TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Manager
FROM:
Alexandria Latragna, Communications and Civic Engagement Manager
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of FIFA World Cup Public Engagement Strategy
(Not Budgeted) (City Manager Mirzakhanian).
(Estimated Time: 30 Min.)
DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
Body
_________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Authorize the purchase, printing, and installation of World Cup street pole banners in accordance with one of the tiered deployment options outlined in this report;
2. Approve future sale of street pole banners after the conclusion of the tournament to offset General Fund expenditures; and
3. Authorize the street pole banners to be displayed for longer than 14 days.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
The FIFA World Cup Public Engagement Program is free to participate in, with the City receiving complimentary banner designs and artwork. However, the City would be responsible for the costs associated with printing, installing, and removing the pole banners. The estimated cost of the pole banners would be $124 per banner. There is currently approximately $9,000 available in the Management Services budget that could be utilized for the printing and installation of the pole banners. If the City Council chooses a higher tier, funding should be appropriated.
The estimated total costs for each tiered option are as follows:
|
Tier |
Approximate Banners |
Estimated Cost |
|
Tier 1 |
60-80 |
$7,440-9,920 |
|
Tier 2 |
70-90 |
$8,680-11,160 |
|
Tier 3 |
90-110 |
$11,160-13,640 |
|
Tier 4 |
100-120 |
$12,400-14,880 |
If pole banners are purchased and City Council authorizes their future sale, staff will work with FIFA and neighboring participating cities to develop a resale value for the banners.
BACKGROUND:
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, with matches taking place across multiple host cities in North America. Los Angeles has been designated as a host city, with SoFi Stadium in Inglewood serving as a primary venue for tournament matches.
Manhattan Beach will play a direct role in the tournament as the Westdrift Manhattan Beach Hotel has been selected to host World Cup teams during the competition. This presents a unique opportunity for the City to showcase our community on an international stage and demonstrate our hospitality to athletes, officials, and visitors from around the world. The presence of World Cup teams in Manhattan Beach heightens the significance of participating in FIFA's Public Engagement Program and celebrating this historic event throughout our community.
As part of its community outreach efforts, FIFA has offered a Public Engagement Program that provides host region communities with complimentary access to official World Cup artwork and branding for public displays. This program is designed to build excitement for the tournament, foster community pride, and create a unified visual identity throughout the Los Angeles region.
The Olympics and World Cup Subcommittee is comprised of two City Councilmembers, staff, and representatives from the Downtown Business and Professionals Association, North Manhattan Beach, and the Chamber of Commerce. The Subcommittee has been evaluating opportunities for Manhattan Beach to participate in this historic event while being mindful of fiscal constraints and operational capacity. The Subcommittee identified pole banners as an effective, highly visible, and cost-efficient method to demonstrate the City’s participation, provide public service announcements, and celebrate this global sporting event.
The Subcommittee has also carefully considered whether to host public watch parties during the tournament. After thorough evaluation of logistical, safety, and security factors, the Subcommittee is recommending against hosting such events based on the following considerations:
• Safety and Security Requirements: Large public gatherings and events require significant police presence, crowd control measures, emergency medical personnel, and security infrastructure. The scale and cost of these requirements would be substantial, particularly given the potential for large, enthusiastic crowds.
• Staffing Demands: A watch party would place significant demands on City staff across multiple departments (Police, Fire, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, and administrative staff) during an already busy summer season. Of note, the City’s Public Safety departments’ efforts will be directed toward known areas of concern during FIFA; therefore, additional resources would not be available to accommodate the public safety demands of a live watch party.
City Council Direction and Future Planning
At the September 16, 2025, City Council meeting, the City Council directed the Subcommittee to explore art and cultural initiatives and return with specific recommendations. Staff was also directed to explore opportunities for community engagement through a torch run for the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics Games. In response to this direction, staff has submitted the City’s application to participate in the Olympic torch run and looks forward to hearing from LA28 about future plans. If the City is selected for the torch relay, staff will work with LA28 to evaluate associated costs. Those costs are unknown at this time.
The recommendations contained in this report regarding the FIFA World Cup 2026 pole banner program represent the Subcommittee’s initial response to the City Council’s direction to explore art and cultural initiatives for these major international sporting events. Staff will return to the City Council at a later meeting with additional recommendations for community engagement opportunities related to the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics Games.
DISCUSSION:
Pole Banner Program
Manhattan Beach Municipal Code Chapter 9.60 - BANNERS IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY authorizes the City Manager to permit banners on a temporary basis for civic events, City co-sponsored events, and public service announcements. The proposed banners qualify as public service announcements. The City's Banner Policy authorizes the City Manager to permit banners for up to 14 days. However, the City Council may allow, on a case-by-case basis, a pole banner promoting a Public Service Announcement to be displayed for longer than 14 days.
The FIFA Public Engagement Program provides cities with professionally designed banner artwork featuring official World Cup branding at no cost. Participating in this program would allow Manhattan Beach to:
• Demonstrate civic pride and connection to a historic international event hosted in our region
• Create an attractive, cohesive streetscape that celebrates the World Cup
• Foster community excitement and engagement around the tournament
• Generate potential revenue through the post-tournament banner sales to residents and businesses
While the artwork is provided free of charge, the City would be responsible for printing, installing, maintaining, and eventually removing the banners. Staff has developed a tiered deployment strategy to provide the City Council with options that balance visibility, impact, and cost.
