Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka presents renderings for the upcoming opening of the West Harbor project during the 11th annual “State of the Port” address at Alta Sea in the Port of Los Angeles on Thursday January 22, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Rendering of the promenade area at West Harbor. (Rendering Courtesy of West Harbor)
Aerial rendering of proposed 6,200-seat amphitheater that will anchor the southern portion of the West Harbor waterfront development in San Pedro at the Port of Los Angeles. (Rendering Courtesy Port of Los Angeles)
Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka presents a rendering to celebrate the upcoming Olympic sailing events in LA during the 11th annual “State of the Port” address at Alta Sea in the Port of Los Angeles on Thursday January 22, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
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Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka presents renderings for the upcoming opening of the West Harbor project during the 11th annual “State of the Port” address at Alta Sea in the Port of Los Angeles on Thursday January 22, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The pressure is on as San Pedro prepares to be the limelight during two upcoming, high-profile events that promise to attract global attention and will use the once-small, tucked-away fishing town as part of the starring backdrops.
Already the push is on at West Harbor, San Pedro’s new and emerging waterfront, as a summer grand opening is coming after years of planning.
But now, there’s significantly more pressure: West Harbor is one of several locations FIFA chose to be official L.A. “Fan Zones” during the 2026 World Cup. Specifically, West Harbor — along with only one other venue, the Pomona Fairplex — will host gatherings in July to broadcast the final knockout rounds of the World Cup live — capping off this summer’s World Cup soccer tournament.
Overall, West Harbor was chosen as one of nine venues. West Harbor and the Fairplex are the only locations officially chosen to host events to livestream the two semifinals, the third-place match and the finals on July 14, 15, 18 and 19. (The Los Angeles Galaxy will also host celebrations on those days in Hermosa Beach.)
But there’s more to come.
In only two years, the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will bring its sailing events — and huge crowds with them — to San Pedro’s Outer Harbor.
Most immediately, the scramble is on to prepare for the waterfront attraction’s long-awaited grand opening — a date has yet to be set — and the fast-approaching close-up it will get in hosting viewing parties for the World Club this summer.
“This is the first big, major thing that’s going to kick us off at West Harbor,” said developer Alan Johnson, Jerico Development’s chief executive, and West Harbor’s director of communication and community relations.
Mike Galvin, director of waterfront and commercial real estate at the Port of Los Angeles, where West Harbor is located, said the port is “super-focused” and moving quickly to get opening permits for the venue’s opening and also to prepare for the viewing parties in July.
With San Pedro being only one of the two official FIFA sites chosen for the semifinal and final matches, he said, “it’s a big deal.”
Viewing screens for the West Harbor World Cup events — the set up is still under discussion and planning — will be centralized at the venue’s still-under-construction open-air amphitheater, planned to feature 6,200 seats.
And with the overall venue’s outer shell buildings now complete, the scramble is also on for some 20-30 vendors to build out their individual spaces in time for the grand opening. The full promenade will be open this summer, Johnson said, and over-the-water decks are currently being built along the mile-long site as the venue’s fast-approaching debut draws closer.
The port, Galvin said, is also busy getting all the needed permits and other paperwork lined up as quickly as possible at this point.
The Port of Los Angeles is also accelerating plans for its spotlight role as host for some of the sailing events as part of the 2028 Summer Olympics coming to the region.
That includes, Galvin said, finishing the southern portion of a revamped Harbor Boulevard (formerly known as Sampson Way) that will include two travel lanes in each direction, a scenic pedestrian walkway and pedestrian access from the S.P. Slip to 22nd Street.
Improvements within the $22 million project include utility removals or relocations, street work, grading, paving, striping, lighting, street trees, landscaping and a scenic pedestrian walkway.
Construction is expected to begin in 2026, with an estimated completion in 2027.
Also planned is a parking lot project that includes 2,300 spaces with pedestrian connections, costing $32 million. Bids are set to go out for those port projects later this spring.
“We’re excited,” Galvin said, “but we’re racing to get everything done.”