Friday, October 23, 2026

Pitch Width At SoFi Could Cost It The World Cup Final

  • The width of the field is much too narrow for FIFA’s taste, according to The Times.
  • SoFi would have to revamp its stadium to be 63 feet wider in order to get back in the running to stage the event.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

Since opening in 2020, the glitzy SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles has been home to both the Super Bowl and College Football Playoff National Championship. 

But the venue — which took five years and $5 billion to build — might no longer be a contender for the World Cup Final in 2026 thanks to a construction error: The width of the field is much too narrow for FIFA’s taste, according to The Times. 

The FIFA Women's World Cup trophy.

FIFA Reportedly Dropping Saudi Deal for Women’s World Cup

Australia and New Zealand were not consulted about the deal.
March 6, 2023

SoFi would have to revamp its field to be 63 feet wider in order to get back in the running to stage the event. To do so, it would have to remove seats — another potential issue given that its original capacity of 70,000 might already be too modest for a World Cup Final.

The irony isn’t lost on soccer fans, who are questioning how Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke — also the owner of the Premier League club Arsenal — could have allowed for such a snafu. 

If Los Angeles is out of running, the World Cup Final could be played across the country at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, which seats about 82,000. Either way, SoFi will at least get to host early-round games.

Download the FOS App

The business of sports, in your pocket.

QR code to download the app

Scan the QR code to get the app now.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Oct 17, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman (2) on the field against the Gotham FC during the first half at Audi Field.

NWSL Abandons ‘Rodman Rule’ Restrictions

All players are now eligible to receive the league’s maximum salary.

Trump Questions NFL Paris Game: ‘France Is Really in Trouble’

The Saints and Steelers play Sunday at Stade de France.

NFL’s $250K Fines for Vrabel, Sirianni, Glenn Put on Hold

The NFL continues its crackdown on unsportsmanlike conduct involving players, coaches, and officials.
Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; ESPN Monday Night Football logo on an end zone camera before the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Houston Texans in an AFC Wild Card Round game at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Ranking Troy Aikman’s Likeliest ESPN Replacements

ESPN has yet to formally offer Aikman a new contract.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

10/23/26 – JJ Watt Takes CBS Chair, FIFA Rights Shake-Up, Small-Market World Series

0:00

Featured Today

Football - NFL - Houston Texans v Jacksonville Jaguars - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - October 18, 2026 The necklace of a Jacksonville Jaguars fan outside the stadium before the match

Die-Hard Sports Fandom Has Reached the Afterlife

Will fans pay $6,000 to memorialize their team loyalty?
October 20, 2026

Why Europe Is Pumping Out NBA Superstars

The NBA and NCAA have an increasingly European flavor.
October 15, 2026

College Flag Football Is Outgrowing Its DIY Era

Women have been building the college game themselves at the club level.
Oct 5, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas arrives at the arena before the Penguins host the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena
October 12, 2026

NHL’s New Wave of GMs Is Built Different

“I am in the prediction business,” Devils GM Sunny Mehta tells FOS.
Action Images/Peter Cziborra
October 9, 2026

Is Leicester City’s $264 Million Price Tag Too Rich for Hungry Investors?

After falling from grace, how much is a former top club worth?
Oct 6, 2024; London, United Kingdom; British and United States flags on the field at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
September 29, 2025

From Dublin to London: Vikings on NFL’s First Multi-Country Road Trip

The Jaguars have previously played consecutive games in the U.K.
Jul 30, 2022; Irvine, CA, USA; A general view of the official NFL balls on the field during Los Angeles Rams training camp at University of California Irvine.
October 20, 2025

Saudi Arabia Wants to Bring American Football to the Middle East

The Middle Eastern nation wants to host major football events.
Sponsored

Blake Griffin’s Plan for Media Domination

The former NBA star is building a second act across media & entertainment.
Noah Lyles (USA) wins the men’s 100m final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, France, Monday, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024.
September 22, 2025

Summer Olympics Face a Climate-Induced Heat Check

The World Athletics president says the status quo is not sustainable.
January 13, 2025

Newsom Adamant About L.A. Hosting 2028 Olympics

Gavin Newsom says there’s a “Marshall Plan” to rebuild Los Angeles.
Paralympics Tiktok
August 25, 2024

The Paralympics TikTok Account Isn’t What You Think

A cheeky TikTok account is opening the world of Paralympic sports.
August 11, 2024

Passing of the Torch: Los Angeles Set for Olympic Firsts in 2028

The city last hosted the Summer Olympics in 1984.