Unionized food and beverage employees at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium voted overwhelmingly on Friday to authorize a strike, just a week before the venue hosts the United States’ World Cup opener against Paraguay. The Unite Here Local 11 members are pressing for wages above $30 an hour, protection from subcontracting, and a ban on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) presence during matches.

Strike vote by 96% of SoFi Stadium workers

According to the union’s co‑president Kurt Petersen, 96 percent of the nearly 2,000 workers voted for strike authorization, signaling deep frustration with stalled contract talks with operator Legends Global.. The vote comes after a year of working without a contract and follows a May Day rally at MacArthur Park where hundreds marched to the local FIFA organizing office.

Wage demand tops $30 an hour amid stalled talks

Unite Here Local 11 is seeking hourly wages that exceed $30, a figure far higher than Legends Global’s latest offer of a 25‑cent raise for cooks and dishwashers while freezing wages for other staff. Petersen told reporters that the union believes the current proposal does not reflect the cost of living in Los Angeles or the revenue generated by World Cup events.

Union protests ICE presence and personal data collection

The workers are also demanding that ICE be barred from SoFi Stadium during World Cup matches, fearing that federal agents could create a “reasonable fear for safety” if they enter the venue. In addition, the union opposes FIFA’s requirement that staff provide sensitive personal information—including Social Security numbers and fingerprints—for credentialing, arguing that California privacy law protects such data from being shared with Homeland Security.

Legends Global’s contingency plan and FIFA’s role

Legends Global says it has a contingency staffing plan that would hire replacement workers who must undergo the same FIFA credentialing process . The company expressed confidence that a contract can be finalized before the June 12 match, but it has not detailed how it would address the union’s privacy concerns.. FIFA declined comment, noting the dispute is between Legends Global and Unite Here Local 11.

Will replacement staff be used for World Cup matches?

The open question remains whether the contingency plan will be activated if negotiations fail. Union leaders warn that any use of replacement workers could spark further protests outside the stadium, potentially affecting the experience of the 70,000 fans expected for the U.S.‑Paraguay opener.