Los Angeles has never been short on ambition, but 2026 marks a year when the city shines on a global stage. From international sport and long-awaited cultural openings to major infrastructure projects and community-led festivals, LA is lining up a run of moments that collectively reshape how the city is experienced by visitors.
1. FIFA World Cup 26™ comes to SoFi Stadium (11 June – 19 July)
Los Angeles plays a central role in the expanded FIFA World Cup, with SoFi Stadium hosting eight matches including the U.S. men’s opening game and a Quarter Final.
For visitors, it’s a chance to experience global sport inside one of the most advanced stadiums ever built, where the architecture is almost as distracting as the action on the pitch.
2. NBA All-Star weekend returns after four decades (13–15 February)
The NBA All-Star Game returns to Inglewood for the first time in over 40 years, taking over the Intuit Dome for a long weekend of showmanship, celebrity sightings and gravity-defying dunks.
Even if you don’t follow the league closely, you will feel the city’s energy spike as basketball culture spills into restaurants, bars and hotel lobbies.
3. The U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club (4–7 June)
Held at the historic Riviera Country Club during its centenary year, the U.S. Women’s Open adds sporting prestige to LA’s summer calendar.
The course is famously unforgiving, making it compelling viewing even for casual spectators—and a reminder that Southern California sport isn’t confined to stadiums and arenas.
4. The David Geffen Galleries at LACMA
After years of anticipation, LACMA’s David Geffen Galleries open in April 2026. The Peter Zumthor-designed building physically bridges Wilshire Boulevard, signalling a rethink of how museums interact with the city around them.
Inside, rotating displays from LACMA’s collection aim to make art feel less siloed and more lived-in. lacma.org
5. Kali Hotel and Rooftop opens (autumn 2026)
2026 will see the debut of several hotels and upgrades to the Los Angeles hospitality landscape, including the Kali Hotel and Rooftop, part of the Autograph Collection.
The 300-room lifestyle hotel is slated to open in the autumn and is located within the Hollywood Park development in Inglewood. This makes it well-sited for visitors to major sports and entertainment venues; it’s walking distance to SoFi Stadium and the YouTube Theater.
6. The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art debuts (September 2026)
Opening in September, the Lucas Museum focuses on illustrated storytelling. From comic art and murals to film artefacts, its collection reflects how visual stories shape culture, memory and identity.
The building itself, set in Exposition Park, feels intentionally futuristic (like a spaceship), appropriate for a museum built around imagination. lucasmuseum.org
7. DATALAND: Museum dedicated to AI art (opening spring 2026)
Opening in Downtown LA, DATALAND positions itself as the world’s first Museum of AI Arts. Immersive installations explore how machine learning intersects with creativity, perception and data, often blurring the line between artist and algorithm.
It’s a distinctly LA idea: ambitious, experimental and slightly disorienting and very much of this moment. dataland.art
8. Maydan Market redefines the food hall
West Adams’ Maydan Market is a food hall organised around open flames rather than food counters, with a series of live-fire kitchens arranged around shared hearths and communal seating. Chefs cook in full view over wood, charcoal and embers, drawing on techniques from the Middle East, North Africa and the Mediterranean rather than a single cuisine.
It’s less about quick bites and more about watching chefs work with heat, timing and restraint. It’s an environment designed for slow meals, shared plates and lingering rather than turnover. maydanmarket.com
9. West Harbor brings new life to San Pedro
Replacing the former Ports O’Call site, West Harbor offers 1 mile of waterfront dining, independent retail and an open-air amphitheatre to San Pedro.
It’s a long-term regeneration project that reconnects the city with its working harbour, giving locals and visitors a reason to return to the water’s edge. westharborla.com
10. Supporting wildfire recovery through travel
Visiting LA in 2026 also supports the recovery efforts following the 2025 wildfires. All of Los Angeles’ attractions have now reopened, with the Getty Villa the last to reopen in June 2025.
Partnerships between tourism bodies and local charities ensure visitor spending contributes directly to affected communities, helping fund rebuilding, environmental restoration and long-term resilience.
Conclusion: Visiting LA in 2026
Los Angeles in 2026 is gearing up for huge year. Major sporting events will sit alongside new cultural institutions, neighbourhood regeneration projects and a food and arts scene that continues to evolve in practical, visible ways.
For travellers, that means Los Angeles in 2026 might just be the most exciting year to visit the City of Angeles.
