Experiencing the 2026 World Cup from Beverly Hills: Luxury hospitality, lifestyle, and the perfect home base

Beverly Hills is a great home base for World Cup week if you want things to feel easier, calmer, and a little more private.

When the 2026 FIFA World Cup arrives in Los Angeles, it will bring with it something the city does better than almost anywhere else: the art of the grand occasion. Matches at SoFi Stadium will draw visitors from every corner of the globe—heads of state, football royalty, cultural tastemakers, and the kind of international traveler for whom the experience surrounding the event matters just as much as the event itself.

For those visitors, Beverly Hills is the natural home base. Close enough to SoFi Stadium to make match days effortless, yet entirely its own world. It is a place defined by discretion, world-class hospitality, and a standard of living that gives visitors a real sense of what living in Beverly Hills can feel like, World Cup or not.

Here’s what it means to experience a global event through a Beverly Hills lens.

WHY BEVERLY HILLS MAKES SENSE FOR WORLD CUP WEEK

SoFi Stadium will be transformed into a global stage for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Beverly Hills sits roughly 11 miles from SoFi Stadium, a straight shot down La Cienega Boulevard that, with a private car or car service arranged in advance, takes around 20 minutes on a good day. That’s close enough to make match days feel effortless and far enough to feel completely removed from the noise when you want to be.

And during a World Cup, you will want to be.

Anyone who has been near a major international sporting event knows what surrounds a stadium on match day: gridlock, crowd surges, overextended hospitality, and the general intensity that comes with tens of thousands of people descending on the same square mile. That energy can be thrilling in the right doses and for the right person, Beverly Hills is the place where you go to calibrate those doses entirely on your own terms. You get to choose when you arrive into the excitement and when you leave it behind.

LUXURY HOSPITALITY: WHERE TO STAY FOR DISCRETION AND SERVICE

At its best, Beverly Hills hospitality is defined by specifics: car service arranged before you ask, staff who know your preferences without making a show of it, arrivals and departures designed for discretion, and an atmosphere where privacy is not treated as an upgrade, but as the standard. During World Cup week, when Los Angeles will be operating at full intensity, that kind of ease becomes essential. It is also a big part of what makes the Beverly Hills lifestyle so appealing to visitors from around the world.

A few properties worth knowing

For those planning a World Cup stay, Beverly Hills’ hospitality options range from iconic institutions to more intimate boutique experiences.

• The Beverly Hills Hotel. This “Pink Palace” on Sunset Boulevard has been a cornerstone of the city’s prestige since 1912. Its 23 one-of-a-kind bungalows, set within 12 acres of tropical gardens, offer private patios, kitchens, and fireplaces. For guests who want their own front door and their own garden, this is the property.
• The Peninsula Beverly Hills. This hotel holds the rare distinction of being the only hotel in Southern California to earn both the AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star ratings for more than 20 consecutive years. The Peninsula also features 38 suites and 18 private villas nestled amid lush tropical gardens, with personalized butler and chauffeur services.
• L’Ermitage Beverly Hills. The longest-tenured all-suite hotel with a Forbes Five Star rating in the world, L’Ermitage Beverly Hills was established in 1975 and has always operated as a discreet alternative to the more storied grand hotels in Beverly Hills.
• The Maybourne Beverly Hills. With a Forbes Five Star service rating, this landmark 90210 location is one block from Rodeo Drive with a spa and a rooftop pool. In October 2025, the MICHELIN Guide awarded The Maybourne two MICHELIN Keys.
• The Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills. Located on Wilshire Boulevard, The Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills features 170 rooms, each with a private terrace, along with the La Prairie Spa and a Rolls Royce chauffeur service for local travel.

BEVERLY HILLS DINING, LOUNGES, AND “BETWEEN-MATCH” CULTURE

Part of what makes Beverly Hills such a compelling home base during a major international event is that its luxury isn’t limited to where you stay. It extends to where you linger between plans, where you host, and where you allow the day to unfold with a little more intention.

During World Cup week, that matters. A match may define one part of the itinerary, but the hours around it often define the overall experience, and Beverly Hills is exceptionally well suited to those in-between moments. This is a city built for being hosted well and for hosting well in return.

