SoFi Stadium
SoFi Stadium isn't just a sports venue; it's an architectural marvel that reshaped the Los Angeles skyline and brought two NFL teams home to Inglewood. This colossal complex, with its striking translucent roof and cutting-edge technology, stands as a testament to modern design and a hub for some of the world's most anticipated events. It's a place where innovation meets entertainment on an unprecedented scale. SoFi Stadium is one of only two NFL stadiums shared by two teams, designed with a unique climate-controlled, translucent canopy and an enormous double-sided video board. The stadium was built on the historic site of Hollywood Park Racetrack, evolving from initial speculative land purchases into a massive mixed-use entertainment district. Despite construction delays and a pandemic-affected opening, SoFi Stadium has quickly established itself as a premier global event destination, hosting a Super Bowl, and slated for the Olympics and FIFA World Cup.
AI Summary
SoFi Stadium isn't just a sports venue; it's an architectural marvel that reshaped the Los Angeles skyline and brought two NFL teams home to Inglewood. This colossal complex, with its striking translucent roof and cutting-edge technology, stands as a testament to modern design and a hub for some of the world's most anticipated events. It's a place where innovation meets entertainment on an unprecedented scale.
- SoFi Stadium is one of only two NFL stadiums shared by two teams, designed with a unique climate-controlled, translucent canopy and an enormous double-sided video board.
- The stadium was built on the historic site of Hollywood Park Racetrack, evolving from initial speculative land purchases into a massive mixed-use entertainment district.
- Despite construction delays and a pandemic-affected opening, SoFi Stadium has quickly established itself as a premier global event destination, hosting a Super Bowl, and slated for the Olympics and FIFA World Cup.
Welcome to SoFi Stadium
Nestled in Inglewood, a vibrant suburb of Los Angeles, SoFi Stadium stands as a beacon of modern sports and entertainment. This multi-purpose indoor arena occupies the historic grounds of the former Hollywood Park Racetrack, breathing new life into a storied locale and anchoring a sprawling mixed-use development.
Opened its doors in September 2020, the stadium boasts a substantial capacity of 70,240, which can swell to over 100,000 for truly monumental occasions. It's not just big, it's technologically advanced, featuring a distinctive translucent roof made of ETFE panels that bathes the interior in natural light while keeping the elements at bay.
SoFi Stadium holds a rare distinction in the NFL: it's one of only two stadiums in the league that serves as home turf for two separate teams. The Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers both share this impressive venue, making it a constant hub of football action throughout the season.
Beyond regular season football, SoFi has rapidly become a go-to destination for elite events. It proudly hosted Super Bowl LVI in 2022 and the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship. Looking ahead, it's set to feature prominently in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and even serve as a key venue for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Architectural Grandeur and Innovation
A Canopy Like No Other
The stadium's design, masterminded by HKS, is nothing short of visionary. At its core is an independently supported translucent canopy, a million-square-foot marvel of engineering. This canopy isn't just for the stadium bowl itself; it also extends over an adjacent pedestrian plaza and a connected performance venue, creating a cohesive, sheltered environment.
Comprising 302 ETFE panels, 46 of which can be opened for natural ventilation, the canopy is supported by an intricate cable net. But its genius doesn't stop there—27,000 embedded LED pucks can transform the roof into a giant screen, capable of displaying images and videos visible even to planes flying into nearby Los Angeles International Airport.
The stadium bowl itself features open sides, a design choice that, despite the roof, leaves it susceptible to unique conditions, as demonstrated by an NFL game delay due to lightning. Adjacent to the main stadium, the YouTube Theater offers a more intimate setting with 6,000 seats, showcasing the complex's versatility as distinct facilities under one magnificent roof.
The Infinity Screen: A Digital Masterpiece
Suspended dramatically over the field is the Infinity Screen by Samsung, an ovular, double-sided 4K HDR video board. This groundbreaking structure, weighing a staggering 2.2 million pounds, is the first of its kind, displaying an incredible 80 million pixels across its immense surface. It's more than just a screen; it also houses the stadium's powerful 260-speaker audio system and 56 5G wireless antennas, ensuring an immersive experience from every angle.
Artificial Turf Advantage
While California's climate often favors natural grass fields, SoFi Stadium made a deliberate choice for artificial turf. This decision was driven by the practical challenges of maintaining a pristine grass surface for two demanding NFL teams, ensuring consistent playability throughout a busy schedule.
Acclaimed Design
The innovative design of SoFi Stadium has earned it numerous accolades. These include the prestigious "Stadium of the Year" by StadiumDB's Jury Award and the "Outstanding Architectural Engineering Project" of 2021 by the American Society of Civil Engineers, recognizing its profound impact on both design and civil engineering.
The Genesis of a Landmark
From Racetrack to Mega-Venue
The land where SoFi Stadium now stands has a rich history, once home to the iconic Hollywood Park Racetrack from 1938 until its closure in 2013. Interestingly, an NFL stadium nearly rose here decades earlier. In 1995, a plan for a privately funded stadium for the Los Angeles Raiders was approved, but then-owner Al Davis ultimately rejected the deal, in part due to a stipulation requiring him to accept a second team.
The stadium's modern story began in earnest in January 2014, when Stan Kroenke, owner of the St. Louis Rams, quietly purchased a 60-acre parcel of land adjacent to the Hollywood Park site. This ignited a flurry of speculation, hinting at the potential return of the Rams to Los Angeles after nearly half a century away.
