about what happens inside the ground. They are about reach, atmosphere and how a host city absorbs the event.
That matters in a city like Los Angeles, where travel, scale and cost shape every major event. If the reported plan holds, the organisers are aiming for a wider World Cup experience rather than a stadium-only one.
The report says venues including Venice Beach, Whittier Narrows and Pomona Fairplex are in the frame. That points to a deliberate choice: make the World Cup feel regional, not just attached to SoFi Stadium.
That is important because modern World Cups thrive on visibility. A host city needs watch parties, public screens and gathering points as much as it needs corporate hospitality. The tournament lands best when it feels lived in.
A reported opener between the United States and Paraguay would give the host nation an immediate focal point. Home openers carry pressure, but they also drive momentum in the city around them - transport, tourism, security and fan culture all rise quickly once kickoff gets close.
The next detail to watch is how these fan zones are finalised and operated in the final run-up to the tournament. If the rollout is smooth, Los Angeles could offer one of the broadest public World Cup experiences in the United States, well beyond the seats inside SoFi Stadium.