Where to go

• CUT by Wolfgang Puck at the Beverly Wilshire is the kind of place serious people go for a serious meal. MICHELIN-recognized and unapologetically indulgent, it’s a power dinner destination that works equally well for a pre-match meal or a late post-match table.
• The Polo Lounge at The Beverly Hills Hotel needs little introduction to anyone who knows LA. Long regarded as one of the city’s defining dining rooms, it remains a favorite for generations of stars, executives, and deal-makers.
• The Belvedere at The Peninsula Beverly Hills is a European-style brasserie with a lively terrace and award-winning cuisine. It’s also open from breakfast through dinner. Its terrace, in particular, r is a lovely way to spend an afternoon between match days.
• Dante Beverly Hills, the first West Coast outpost of the beloved New York City original, sits within The Maybourne and offers aperitivo-style cocktails and bites. Set on the hotel’s rooftop beside the pool, it offers scenic views that stretch toward the Hollywood Hills.
• THE Blvd at the Beverly Wilshire is worth knowing for its outdoor patio overlooking Rodeo Drive. This all-day California restaurant works beautifully as a brunch spot, a casual lunch between activities, or an early-evening stop before the evening properly begins. Altogether, these places give visitors another way to experience the Beverly Hills lifestyle beyond match day itself.

WATCHING IN STYLE: PRIVATE VIEWINGS, SCREENING ROOMS, AND ESTATE ENTERTAINING

Private World Cup viewings in a Beverly Hills residence makes match day feel more relaxed, comfortable, and personal, which is very much part of the Beverly Hills lifestyle.

One of the reasons Beverly Hills works so well during a global event like the World Cup is that some of its best experiences happen in private. Here, the home is often more than a place to stay. It is a setting for gathering, hosting, and stepping away from the pace of the city.

With motor courts, courtyards, pools, guesthouses, screening rooms, and easy indoor-outdoor flow, many Beverly Hills homes are naturally suited to entertaining on a larger scale.

What an elevated watch party looks like

In Beverly Hills, a watch party can feel more like a private dinner party or a well-hosted evening at home than a typical game-day setup. It is not just a big screen and food brought in at the last minute. More often, it is a chef putting together a menu around kickoff, drinks handled by a cocktail team, and a night that feels easy from start to finish.

A lot of that comes down to the setting. Guests can arrive through a private motor court, settle in without the noise or crowding of a public venue, and move comfortably between the screening room, the terrace, the pool, or the bar while still feeling connected to the match.

Why private settings often create the best World Cup memories

Los Angeles will have no shortage of public energy during the tournament, from stadium activity to large-scale watch gatherings across the city. But for many guests, the most memorable moments will happen in more personal settings, where the guest list is intentional, the atmosphere is comfortable, and the evening unfolds at its own pace.

That is where Beverly Hills stands apart. It offers a way to enjoy the excitement of a global event without giving up the privacy, comfort, and ease that make the experience feel special in the first place.

GETTING TO MATCHES: THE CALM APPROACH TO SOFI STADIUM

Getting to and from a sold-out World Cup match at SoFi Stadium is not going to be without its logistics. SoFi Stadium is in Inglewood, and Los Angeles will host five group-stage matches there during the 2026 tournament, which means stadium traffic, event congestion, and timing will all be part of the experience.

Beverly Hills, as it happens, is the right place to come from if you want to stay close, but not in the middle of the crowds. Here’s how to do it well:

• Leave with time to spare. The drive from Beverly Hills to SoFi is about 11 miles down La Cienega Boulevard, While this is straightforward on a normal day, it may take longer on match day. Even so, being able to return to a calmer setting afterward is part of the Beverly Hills lifestyle.
• Use a proper car service, not an app. Every serious hotel concierge in Beverly Hills has navigated high-demand events days before. They know which services are reliable when the city is operating at full capacity, which routes hold up better under pressure, and when you realistically need to leave. Book in advance, let the hotel handle it, and remove that variable from your day entirely.
• Have a plan for the return. Post-match traffic around SoFi can be significant and the guests who handle it best either depart slightly before the final whistle or build something to return to, such as a late-night table held in Beverly Hills, a nightcap waiting at the hotel bar.

BEVERLY HILLS LUXURY SHOPPING AND DAYTIME EXPERIENCES DURING THE TOURNAMENT

One of the best things about using Beverly Hills as a World Cup home base is what the in-between days can look like. On days without a match, you don’t have to work very hard to fill the time well.