By January 2015, the vision became clearer. Kroenke Sports & Entertainment partnered with Stockbridge Capital Group to officially announce plans for a massive multi-purpose stadium and an attached performance arts venue. The project was designed to anchor a comprehensive mixed-use neighborhood, complete with retail, office space, residential units, a luxury hotel, and extensive public parks.
This ambitious Inglewood project wasn't without competition. Simultaneously, the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers put forth a rival proposal for a privately financed stadium in Carson, California. The two projects spent 2015 vying for the NFL's crucial approval, ultimately setting the stage for one to move forward and the other to fade.
Financing a Colossus
The stadium was financed privately, an extraordinary feat, though initial estimates of $2.66 billion quickly escalated. By March 2018, internal NFL documents revealed a need to raise the debt ceiling to nearly $5 billion. With further loans approved in May 2020, the final cost ballooned to an astounding $5.5 billion, making SoFi Stadium the most expensive stadium ever built globally.
Construction Milestones and Hurdles
The NFL officially approved the Inglewood proposal and the Rams' relocation on January 12, 2016. Turner Construction and AECOM Hunt were appointed to oversee the immense project. Groundbreaking began in November 2016, a ceremonial start featuring NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Rams' owner Stan Kroenke.
However, the stadium's proximity to LAX presented significant challenges, triggering prolonged reviews by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Concerns about radar interference initially led the FAA to recommend an alternative site and delayed permits for construction cranes. Eventually, after thorough assessment, the necessary approvals were granted, allowing the monumental construction to proceed.
Record rainfall in the area during construction pushed back the stadium's completion from 2019 to the 2020 NFL season. This delay proved to be a harbinger of the unique circumstances surrounding its eventual opening.
In a testament to the Hollywood Park development's scope, the NFL announced in March 2018 that its entire NFL Media unit, including NFL Network and NFL Films, would relocate to a new 200,000-square-foot facility neighboring the stadium. The stadium itself was ceremonially topped out in June 2018, marking a significant structural milestone.
The final stages of construction in early 2020 coincided with the global COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the unprecedented challenges, including a temporary halt after a tragic worker fatality, construction was deemed critical infrastructure and continued with heightened safety protocols. This perseverance ensured the stadium's readiness amidst an uncertain world.
A Delayed but Triumphant Debut
First Games and Glimmers of Normalcy
The pandemic forced the cancellation of the entire NFL preseason, leading to the Rams' first practice at SoFi Stadium on August 22, 2020, behind closed doors. The inaugural NFL event, the Rams hosting the Dallas Cowboys, took place on September 13, 2020, kicking off the Sunday Night Football season in an empty stadium. The Chargers followed suit a week later.
The first athletic contest with spectators finally occurred on May 15, 2021, when the LA Giltinis rugby team played before a limited crowd. Later that year, on September 12, the Los Angeles Rams hosted the Chicago Bears, marking the first NFL regular-season game at SoFi Stadium with a full complement of cheering fans.
Many of the initially announced summer concerts, including Taylor Swift's Lover Fest, were cancelled or postponed due to the pandemic. However, the stadium eventually roared to life with events like the Global Citizen Vax Live concert in May 2021, featuring global stars, and later welcomed artists like Kaskade and the reunion tour of Mexican regional music group Los Bukis, filling the stadium to capacity.
In late 2021, the K-pop sensation BTS made history with their 'Permission to Dance on Stage—LA' concerts at SoFi Stadium. These four sold-out shows grossed an astonishing $33.3 million, setting records as the highest-grossing concert engagement in California history and the second-largest in North America overall, a true testament to the venue's appeal.
The stadium's versatility has also shone through with unique events like Monster Jam, which first arrived in April 2023 and is set to return multiple times in the coming years. Additionally, it will host the prestigious Honda Battle of the Bands in 2025, bringing an exciting new spectacle to the West Coast.
The Names Behind the Vision
Record-Breaking Naming Rights
On September 15, 2019, the stadium's official name was unveiled: SoFi Stadium. The San Francisco-based financial services company secured the naming rights in a landmark 20-year deal valued at over $30 million per year. This record-setting agreement established SoFi as a key partner for both the Rams and Chargers, as well as the surrounding entertainment district.
Within the complex, other prominent names also took their place. The expansive covered plaza between the playing field and the YouTube Theater was named American Airlines Plaza, recognizing the airline's significant hub at nearby LAX. The attached performance venue, itself a hub for concerts and events, was officially christened the YouTube Theater in June 2021.
For global events, corporate sponsorships take a back seat. During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, SoFi Stadium will be temporarily known as 'Los Angeles Stadium.' Similarly, for the 2028 Summer Olympics, it will proudly bear the name 'LA Olympic Stadium,' honoring FIFA and Olympic policies on corporate-sponsored venues.
A Dual Home for LA Football
The journey to two NFL tenants began when the St. Louis Rams received NFL approval to relocate to Los Angeles on January 12, 2016. As part of this agreement, the San Diego Chargers were given the first option to join the Rams and share the new stadium, contingent on a lease agreement.
On January 29, 2016, the Rams and Chargers reached an agreement in principle to share SoFi Stadium. Both teams committed significant financial contributions, including a $200 million stadium loan from the NFL and personal seat license fees, along with a symbolic $1 per year in rent, solidifying their partnership in this monumental venture.
Article
SoFi Stadium
SoFi Stadium ( SOH-fy) is a multi-purpose indoor stadium in Inglewood, California, United States, a suburb of Los Angeles. SoFi occupies the former site of the Hollywood Park Racetrack and neighbors the Kia Forum and Intuit Dome.
