What you need to know: California’s 1,700 public safety personnel helped ensure no major public safety incidents across 14 World Cup matches in California.
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today celebrated California’s successful hosting of the FIFA World Cup, marking another milestone in the state’s leadership in managing an unprecedented run of global sporting events.
Hosting 14 matches across two world-class venues, California welcomed hundreds of thousands of fans from around the globe while demonstrating the coordinated planning, public safety, transportation, emergency response, and cybersecurity capabilities that will support future events including Super Bowl LXI and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“California showed the world its best. We welcomed fans from across the globe, celebrated an incredible tournament, and proved we’re ready for what’s ahead. I’m especially proud of the U.S. Men’s National Team and the excitement they inspired throughout the tournament. None of this happens without extraordinary coordination across our state agencies, local partners, and everyone who worked together to deliver a safe, seamless experience. The FIFA World Cup was an important milestone, and it’s only the beginning as California prepares to welcome the world again for more major sporting events.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
The tournament showcased California’s ability to safely welcome visitors from around the globe, while bolstering local businesses, supporting community celebrations and delivering a world-class fan experience through close coordination among state agencies, local governments, transportation providers, first responders, federal partners, FIFA, host venues and the Bay Area and Los Angeles Host Committees.
By the numbers
California’s FIFA World Cup operations included:
- 14 matches hosted across Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area.
- Los Angeles Stadium welcomed about 560,000+ fans across eight matches.
- San Francisco Bay Area Stadium welcomed about 410,000+ fans across six matches.
- 6.8 million fans attended matches across 104 matches hosted in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
- Approximately 1,700 state public safety personnel deployed in California.
- 7 national teams used California as their home base, including USMNT.
- Nearly 700,000 transit riders safely served.
- No major security incidents.
- An estimated $1.5 billion in statewide economic impact (pending final estimates).
- Exposition Park in Los Angeles welcomed over 100,000 fans.
Statewide coordination
More than a year before kickoff, California mobilized agencies across state and local governments to support host communities through coordinated planning, emergency management, transportation, cybersecurity, and public safety operations.
State agencies worked alongside local governments, federal partners, FIFA, regional transit providers, venue operators, and host cities to prepare for every aspect of tournament operations. Unified coordination among the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), California Transportation Agency (CalSTA), California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), California National Guard (CalGuard), California Department of Social Services (CDSS), California State Parks, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Government Operations Agency (GovOps), and numerous other state partners ensured California was prepared to safely welcome millions of fans while maintaining reliable operations across host communities.
Cal OES served as the state’s central coordinating agency, activating the State Operations Center to maintain a statewide common operating picture and coordinate emergency response. Through the California Cybersecurity Integration Center (Cal-CSIC) and the State Threat Assessment Center (STAC), Cal OES monitored cyber and physical threats around the clock, shared real-time intelligence with federal, international, and private-sector partners, pre-positioned emergency response resources, and coordinated communications with local jurisdictions, foreign consulates, and partner agencies to ensure rapid response capabilities throughout the tournament.
CalSTA coordinated statewide transportation planning with transit agencies, host cities, and rideshare providers to manage fan travel. The effort supported an estimated nearly 700,000 transit riders, strengthened first- and last-mile connections, and helped move millions of visitors efficiently throughout the tournament.
Deploying approximately 400 personnel, including Air Operations, K-9 units, Special Response Teams, bicycle patrol officers, and traffic control officers, the CHP worked alongside local, federal, and international law enforcement partners to provide venue security, traffic management, and public safety operations.
Through 823 personnel, 651 pieces of equipment, and 162 changeable message signs, Caltrans crews continuously monitored highways, responded to incidents, repaired damaged infrastructure, cleared roadways, and provided real-time traveler information to keep transportation corridors operating safely and efficiently.
GO-Biz coordinated business engagement and economic development efforts before and during the tournament, conducting outreach to local businesses, supporting host communities, monitoring economic impacts, and helping maximize the estimated $1.52 billion in statewide economic activity generated by the World Cup.
Overseeing commercial passenger transportation companies throughout California, carrying out inspections and enforcement actions for state regulations established to protect consumers, the CPUC had 21 transportation enforcement staff deployed throughout the games.
With 140 agents deployed statewide, ABC promoted responsible alcohol service, conducted compliance operations, educated licensed establishments, and helped prevent underage drinking, contributing to a safe environment for fans and local communities.
CDSS prioritized providing resources for at-risk individuals, while CDPH mobilized 139 staff to monitor infectious diseases, climate-related incidents, bioterrorism threats, and medical surge capacity, providing statewide situational awareness and public health coordination throughout the tournament.
CalGuard deployed two Civil Support Teams specializing in hazardous materials detection and response, strengthening California’s all-hazards preparedness posture.
GovOps coordinated cross-agency operational support and administrative alignment to ensure state departments remained synchronized throughout planning and tournament operations.
Exposition Park in Los Angeles welcomed over 100,000 fans from California and across the globe over the course of the FIFA Fan Festival. In collaboration with law enforcement authorities, the state owned facility maintained visitor safety with no major incidents. The Fan Fest offered a successful test of the facility’s infrastructure ahead of LA28 — and more improvements are on the way thanks to new funding recently approved by the Governor and legislature.
The Bay Area Host Committee and the Los Angeles World Cup 2026 Host Committee worked with the Golden State to serve as key conveners between FIFA, state and local governments, venue operators, transportation agencies, businesses, and community organizations.
California leveraged the tournament to strengthen international relationships —including a scarf exchange with consuls general of Canada and Mexico. The state showcased California’s commitment to global partnership, cultural exchange, and future international collaboration beyond the tournament itself.
California is ready for what’s next
The FIFA World Cup served as an important operational milestone ahead of an unprecedented series of international sporting events that will bring millions of visitors to California over the next several years, including:
- Super Bowl LXI (2027)
- X Games (2027)
- Olympic and Paralympic Games (2028)
Together, these events are expected to bring in major economic activity, support local businesses, create jobs, and showcase California’s communities to billions of viewers around the world.
California will continue to welcome the world.