Shopping: Rodeo Drive and the Golden Triangle

Rodeo Drive—flanked by The Beverly Hills Hotel to the north and the Beverly Wilshire to the south—represents more than 100 of the world’s leading international brands along a palm tree-lined stretch that has defined luxury retail for decades.

If shopping is part of how you like to spend the hours between plans, Beverly Hills makes that easy. Here are a few places to start:

• Hermès, Cartier, and Louis Vuitton anchor the boulevard with flagship boutiques that have no real equivalent elsewhere in the US. Cartier is unveiling a striking three-story boutique, while Louis Vuitton will open a 45,000-square-foot architectural landmark envisioned by Frank Gehry.
• Dior Beverly Hills has become an experience unto itself. On the third floor, Monsieur Dior by Dominique Crenn, a new private dining concept, unfolds as a tailor-made menu in an environment that combines couture heritage with California modern ease.
• Two Rodeo Drive, which is the cobblestoned pedestrian walkway off the main boulevard, is the place for a slower, more European-feeling browse. Versace, Lanvin, Jimmy Choo, and Tiffany & Co. are all found here.
• Beverly Drive and Cañon Drive, a few blocks east of Rodeo, offer local boutiques, open-air cafés, and a more residential pace. This area is a welcome counterpoint to the main boulevard when you want to step slightly off the tourist path.

Spa and wellness: The Beverly Hills reset

In Beverly Hills, downtime is rarely wasted. The city’s spa and wellness scene makes it easy to turn a free afternoon into something restorative. Here are a few places to go:

• The Spa at Beverly Wilshire has earned Forbes Five Star recognition for ten consecutive years—one of only four spas in Los Angeles to hold that distinction. Treatments are hand-tailored and the facilities include an eucalyptus steam room and a Mediterranean-style outdoor pool.
• La Prairie Spa at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills is a Forbes Five Star retreat offering signature treatments built around the La Prairie skincare philosophy, which is precise, science-backed, and deeply luxurious.
• The Peninsula Spa, tucked adjacent to the hotel’s tranquil Roof Garden, has long been the wellness destination of choice for Beverly Hills residents and Hollywood’s elite alike. Seven treatment rooms, a Himalayan salt crystal dry sauna, and a blow-out bar make it a comprehensive half-day escape.
• The Beverly Hills Hotel Spa offers a check-in area positioned away from public spaces entirely, so guests arrive and depart in complete privacy.

THE REAL ESTATE CONNECTION: GLOBAL EVENTS PUT BEVERLY HILLS BACK ON THE RADAR

People come in for the World Cup from all over the world. Some are here purely for the matches, but many are also experiencing Beverly Hills in a more immersive way than a typical visitor would.

They are staying well, dining well, and spending enough time in the neighborhood to get a real feel for it. For some, that is when the trip starts to feel like more than a visit. It becomes a first real look at the Beverly Hills lifestyle.

Global events bring first-time visitors who are actually qualified buyers

The World Cup is not just drawing sports fans. It is also bringing in a global crowd that is used to a high level of service, comfort, and privacy. Many of these visitors are experiencing Beverly Hills through a lifestyle lens, and a stay of several days gives them time to notice what makes the area appealing in a lasting way.

Why Beverly Hills stays with people

Not every city turns event-week attention into long-term real estate interest, but Beverly Hills often does. The name carries global recognition, the 90210 zip code is instantly familiar, and the city itself remains relatively small, tightly defined, and limited in inventory. Add in the privacy, calm, and sense of consistency that buyers at this level often want, and it is easy to see why a short stay can lead to longer-term interest.

WHERE THE WORLD’S BEST VISITORS CHOOSE TO LAND

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will bring the world to Los Angeles, but where you choose to be during it shapes everything. For visitors who arrive and find themselves thinking beyond the tournament, that is part of the story, too. Beverly Hills has a way of turning a short stay into a longer conversation about lifestyle, place, and what it means to own in one of the world’s most recognizable luxury markets.

With decades of experience at the highest level of Beverly Hills luxury real estate, I have the knowledge, discretion, and market insight to guide that conversation with confidence. Explore the Beverly Hills homes and its luxury lifestyle by giving me, Joyce Rey, a call at 310.291.6646. You can also send me an email here.