Opened in September 2020, the stadium has a capacity of 70,240, expandable to over 100,000 for major events, and a translucent roof made of ETFE panels allowing for sunlight and climate control. It is home to the National Football League (NFL)'s Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers. The stadium hosted Super Bowl LVI in 2022, the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship, WrestleMania 39 in 2023, the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup final, and the LA Bowl from 2021 to 2025. It hosted eight matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including the United States opening match against Paraguay. It will host Super Bowl LXI in 2027, and the opening ceremony and swimming events for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
SoFi Stadium is one of two stadiums currently shared by a pair of NFL teams, the other being MetLife Stadium shared by the New York Giants and New York Jets. It is the first stadium complex outside of the New York metropolitan area to host two NFL teams concurrently. The stadium lies within the Hollywood Park complex, a mixed-use neighborhood on the site of the former racetrack. Hollywood Park Casino re-opened in a new building on the property in October 2016, becoming the development's first establishment to open.
Design
SoFi Stadium
Southwest entrance into American Airlines Plaza between the stadium and the YouTube Theater
East entrance
The escalators at SoFi Stadium; September 18, 2022
SoFi Stadium was designed by HKS and consists of the stadium itself, a pedestrian plaza, and a performance venue. Above the stadium is an independently supported translucent canopy which covers the stadium proper, the adjacent pedestrian plaza, and the attached performance venue. The million-square-foot canopy is made up of 302 ETFE panels, 46 of which can be opened to provide ventilation, supported by a cable net. The canopy has 27,000 embedded LED pucks, which can display images and video that can also be seen from airplanes flying into Los Angeles International Airport. The stadium bowl has open sides and seats 70,240 spectators for most events, with the ability to expand by 30,000 seats for larger events. Despite the roof, the open sides of the stadium still make it vulnerable to lightning delays, with the first such delay in an NFL game between the Chargers and the Las Vegas Raiders on October 4, 2021. The attached music and theatre venue, known as YouTube Theater, has a capacity of 6,000 seats. The stadium and performance center are considered to be separate facilities under one roof. While the stadium has a skylight roof on top, it is an open-air facility that has often been mistaken as a traditional climate-controlled domed stadium due to how its structure looks from afar and/or on television broadcasts.
Another component of the stadium's design is the Infinity Screen by Samsung, an ovular, double-sided 4K HDR video board, the first of its kind, that is suspended from the roof over the field. Formerly known as "the Oculus" before a name change, the structure weighs 2.2 million pounds (1,000 t) and displays 80 million pixels. The Infinity Screen also houses the stadium's 260-speaker audio system by JBL professionals as well as 56 5G wireless antennas.
Outdoor sports in California are usually played on grass due to the state's highly favorable climate. However, a grass field is very difficult to maintain to an acceptable standard when it is used by more than one gridiron football team. Because SoFi Stadium was intended from the outset to be used by two NFL teams, the designers opted not to install a natural playing surface. The stadium joined California Memorial Stadium and Valley Children's Stadium as the only major sports facilities in California currently in use to have artificial turf installed.
Awards
SoFi Stadium has won a number of industry awards for its design, including, but not limited to:
• "Stadium of the Year" in StadiumDB's Jury Award. • "Outstanding Architectural Engineering Project" of 2021 by the American Society of Civil Engineers. • The "Excellence in Action" Award to West Basin Municipal Water District (West Basin), the City of Inglewood, and other project partners for the SoFi Stadium Recycled Water Project. • Steel Winner in Tekla's North America BIM Awards
History
Background
The stadium site was previously home to Hollywood Park, later sold and referred to as Betfair Hollywood Park, which was a thoroughbred race course from 1938 until it was shut down for racing and training in December 2013. Most of the complex was demolished in 2014 to make way for new construction with the rest demolished in late 2016 after the Hollywood Park Casino, which remained open after the track itself closed, moved to a new building. The current stadium was not the first stadium proposed for the site. The site was almost home to an NFL stadium two decades earlier. In May 1995, after the departure of the Rams for St. Louis, the NFL team owners approved, by a 27–1 vote with two abstentions, a resolution supporting a plan to build a $200 million, privately funded stadium on property owned by Hollywood Park for the Los Angeles Raiders. Al Davis, who was then the Raiders owner, balked and refused the deal over a stipulation that he would have had to accept a second team at the stadium.
On January 31, 2014, the Los Angeles Times reported that Stan Kroenke, owner of the St. Louis Rams, purchased a 60-acre (24 ha) parcel of land just north of the Hollywood Park site in the area that had been studied by the NFL in the past for the 1995 Raiders proposal and that the league at one point attempted to purchase. This set off immediate speculation as to what Kroenke's intentions were for the site: After the site's former Hollywood Park owners gave up on getting an NFL stadium for the site in the mid-2000s it was sold and planned to be a Walmart Supercenter; however, in 2014, most of the speculation centered on the site as a possible stadium site or training facility for the Rams. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell represented that Kroenke informed the league of the purchase. As an NFL owner, any purchase of land in which a potential stadium could be built must be disclosed to the league. Speculation about the Rams' returning to their home of nearly fifty years had already been discussed when Kroenke was one of the finalists in bidding for ownership in the Los Angeles Dodgers, but speculation increased when the news broke that the Rams owner had a possible stadium site in hand.
