With just over two months to go before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a union representing 2,000 food service workers at SoFi Stadium is demanding that FIFA ensure U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plays no role in tournament operations.

The union, Unite Here Local 11, which represents cooks, servers and bartenders at the Inglewood venue, has presented three main demands to FIFA and stadium owner Kroenke Sports & Entertainment.

The demands include a public commitment that ICE and U.S. Border Patrol will have no involvement in the tournament, protections for union members’ jobs and working conditions, and support for affordable housing for hospitality workers.

“FIFA and its corporate sponsors will pocket billions from Los Angeles while refusing even to acknowledge the cooks, servers and concession workers who make this event possible,” said Kurt Petersen, co-president of Local 11, in a statement.

Strike threat

The union said it has sought meetings with FIFA since Los Angeles was selected as a World Cup host city, but those requests have gone unanswered. As a result, it is now threatening to strike if its demands are not addressed.

Last November, the same union was involved in a protest at Los Angeles International Airport over alleged unsafe working conditions at Flying Food Group.

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