L.A. Transit Shift Raises Optimism for Olympics

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, July 16, 2026

Los Angeles officials and transit agencies saw a significant rise in public transit use during recent World Cup matches, marking a successful test of expanded transportation services and security measures ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics. This experience demonstrated the potential for shifting travel habits away from cars and highlighted areas for improvement in managing large-scale events in the future.

LOS ANGELES — The recent World Cup matches held in the Los Angeles region have provided valuable insights and optimism for the city’s preparations ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics, officials and transit experts said.

Throughout the tournament, public transit usage steadily increased as fans traveled to games, fan zones, and viewing parties, highlighting a significant shift in a region traditionally dominated by car travel. Metro, the Los Angeles regional public transit agency, expanded its services on rail lines and bus routes to accommodate the influx of visitors. Ridership numbers rose from approximately 26,000 trips for the opening game on June 12 to nearly 49,000 rides for the July 2 match between Spain and Austria.

Fans like Jeroen Olthof of San Diego appreciated the expanded transit options. Olthof took a train early on the morning of July 1 to attend the quarterfinal match between Spain and Belgium at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. “They were pretty organized,” said Olthof, 54, noting the smooth transit experience and efficient boarding procedures at Union Station.

Regional officials see the World Cup as a rehearsal for the 2028 Olympics, which will require even more extensive transportation coordination and security measures. SoFi Stadium, for instance, limited parking spaces due to an expanded security perimeter and event requirements, encouraging attendees to use public transit. Metro also extended service routes to popular fan events held beyond the stadium.

“The World Cup has shown that with the right incentives, people who usually rely on driving will use public transportation,” said John Harper, chief operating officer of LA28, the organization managing Los Angeles’s Olympic planning. He emphasized the need to continue changing travel behavior in preparation for the Olympics, describing the tournament as a successful test case ahead of a much larger-scale event.

Despite earlier concerns—including high ticket prices, fears of empty seats, heightened security risks related to global tensions, and worries over federal immigration enforcement—officials reported no major security incidents associated with the World Cup. Even clashes among different groups of Iranian fans in Los Angeles remained relatively minor.

Kathryn Schloessman, chief executive of the local World Cup host committee, said the city’s goal was to avoid safety and security problems that could attract negative attention. “To me it was, how do we not end up in the paper for any kind of safety and security issue,” Schloessman said.

Paul Krekorian, executive director of the office of mayoral events, described the World Cup as a “good test drive” for the upcoming Olympics. He acknowledged, however, that the scale of the 2028 Games will be vastly greater. “It’s one thing to have a Taylor Swift concert or a World Cup match,” he said. “The Olympics mean the equivalent of seven of those things every single day for two and a half weeks.”

As Los Angeles builds on the experiences and lessons from the World Cup, officials remain focused on strengthening transit and security systems to accommodate the complex demands of the Olympic Games.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.