2015 aerial view of former racetrack and complex site, with the Downtown Los Angeles skyline in background
Nearly a year went by without a word from Kroenke about his intentions for the land, as he failed to ever address the St. Louis media, or the Hollywood Park Land Company, about what the site may be used for. There was, however, speculation about the future of the Rams franchise until it was reported that the National Football League would not be allowing any franchise relocation for the 2015 season.
On January 5, 2015, Stockbridge Capital Group, the owners of the Hollywood Park Land Company, announced that it had partnered with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment to add the northern 60-acre (24 ha) parcel to the rest of the development project and build a multi-purpose 70,240-seat stadium designed for the NFL. The project would include the stadium and a performance arts venue attached to the stadium with up to 6,000 seats. The previously approved Hollywood Park development was reconfigured to fit the stadium, and included plans for up to 900,000 square feet (84,000 m2) of retail, 800,000 square feet (74,000 m2) of office space, 2,500 new residential units, a luxury hotel with over 300 rooms, 25 acres (10 ha) of public parks, playgrounds, open space, a lake, and pedestrian, bicycle, and mass-transit access for future services. On February 24, 2015, the Inglewood City Council approved plans with a 5–0 unanimous vote to combine the 60-acre (24 ha) plot of land with the larger Hollywood Park development and rezone the area to include sports and entertainment capabilities. This essentially cleared the way for developers to begin construction on the venue as planned in December 2015.
It was reported in early February 2015, that "earth was being moved" and the site was being graded in preparation for the construction that would begin later in the year.
The project was competing directly with a rival proposal. On February 19, 2015, the Oakland Raiders and the San Diego Chargers announced plans for a privately financed $1.85 billion stadium that the two teams would have built in Carson if they were to move to the Los Angeles market. The project was, like the Inglewood project, also approved to move forward and cleared for development. The two projects spent the remainder of 2015 jockeying for the right to get approved by the NFL.
Financing
The stadium was built privately, but as of 2015, the developer was seeking significant tax breaks from Inglewood. At the commencement of construction, the cost of the stadium was estimated at $2.66 billion. But internal league documents, produced by the NFL in March 2018, indicated a need to raise the debt ceiling for the stadium and facility to a total of $4.963 billion. Team owners voted to approve this new debt ceiling at a meeting that same month. Another $500 million in loans was approved by the NFL in May 2020, putting the total cost at $5.5 billion and making it the most expensive stadium ever built.
Construction
2016 aerial view of the stadium construction site, adjacent to The Forum. The new Hollywood Park Casino is in the foreground.
The NFL approved the Inglewood proposal and the Rams' relocation back to Los Angeles, 30–2, on January 12, 2016, over the rival proposal. On July 14, 2016, it was announced that Turner Construction and AECOM Hunt would oversee construction of the stadium and that the architectural firm HKS would design the stadium. On October 19, 2016, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) determined that a 110-foot (34 m) tall LB 44 rotary drill rig would not pose a hazard to air navigation, so it approved the first of several pieces of heavy equipment to be used during construction. The stadium design had been under review by the FAA for more than a year because of concerns about how the structure would interact with radar at nearby Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). On December 16, 2016, it was reported in Sports Business Journal that the FAA had declined to issue permits for cranes needed to build the structure. "We're not going to evaluate any crane applications until our concerns with the overall project are resolved," said FAA spokesman Ian Gregor. The FAA had previously recommended building the stadium at another site because of the risks posed to LAX—echoing concerns raised by former United States Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge. The Rams held the groundbreaking construction ceremony at the stadium site on November 17, 2016. The ceremony featured NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Rams' owner Stan Kroenke. On December 23, 2016, the FAA approved the large construction cranes to build the stadium.
On May 18, 2017, developers announced that record rainfall in the area had postponed the stadium's completion and opening from 2019 until the 2020 NFL season. On August 8, 2017, the LA Stadium Premiere Center opened in Playa Vista, featuring interactive multimedia displays and models showcasing the design and features of the new stadium (with a particular focus on prospective buyers of premium suites and seats at the facility).
In March 2018, the NFL announced that it would relocate its NFL Media unit (which manages the NFL's in-house media units, including NFL Network, digital properties, and NFL Films among other units) from Culver City to a new 200,000-square-foot (19,000 m2) facility neighboring the stadium in the Hollywood Park development including a studio capable of hosting audiences, as well as an outdoor studio. The new facility was completed in 2021. On June 26, 2018, the new stadium was ceremonially topped out.
As of August 2019, one year before the planned opening, Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff stated that the stadium was 75 percent complete.
The almost-completed stadium in July 2020
In January 2020, Demoff announced that construction was 85 percent complete, with roof and oculus work, as well as seat installation, still in progress. In February 2020, a large crane collapsed—no one was injured. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders issued by the California state government in March 2020, construction (exempted as a critical infrastructure project) continued with social distancing and heightened health and safety standards. Demoff acknowledged that there was a possibility that its completion could be delayed, explaining that it was "not the time you want to be finishing a stadium, in this environment as you prepare", but that "our stadium, and I believe the Raiders' stadium as well, will both be amazing when they are finished and when they will begin play, which will certainly happen in the near future, whether that's in July, August, September, in 2021". Five construction workers were reported to have tested positive, including an ironworker who had worked in an assembly area away from the structure, and a backfill operator who had worked in an "isolated area outside the building" and had not entered it. On June 5, 2020, construction on the facility was temporarily halted after an ironworker fell to his death through a hole in the roof created by the removal of a panel for maintenance. On June 9, 2020, construction on the facility resumed everywhere but the roof.
