In the weeks before the 2026 FIFA World Cup opened in the United States, the kitchens, concession stands and hospitality suites inside Los Angeles Stadium became the center of a different kind of countdown.
For the roughly 2,000 cooks, bartenders, servers and cashiers represented by Unite Here Local 11, preparations for one of the world's largest sporting events unfolded alongside contract negotiations and growing concern about U.S. immigration enforcement. Their work would help welcome tens of thousands of fans, yet many said uncertainty outside the stadium had become impossible to ignore.
The workers' campaign illustrated how an event designed to celebrate international sport had also become entwined with broader debates over labor rights, immigration policy and the treatment of the workforce that keeps major sporting venues operating.
In April, the union publicly urged FIFA to ensure that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol would play no role in World Cup operations in Los Angeles. It also called for protections for union jobs and working conditions, as well as support for affordable housing for hospitality workers. Union leaders warned that employees remained without a labor contract and said a strike was possible if their concerns went unanswered.
Many of those workers are immigrants or come from immigrant families, making immigration enforcement a deeply personal issue even for employees legally authorized to work. Union officials argued that fears about possible enforcement actions could discourage employees from reporting to work or affect the atmosphere surrounding one of the world's highest-profile sporting events.
The concerns extended beyond Los Angeles.
Human rights organizations warned before the tournament that heightened immigration enforcement, visa restrictions and border policies risked creating what the Sport & Rights Alliance described as a "climate of fear" for workers, journalists and supporters traveling to or living in the United States during the World Cup. Amnesty International also cautioned that the tournament faced significant human rights risks, particularly because three-quarters of the matches were scheduled to be played in the United States.
Federal and local officials sought to reassure both workers and fans.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said federal officials had informed him that civil immigration enforcement would not take place at World Cup games or official events in the city. While federal agencies would participate in tournament security, Luna said ICE would not be deployed in Los Angeles for immigration enforcement connected to the competition.
That reassurance eased some immediate concerns but did not eliminate broader uncertainty created by the national immigration climate.
As the tournament approached, labor negotiations intensified. Workers voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike, giving the union leverage just days before the United States men's national team was due to play its opening match at the venue. The authorization reflected demands that went beyond immigration concerns, including higher wages, job security and protections against subcontracting and the growing use of artificial intelligence in hospitality work.
Ultimately, the disruption many feared did not materialize.
The union reached a tentative agreement with stadium food-service provider Legends Global shortly before kickoff, avoiding an immediate walkout during the tournament. The deal increased wages for many employees while preserving the union's ability to respond if future concerns emerged.
Inside the stadium, the World Cup proceeded largely as organizers had hoped. Fans from around the world filled seats, security operations unfolded without major immigration enforcement actions at venues, and public safety personnel became visible symbols of host-city preparations. Reuters reported that officers and firefighters serving at World Cup venues proudly wore specially designed tournament badges as they helped manage crowds and security.
Yet the debate surrounding the workers left a lasting reminder that hosting a global sporting spectacle depends on far more than the athletes on the field.
The World Cup relies on thousands of hospitality employees who prepare food, clean facilities, scan tickets and serve spectators throughout long match days. Their work is often invisible to television audiences but essential to the tournament's success.
For labor advocates, the negotiations demonstrated how the extraordinary visibility of a World Cup can amplify workplace concerns that receive little attention during ordinary business operations. For organizers, it underscored the challenge of staging an event that welcomes millions of international visitors while navigating domestic political debates beyond football.
Rights organizations maintained that broader concerns about immigration policy, visa access and enforcement continued to shape perceptions of the tournament even after reassurances from local officials. They argued that those issues affected not only fans but also many of the workers responsible for making the event possible.
As crowds gathered to celebrate football's biggest tournament, the questions raised by stadium workers lingered in the background: who feels secure enough to welcome the world, and what protections are needed for the people whose labor makes such global celebrations possible. Their negotiations ended without the strike that once appeared imminent, but they ensured that the experiences of the workers behind the concession counters became part of the World Cup story alongside the matches themselves.
