(Every week, Santa Monica Next publishes an article first published by City Manager Oliver Chi in his weekly newsletter.)
This past week may be remembered as one of the strongest demonstrations of Citywide momentum that Santa Monica has seen in years! As the FIFA World Cup 2026 came to Southern California, our City teams launched what will be a six-week celebration intended to turn Santa Monica – from the Pier to Downtown to Tongva Park – into a stage for the world!
The festivities opened on June 12 with Golden Hour, the first of nearly 25 events leading up to COAST on July 19. More than 1,000 community members gathered to watch World Cup action while exploring local businesses along the Third Street Promenade and Santa Monica Place, with live entertainment throughout the afternoon and evening – a DJ, a violinist, samba dancers – and pop-up vendors including Topo Chico, Minute Maid, and Xuntos joining the celebration.
Two days later, the Garden Series began at Tongva Park, where more than 100 community members took part in intimate yoga and Pilates sessions alongside activations from local pop- ups. The full slate offers something for every kind of fan, from the 21+ Michelob ULTRA Pitchside Club on the Pier to family-friendly programming throughout the tournament.
Another signature moment in the week came with the grand opening of the nation’s first Official FIFA Soccer Store on the Third Street Promenade! The ribbon cutting, attended by LA Host Committee Sports SVP of Communications Jason Krutzch, Mayor Caroline Torosis, and community leaders, generated extensive local and national media coverage reaching millions, firmly establishing Santa Monica as a premier destination for World Cup excitement and official merchandise.
The momentum carried into a major retail milestone as Raising Cane’s celebrated its highly anticipated grand opening to hundreds of customers, with custom design elements reflecting Santa Monica’s identity and signaling continued confidence from nationally recognized brands investing in the City.
At the Pier, the Michelob ULTRA Pitchside Club opened Thursday with live music and a drone show, then filled to capacity Friday as fans packed in to watch the United States defeat Paraguay in a decisive American victory. Soccer fans from across Los Angeles also filled Santa Monica Place and the 1400 block, where music and big screens kept the energy high into the evening. It was a remarkable convergence of major sporting moments, the same weekend brought the conclusion of the NBA Finals, and fans gathered across the City to take in the action.
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