Canceled or postponed opening events, first events
Interior of SoFi Stadium in November 2021
The entirety of the NFL preseason was also cancelled; the Rams held their first practice at the stadium on August 22, 2020. On August 25, the Rams and Chargers announced that all games at the stadium would be held behind closed doors "until further notice". An official ribbon-cutting ceremony was hosted on September 8, ahead of its first NFL event on September 13—featuring the Rams hosting and defeating the Dallas Cowboys 20–17 in the first Sunday Night game of the season. The Chargers would have their first game at the stadium a week later, though they would fall to the Kansas City Chiefs 23–20. The first athletic contest with spectators present occurred on May 15, 2021, with LA Giltinis defeating Utah Warriors, 38–27, in a Major League Rugby match before 4,880 spectators. The Los Angeles Rams hosted the Chicago Bears for the first NFL regular-season game at the stadium with fans in attendance on September 12, 2021, a 34–14 Rams win before a crowd of 70,445. A week later, the Los Angeles Chargers would hold their first regular season game at the stadium with fans in attendance, though they would fall to the Dallas Cowboys 20–17 before a crowd of 70,240. The first playoff game at the stadium took place on January 17, 2022, a 34–11 Rams victory against the Arizona Cardinals before a crowd of 70,625.
All of the originally announced summer concerts at the venue were cancelled or postponed by the pandemic, including a two-night stop of Taylor Swift's Lover Fest on July 25 and 26, 2020 (originally announced as the stadium's grand opening and later cancelled, though she concluded the 2023 U.S. leg of The Eras Tour at the stadium), and tours by Guns N' Roses (2020 Tour, they would perform at nearby BMO Stadium instead), Kenny Chesney (Chillaxification Tour, though he would perform in 2022 at the stadium), Tim McGraw (Here on Earth Tour), Mötley Crüe, and Def Leppard (The Stadium Tour, though they would perform in 2022 at the stadium). On May 2, 2021, the stadium hosted its first major event with spectators present, the filming of the Global Citizen-organized concert special Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World, hosted by Selena Gomez and featuring Jennifer Lopez, Eddie Vedder, the Foo Fighters, H.E.R., J Balvin, and the Duke of Sussex, which aimed to promote COVID-19 vaccination. After COVID-19 restrictions were eased, SoFi Stadium hosted its first in-person concert event by American DJ Kaskade on July 17. Mexican regional music group Los Bukis kicked off their reunion tour on August 27 and 28, filling the stadium to capacity.
On November 27 and 28, and December 1 and 2, the stadium hosted Permission to Dance on Stage—LA, a run of four concerts by the K-pop group BTS. The shows took in a gross of $33.3 million; Billboard reported them to be the highest-grossing concert engagement to ever be held in California, the second-largest in North America overall (surpassed only by a 10-show run at Giants Stadium by Bruce Springsteen), and the highest-grossing run of concerts at a single venue since 2012.
On April 29, 2023, the stadium hosted its first ever Monster Jam event. Grave Digger would end up winning the overall event championship. Two months later, it was announced that the stadium would play host to Monster Jam World Finals 23 on May 18, 2024. Monster Jam returned to the stadium on May 17, 2025, and on April 11, 2026.
The stadium hosted City Year Los Angeles Spring Break Fundraiser on May 4, 2024, with a performance by John Legend. On February 1, 2025, the stadium hosted the Honda Battle of the Bands, the first on the West Coast.
Naming
SoFi Stadium
On September 15, 2019, it was announced that the San Francisco–based financial services company SoFi had acquired the naming rights to the new stadium under a 20-year deal valued at over $30 million per-year, a record for any naming rights for a sports venue. The company became an official partner of both the Rams and the Chargers, as well as a partner of the performance venue and surrounding entertainment district.
The covered open space formerly known as Champions Plaza between the playing field and the performance venue within the stadium was officially named American Airlines Plaza, as the airline has a hub at nearby LAX. The airline was named the first founding partner on August 6, 2019.
The performance venue was officially named YouTube Theater (the company is based in San Bruno) on June 28, 2021.
For the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the stadium was referred to "Los Angeles Stadium" in accordance with FIFA's policy on corporate-sponsored names. Likewise, for the 2028 Summer Olympics, the stadium will be referred to as "2028 Stadium" for the duration of the Games.
Teams
SoFi Stadium
The St. Louis Rams were first to commit to moving to the stadium, as NFL approval for their relocation to Los Angeles was obtained on January 12, 2016. The approval, as part of a concession made by Kroenke to get the stadium project and Rams relocation approved, also gave the San Diego Chargers the first option to relocate to Los Angeles and share the stadium with the Rams, conditioned on a negotiated lease agreement between the two teams. The option would have expired on January 15, 2017, at which time the Oakland Raiders would have acquired the same option.
On January 29, 2016, the Rams and the Chargers came to an agreement in principle to share the stadium. Both teams would contribute a $200 million stadium loan from the NFL and personal seat license fees to the construction costs and would pay $1 per year in rent to the facility's controlling entity, StadCo LA, LLC. The same day, Chargers chairman and CEO Dean Spanos announced the team would remain in San Diego for the 2016 NFL season, while continuing to work with local government on a new stadium. Measure C (the Chargers stadium proposal) did not receive the requisite number of votes required for passage.
