The union representing workers at SoFi Stadium, the Los Angeles-area arena hosting the FIFA World Cup, has reached a tentative agreement with operators at the stadium after voting overwhelmingly last week to authorize a strike \u2014 and just days before the venue is scheduled to host its first of several matches. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Subscribe to read this story ad-free <\/p>\n
Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.<\/p>\n
![\"arrow\"](\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/rockcms\/2026-01\/arrow-f55fa5.svg\"){kind=icon}
<\/p>\n
The deal, reached Monday night with Legends Hospitality, will be ratified this week, Unite Here Local 11 said on X on Tuesday<\/a>. The union, which represents nearly 2,000 cooks, dishwashers, bartenders and concession workers at SoFi, said it will share details of the agreement once it is ratified. <\/p>\n \u201cWe are proud to say that we won every major issue we brought to the table. And even more, we preserved the right to strike over safety,\u201d the union said on X. <\/p>\n It added that \u201cworkers have the contractual right to walk off the job if the Union determines in good faith that federal immigration enforcement threatens worker safety during a World Cup match.\u201d<\/p>\n NBC News has reached out to the union for further information about the tentative agreement.<\/p>\n Legends Global said that it was pleased with the outcome. <\/p>\n We \u201clook forward to delivering an outstanding hospitality experience for fans at the FIFA World Cup matches at Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium),\u201d the group said in a statement Tuesday<\/p>\n At a news conference Tuesday, workers represented by the union said they were seeking pay increases, protections against subcontracting and job security \u2014 especially amid heightened immigration enforcement operations under the Trump administration, The Associated Press reported<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cThis is a very proud moment for all of us,\u201d Yolanda Fierro, a suite runner at the stadium, said Tuesday, according to AP<\/a>. \u201cWe really want to secure the safety of all our employees.\u201d<\/p>\n The decision comes after the union voted 96% in favor to authorize a strike last week. The vote was held over two days ending Friday, according to a news release.<\/p>\n The union members have been working for a year without a contract. The vote came as negotiations with stadium food-service operator Legends Global and FIFA stalled on key issues \u2014 salary increases and safety protections against<\/a> ICE activity<\/a> at the stadium during the World Cup, the union said. <\/p>\n A strike could have endangered the highly anticipated upcoming games. SoFi Stadium will host eight games, including the U.S. Men\u2019s National Team\u2019s opening game against Paraguay on June 12. <\/p>\n The union has asked FIFA and the stadium that ICE not be allowed in the stadiums over worker safety concerns, to no avail. <\/p>\n Workers told NBC News last month they won\u2019t show up to work if ICE is present.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes ICE goes off a person\u2019s profile,\u201d Isaac Martinez, a 38-year-old cook and shop steward, previously said. \u201cIf I look Mexican, Latino \u2026 we are a city that\u2019s full of Latin communities. We\u2019ve seen what happened in Minneapolis<\/a>, Chicago<\/a> and here in Los Angeles<\/a>. So there\u2019s real fear.\u201d<\/p>\n The union also filed complaints last month with the California Privacy Protection Agency and the California Justice Department over FIFA\u2019s World Cup accreditation process, which they said collected stadium workers\u2019 sensitive personal information including nationality, addresses and country of birth. The status of the complaints was not immediately clear.<\/p>\n Hosting the World Cup will certainly be lucrative for the stadium and the greater area. Los Angeles County is projected to generate $594 million in economic impact from the influx of an estimated 180,000 visitors, according to the Los Angeles FIFA World Cup 26 Host Committee. The city of Inglewood, where SoFi is located, is also projected to see economic gains exceeding $17 million. <\/p>\n