City of Inglewood and Metro LA to Host The Wood Cup: A Cultural and Sports Festival on FIFA World Cup Opening Match Day

INGLEWOOD, CA, UNITED STATES, May 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The City of Inglewood, in partnership with Metro Los Angeles, is proud to announce The Wood Cup, a premier street festival taking over Downtown Inglewood on Friday, June 12, from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Spanning nearly a mile of the historic Market Street corridor, this vehicle-free event celebrates the intersection of sports, culture, and community as the world’s eyes turn toward Inglewood for the start of the FIFA World Cup.

Powered by the Metro Open Streets Grant (which encourages the adoption of sustainable transportation), The Wood Cup will transform Market Street into a vibrant, family-friendly cultural sports hub divided into six distinct zones with inter-generational experiences for the whole family, including local artist showcases, a beer and wine garden, and live performances from Emi Secrest, Blanco y Negro, South Side Symphony, and more. Visitors will also enjoy pop-ups from various Inglewood-based small businesses - all invited to participate as vendors at no cost.

Less than a mile from Hollywood Park, The Wood Cup moves beyond the traditional street fair to highlight the sophistication and vibrancy of the Inglewood community. The Metro K Line takes locals, and even visitors flying in from LAX, directly to Market Street to enjoy the festival.

Festival-goers can enjoy interactive futsal activations and an inflatable soccer pitch in the Soccer Turf Zone, featuring appearances by professional soccer stars, including FIFA World Cup legend Paul Caligiuri, Fox Sports Soccer Analyst Martín Zúñiga, retired MLS player and assistant coach to El Salvador’s national team Mauricio Cienfuegos, and 2002 MLS Rookie of the Year Kyle Martino.

Highlighting the diversity of urban sport, the corner of Market Street and Hillcrest will feature a Hoopbus experience and a custom-built roller rink, courtesy of the Sunshine Skate Foundation.

The Wood Cup festival will culminate in a watch party for USA vs. Paraguay, the opening match of the FIFA World Cup. The viewing experience, hosted by local luxury sneaker boutique Kingsrowe, in conjunction with Adidas, will begin right after the festival at 6:00pm.

Mayor James T. Butts, Jr. and the Inglewood City Council will host an official press conference on Thursday, May 14, 2026 on the South Lawn of Inglewood City Hall to provide details on all the ways Inglewood - already a national hub for sports and entertainment - is ready to take center stage on a global level, not only for the FIFA World Cup and Super Bowl LXI, but also for the Summer Olympics in 2028.

Members of the press who plan to attend the May 14 conference should contact Thomas Bunn at Tbunn@cityofinglewood.org.

Date: Thursday, May 14, 2026
Media Check-in: 10:00AM
Event Start: 11:00AM
Location: Inglewood City Hall, One W. Manchester Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90303

For all other media inquiries:

Jon'ette Jordan
The J Squared Group
+1 747-444-1479
hello@thejsquaredgroup.com
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