On January 12, 2017, the Chargers exercised their option and announced plans to relocate to Los Angeles for the 2017 season, making the Chargers the second tenant at the stadium and returning them to the market where they played their inaugural season in 1960. The Chargers exercising of their option led the Raiders to move to Las Vegas, Nevada, instead, and they began play at Allegiant Stadium in 2020.
The Rams' and the Chargers' move into the stadium marked the return of major professional sports to Inglewood for the first time since the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Kings left The Forum for the Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena) in Downtown Los Angeles in October 1999.
In November 2025, it was reported that the UCLA Bruins were exploring a move from the Rose Bowl in Pasadena to SoFi Stadium.
Major events
Super Bowls
<table><thead><tr><th>Date</th><th>Winning team</th><th>Result</th><th>Losing team</th><th>Event</th><th>Attendance</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>February 13, 2022</td><td>Los Angeles Rams</td><td>23–20</td><td>Cincinnati Bengals</td><td>Super Bowl LVI</td><td>70,048</td></tr><tr><td>February 14, 2027</td><td></td><td>–</td><td></td><td>Super Bowl LXI</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>
Super Bowl LVI
Pre-game warmups before Super Bowl LVI
SoFi Stadium hosted Super Bowl LVI on February 13, 2022, marking the first Super Bowl to be played in the Los Angeles area since Super Bowl XXVII in 1993. The stadium was originally awarded Super Bowl LV (2021) at an NFL owners' meeting in May 2016; in May 2017, because the stadium's opening was delayed to 2020, the NFL chose to re-award Super Bowl LV to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa (which was the remaining city in a pool of four used to determine the hosts of Super Bowl LIII through LV), and award LVI to Los Angeles instead. Because issues may need to be addressed in an inaugural season, the NFL does not allow a stadium to host the Super Bowl during its first season of operation.
In 2022, SoFi Stadium became the first stadium to host a conference championship game and the Super Bowl in the same year. With the Rams winning the 2021 NFC Championship Game, they became only the second team behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to play a Super Bowl in their home stadium, although the Rams were the away team, since the AFC (Cincinnati Bengals) was the designated home team. Following the Rams' 23–20 victory against the Bengals, it also became the second stadium to see its main tenant win the Super Bowl after Raymond James Stadium.
Super Bowl LXI
SoFi Stadium will host Super Bowl LXI on February 14, 2027, its second Super Bowl.
College Football Playoff National Championship
SoFi Stadium set up for the 2023 CFP National Championship Game.
On November 1, 2017, it was announced that the stadium would host the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship. The Georgia Bulldogs, winners of the Peach Bowl and TCU Horned Frogs, winners of the Fiesta Bowl played on January 9, 2023. Georgia won 65–7, making it the largest margin of victory in a national championship game, and at the time, was the largest margin of victory any bowl game at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level, until Georgia surpassed that margin in the 2023 Orange Bowl.
LA Bowl
The Mountain West and Pac-12 conferences played a bowl game at SoFi Stadium that was known as the LA Bowl from 2021 to 2025. The conference tie-ins for the game moved from the Las Vegas Bowl. The inaugural edition of the game in 2021 featured Utah State defeating Oregon State 24–13. The final edition of the game in 2025 featured Washington defeating Boise State 38–10.
<table><thead><tr><th>Date</th><th>Winning team</th><th>Result</th><th>Losing team</th><th>Attendance</th><th>Notes</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>December 18, 2021</td><td>Utah State</td><td>24–13</td><td>Oregon State</td><td>29,896</td><td>notes</td></tr><tr><td>December 17, 2022</td><td>Fresno State</td><td>29–6</td><td>Washington State</td><td>32,405</td><td>notes</td></tr><tr><td>December 16, 2023</td><td>UCLA</td><td>35–22</td><td>Boise State</td><td>32,780</td><td>notes</td></tr><tr><td>December 18, 2024</td><td>UNLV</td><td>24–13</td><td>California</td><td>24,420</td><td>notes</td></tr><tr><td>December 13, 2025</td><td>Washington</td><td>38–10</td><td>Boise State</td><td>23,269</td><td>notes</td></tr></tbody></table>
High school football
On October 13, 2023, SoFi Stadium hosted its first high school football game between Downey rivals Warren High School and Downey High School, with the winner being invited to and honored at the 2023 LA Bowl. 18,000 people watched Warren defeat Downey 28–21.
On October 18, 2024, Servite faced St. John Bosco at SoFi Stadium. St. John Bosco defeated Servite 27–17 in front of 6,900 spectators. On October 25, 2024, SoFi Stadium hosted another high school game, this time between East Los Angeles rivals Garfield High School and Roosevelt High School. 15,000 watched Garfield defeat Roosevelt 38–28.
Soccer
SoFi Stadium hosted a club friendly doubleheader on August 3, 2022, between two Major League Soccer clubs based in Los Angeles and two Liga MX clubs from Mexico: the Los Angeles Galaxy defeated Chivas Guadalajara 2–0; and Los Angeles FC lost in a penalty shootout against Club America. The event was sold out and was part of the Leagues Cup Showcase.
International matches
SoFi Stadium during the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup final
The stadium hosted the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup final on July 16, 2023. It was the seventh final held in the Los Angeles area. Mexico won 1–0 against Panama. The stadium also hosted two matches during 2024 Copa América, the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and the (/wiki/2025CONCACAFNationsLeagueFinals) and 2027 CONCACAF Nations League Finals.