The Subcommittee has identified four tiers of deployment based on strategic location priorities within the City. The Council may choose any tier or combination of tiers based on desired visibility and budget. There is a map attached identifying all of the light pole locations in the Tiers described below; however, banners would be installed on only a select number of light poles within each area.
Tier 1: Priority Corridors
Locations:
• Sepulveda Boulevard (prioritize area around Manhattan Village Mall from Rosecrans Avenue to Manhattan Beach Boulevard)
• Rosecrans Avenue (prioritize from Sepulveda to Market Place)
• Downtown Manhattan Beach
• North Manhattan Beach
Rationale:
These high-traffic commercial corridors serve as the City’s primary gateways and commercial centers. Sepulveda Boulevard, particularly near Manhattan Village Mall, experiences the highest daily vehicle counts in the City. Downtown is the City’s cultural and commercial heart, while North Manhattan Beach serves as a major entry point from neighboring communities. This tier provides maximum visibility with the most efficient use of resources.
Estimated Banners:
60-80
Estimated Cost:
$7,440-9,920
Tier 2: Secondary Corridors
Locations:
Tier 1 locations, plus:
• Parkview Avenue
• Manhattan Beach Marriot Drive
Rationale:
This tier expands coverage to important secondary corridors that connect areas around the Westdrift Manhattan Beach Hotel to commercial areas and serve as commuter routes. These areas capture business travelers and commuters, extending the World Cup theme across a broader geographic area.
Estimated Banners:
70-90 (Tier 1+ 10)
Estimated Cost:
$8,680-11,160
Tier 3: Park Corridors
Locations:
Tier 1 and 2 locations, plus:
• Manhattan Beach Blvd between Redondo Avenue and Sepulveda (prioritizing in front of Polliwog Park)
• Valley Drive (19th to 15th Streets prioritizing in front of Live Oak Park)
Rationale:
This tier adds coverage to significant community gathering areas. Polliwog Park is one of the City’s most heavily used recreational facilities and serves as a central community gathering space where families congregate for sports, events, and leisure activities. Valley Drive between 19th and 15th Streets provides visibility along a primary north-south artery that links multiple neighborhoods and serves as a main access route for residents traveling between the beach area and inland portions of the City. This level of deployment creates a focus on streetscape visibility in areas with high daily pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
Estimated Banners:
90-110 (Tiers 1-2+ 20)
Estimated Cost:
$11,160-13,640
Tier 4: Soccer Fields
Locations:
Tiers 1-3 locations, plus:
• Various locations within Marine Avenue Park and Manhattan Village Fields
Rationale:
This tier extends World Cup visibility to the City’s active sports facilities, creating a direct thematic connection between the global soccer tournament and Manhattan Beach’s own soccer community. Marine Avenue Park and Manhattan Village Fields host youth soccer leagues, adult recreational leagues, and community sports programs year-round, making them ideal locations to celebrate the world’s premier soccer event. Placing World Cup banners at these soccer-specific venues reinforces the sport’s importance in our community, inspires the young athletes and families who utilize these fields weekly for games and practices. This option provides the most comprehensive and thematically appropriate visual presence throughout Manhattan Beach by connecting international soccer excellence with local grassroots soccer participation.
Estimated Banners:
100-120 (Tiers 1-3+ 10)
Estimated Cost:
$12,400-14,880
Business Considerations
Manhattan Beach Municipal Code Section 4.20 provides an opportunity for businesses to host group entertainment, such as FIFA World Cup watch parties, with the appropriate permits. Businesses interested in offering entertainment outside of their normal operations should contact the Planning Division for guidance.
Transportation Update
Beach Cities Transit (BCT) Route 109 provides regular bus service through Manhattan Beach every 40-50 minutes, primarily along Highland and Rosecrans Avenues. BCT will not be modifying the level of transit service through Manhattan Beach during the period of time that World Cup events are occurring at SoFi stadium in Inglewood. BCT does have a dedicated stop (Transit Bay 9) located at the LAX/Metro Transit Center transportation hub located on the northeast edge of LAX. Metro will be running frequent regular SoFi Stadium Shuttle Service from the LAX/Metro Transit Center to get spectators to and from the World Cup games. Thus BCT 109 to the transit center is a viable route to and from the stadium for spectators from Manhattan Beach who would like to not drive themselves.
CONCLUSION:
The 2026 FIFA World Cup represents a unique opportunity for Manhattan Beach to participate in a historic international event taking place in our region. The recommended street pole banner programs offers a visible, cost-effective method to celebrate this occasion while maintaining fiscal responsibility and public safety.
The City Council may determine the appropriate level of visibility and investment that best serves our community. The potential for post-tournament banner sales provides an opportunity to recoup a portion of the initial expenditure.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
The Subcommittee is comprised of representatives from North Manhattan Beach, the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce, and the Downtown Business and Professionals Association, City staff, and two City Councilmembers. The Committee has met four times since September 2025. Additionally, this item was included on the agenda for the March 3, 2026 City Council meeting, which was noticed in accordance it applicable laws.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Map
2. PowerPoint Presentation