Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus carried more than 11,000 fans to World Cup matches at Los Angeles Stadium in June without a single reported safety incident, according to city data released Monday, July 20. The city's Department of Transportation says the performance establishes a blueprint for handling the LA28 Olympics two years from now.

Systemwide, Big Blue Bus ridership rose 10% during the tournament compared to the same period in 2025. The direct service ran every 10 minutes from Downtown Santa Monica starting four hours before each of the eight matches, with walk-up fares of $1.75 each way. Riders could also take Route 3 to the LAX/Metro Transit Center and connect to a free stadium shuttle.

Big Blue Bus launched onboard credit card and digital wallet payments during the tournament, eliminating the need for a TAP card or exact cash for first-time visitors. Transit ambassadors from Big Blue Bus and Metro staffed pick-up and drop-off locations on match days, and temporary wayfinding signage guided fans through high-traffic areas downtown.

But the scale gap between the World Cup and the Olympics is enormous. LA Metro borrowed about 200 buses for the tournament; officials say they will need 3,000 for the 2028 Games, which have been billed as a "no car" Olympics with zero spectator parking at any venue, according to the Associated Press.

"Lessons learned and partnerships strengthened through this effort have helped establish a model for successfully managing future major events coming to Santa Monica and the Los Angeles region," Anuj Gupta, the city's director of transportation, said in the July 20 announcement.

Other city metrics showed increased visitor activity during the period. Downtown parking facilities recorded a 22% jump in occupancy during June 2026 compared to June 2025, while beach parking lots saw a 31% increase, according to the city's Parking Operations division. The data covers the full month and does not isolate match days. E-bike and scooter usage climbed 33% as visitors used shared mobility for first- and last-mile connections to hotels, restaurants, and shopping districts.

These figures are self-reported by the city and have not been independently verified.

The World Cup effort grew out of the Brighter Blue five-year plan the City Council adopted July 9, 2024, which explicitly targeted a "world-class transit experience" for the World Cup and the 2028 Olympics. The city's Realignment Plan, updated by the Council on March 24, 2026, earmarked major event programming investments for the World Cup, a Goldenvoice music festival, and the Olympics as part of a strategy projected to balance the General Fund by the end of fiscal year 2026-27.

Santa Monica's DOT collaborated with Santa Monica Travel and Tourism, Downtown Santa Monica, Inc., and local hotels and businesses to spread the word about transit options during the tournament.

The city's State of the City event on Thursday, July 23, will highlight World Cup successes and the broader "Realignment to Renaissance" theme. The free celebration runs from 4 to 7 p.m. on Main Street between Hollister Avenue and Ocean Park Boulevard, with free Big Blue Bus rides for attendees from 3:30 to 8:30 p.m.