SoFi Stadium before the 2025 CONCACAF Nations League final
2026 FIFA World Cup
Inside SoFi Stadium during the quarter-final match between Spain and Belgium at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The local bid for Los Angeles in the 2026 FIFA World Cup was organized by private businesses led by AEG with assistance from the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment District Commission, Los Angeles FC, the LA Galaxy, and Rose Bowl Stadium. The Los Angeles City Council approved the bid after private businesses showed support and offered to pay hosting costs. SoFi Stadium was initially not selected as a bidding venue in the winning Canada–Mexico–United States bid because the organizing committee left unbuilt venues out of its final evaluations, but it was later added to the proposal. The United bid to host the World Cup was selected by FIFA on June 13, 2018, and SoFi stadium was confirmed to host multiple matches during the tournament. SoFi Stadium was one of sixteen venues set to host matches. It was also one of eleven US venues being used and was one of two venues in California which hosted matches, the other being Levi's Stadium in the San Francisco Bay Area.
In June 2026, workers at SoFi Stadium voted 96 percent in favor of authorizing a strike in early June 2026 after working for a year without a contract. Unite Here Local 11, representing nearly 2,000 food service workers employed by Legends Hospitality, cited stalled negotiations over pay and safety protections related to potential ICE activity at the stadium. The union had asked FIFA and stadium operators to bar ICE from the venue and filed complaints with California regulators over FIFA's accreditation process, which collected workers' nationality and country of birth. On June 1, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said federal officials had told him that civil immigration enforcement would not take place at World Cup games or events in Los Angeles. A tentative agreement was reached on June 8, three days before the stadium's first match, preserving a contractual right for workers to strike if the union determines that federal immigration enforcement threatens worker safety during a match.
The stadium lacked a regulation-sized soccer field due to its narrow width, which has been criticized by FIFA officials. To satisfy FIFA requirements, several field level seats would be removed and the turf surface replaced by a grass field. In September 2023, Stan Kroenke threatened to pull hosting from the stadium until a dispute regarding revenue sharing between him and FIFA could be resolved, though it was confirmed in January 2024 that the stadium would still be hosting matches. On February 4, 2024, it was announced that the stadium would host the opening match for the United States on June 12, 2026, as well as their third group match on June 25, 2026. SoFi Stadium hosted eight matches: five group stage matches, two Round of 32 matches and a quarterfinal match.
Due to FIFA's clean stadium policy, SoFi Stadium was temporarily renamed to Los Angeles Stadium for the tournament.
<table><thead><tr><th>Date</th><th>Team #1</th><th>Res.</th><th>Team #2</th><th>Round</th><th>Attendance</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>June 12, 2026</td><td> United States</td><td>4–1</td><td> Paraguay</td><td>Group D</td><td>70,492</td></tr><tr><td>June 15, 2026</td><td> Iran</td><td>2–2</td><td> New Zealand</td><td>Group G</td><td>70,108</td></tr><tr><td>June 18, 2026</td><td> Switzerland</td><td>4–1</td><td> Bosnia and Herzegovina</td><td>Group B</td><td>70,026</td></tr><tr><td>June 21, 2026</td><td> Belgium</td><td>0–0</td><td> Iran</td><td>Group G</td><td>70,317</td></tr><tr><td>June 25, 2026</td><td> Turkey</td><td>3–2</td><td> United States</td><td>Group D</td><td>70,492</td></tr><tr><td>June 28, 2026</td><td> South Africa</td><td>0–1</td><td> Canada</td><td rowspan="2">Round of 32</td><td>69,237</td></tr><tr><td>July 2, 2026</td><td rowspan="2"> Spain</td><td>3–0</td><td> Austria</td><td rowspan="2">70,492</td></tr><tr><td>July 10, 2026</td><td>2–1</td><td> Belgium</td><td>Quarterfinal</td></tr></tbody></table>
WrestleMania
The second night of WrestleMania 39 at SoFi Stadium
On April 1 and 2, 2023, SoFi Stadium hosted WrestleMania 39, the 2023 edition of WWE's flagship professional wrestling event WrestleMania. It was the highest-grossing event in WWE history, with a reported gate of $21.6 million and a combined attendance of 161,892 fans over both nights. SoFi Stadium was originally slated to host WrestleMania 37 in 2021, but its hosting was deferred to 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics
SoFi Stadium (which, per prior precedent, will be renamed for the duration of the Games according to sponsorship rules) will host the opening and closing ceremonies of 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics (with organizers confirming a split format for the Olympics that would also incorporate the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum).
The stadium will host swimming events with a planned configuration seating 38,000 spectators, making it the largest swimming venue in Olympic history. The pool will be constructed prior to the opening ceremony, and covered by the staging. To facilitate the reconfiguration process following the opening ceremony, swimming will notably take place during the second week of the Games, rather than the first as is in the several previous games. As part of their planning, the stadium sent a team to review how another NFL stadium – the Indianapolis Colts' Lucas Oil Stadium – successfully installed the pool to host the 2024 US Olympic swimming trials.
Warner Bros. Studios’ The Ranch Lot is planned to be the site of the International Broadcast Centre for the Games, while Hollywood Park Studios by SoFi Stadium will host the Main Press Center.
2031 and 2033 Rugby World Cups
SoFi is amongst the stadiums being considered for hosting matches during the 2031 Men's Rugby World Cup and 2033 Women's Rugby World Cup.
NFL attendances
SoFi Stadium
<table><thead><tr><th>NFL team</th><th>Year</th><th>Home games</th><th>Avg. attendance</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Los Angeles Rams</td><td>2025</td><td>8</td><td>73,235</td></tr><tr><td>Los Angeles Chargers</td><td>2025</td><td>9</td><td>71,560</td></tr><tr><td>Los Angeles Rams</td><td>2024</td><td>9</td><td>73,194</td></tr><tr><td>Los Angeles Chargers</td><td>2024</td><td>8</td><td>69,966</td></tr><tr><td>Los Angeles Rams</td><td>2023</td><td>8</td><td>73,150</td></tr><tr><td>Los Angeles Chargers</td><td>2023</td><td>9</td><td>69,736</td></tr><tr><td>Los Angeles Rams</td><td>2022</td><td>9</td><td>72,734</td></tr><tr><td>Los Angeles Chargers</td><td>2022</td><td>8</td><td>69,955</td></tr><tr><td>Los Angeles Rams</td><td>2021</td><td>8</td><td>71,598</td></tr><tr><td>Los Angeles Chargers</td><td>2021</td><td>9</td><td>70,240</td></tr><tr><td>Los Angeles Rams</td><td>2020</td><td>8</td><td>—N/a</td></tr><tr><td>Los Angeles Chargers</td><td>2020</td><td>8</td><td>—N/a</td></tr></tbody></table>
Hollywood Park
SoFi Stadium
NFL Los Angeles campus and Kia Forum
The stadium and the adjacent Lake Park are central to Hollywood Park, an entertainment complex and master-planned neighborhood named after the former horse racing track that sat on the site. Hollywood Park consists of over 8.5 million square feet (790,000 m2) that is used for office space and condominiums, a 12-screen Cinépolis multiplex movie theater, ballrooms, outdoor spaces for community programming, retail, a fitness center, a 13-story luxury hotel, a brewery, an 18,000 square feet (1,700 m2) soundstage named Hollywood Park Studios, five restaurants and a shopping and entertainment complex. Adjacent to the stadium is an artificial lake colloquially known as Rivers Lake, with a waterfall and fountain. The YouTube Theater, which seats 6,000, is under the southeast corner of the stadium canopy.
The Kali Hotel and Rooftop, a 300-room, Marriott Autograph Collection property developed by KPC Development Company, is under construction at Hollywood Park. Designed by LJC Design & Engineering and built by Clayco, the hotel broke ground in October 2024, topped out in September 2025, and is expected to open in September 2026. It is the only lodging property permitted within the Hollywood Park Specific Plan.
The first establishment to open in Hollywood Park was the Hollywood Park Casino, which opened on October 21, 2016. The NFL opened a new west coast campus in a seven-story office tower at Hollywood Park next to the stadium on September 8, 2021. Replacing a facility in Culver City, "NFL Los Angeles" consists of 214,063 square feet (19,887.1 m2) of leased office space and a 74,992 square feet (6,967.0 m2) studio, and features 20 conference rooms, five soundstages and an outdoor studio. One of its main tenants is NFL Media—which operates NFL Films, NFL Network, NFL RedZone, and the league's digital properties from the building. The league has also used the facility as a secondary hub for replay reviews. On August 6, 2025, as part of ESPN, Inc.'s acquisition of the NFL Network, and NFL RedZone, ESPN took over the lease for the studio space that the NFL Network occupied. On July 1, 2026, ESPN announced that they would be relocating their Los Angeles operations to Inglewood.
Public transportation
SoFi Stadium
The SoFi Shuttle is a free shuttle bus service operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), providing transportation between SoFi Stadium and the LAX/Metro Transit Center. From there, passengers can connect to the Metro C Line and K Line. The shuttle operates during pre-season, regular-season, and post-season NFL games, as well as select special events. Service runs every five to eight minutes beginning three hours before kickoff and continuing until 90 minutes after the conclusion of the event.
GTrans operates the 7X Stadium Express, a Sunday-only shuttle route connecting the Harbor Gateway Transit Center in Gardena to SoFi Stadium. The route also provides a transfer to the Metro C Line at the Hawthorne/Lennox station.
SoFi Stadium is also served year-round by several local bus routes, including Metro lines: (/wiki/LosAngelesMetroBus#115), (/wiki/LosAngelesMetroBus#117), and (/wiki/LosAngelesMetroBus#212), as well as Torrance Transit line (/wiki/TorranceTransit#10).
The city of Inglewood proposed building the Inglewood Transit Connector, a 1.6-mile (2.6 km) automated people mover that would have linked the Downtown Inglewood station with the Hollywood Park area. However, the project was later canceled in 2024.
In popular culture
SoFi Stadium
• On September 9, 2020, the stadium's construction was the subject of a two-hour special called NFL Super Stadiums on Science Channel. • In December 2021, the stadium was used as the venue for the Influencer Games, a YouTube Originals miniseries hosted by MrBeast. The first video showed MrBeast put YouTubers and TikTokers against each other in a series of mini-games in various parts of the stadium complex. After that, the second video showed the remaining contestants play a game of hide and seek around the entire complex. • The stadium served as a filming location for part of the Starfleet Academy in Season 2 of Star Trek: Picard. • The stadium was featured in Season 1, Episode 5 of The Idol and the episode was filmed during The Weeknd's show on September 2, 2022. The Weeknd also released the live album, Live at SoFi Stadium, recorded during his 2022 November shows at the stadium. • The concert film Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour features footage from the first three shows performed at the stadium. • The stadium was featured as the location of Kyle's White Party on the 13th season finale of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.