Spread out across Los Angeles County there are 10 million people, a bigger population than that of 40 other states combined.

The sprawling, smoggy city of Los Angeles is no stranger to hosting big events, for athletes and Hollywood stars alike. But it’s in a new era of hosting continuous mega-events: eight World Cup games in 2026, the 2027 Super Bowl, and the culmination in the 2028 Olympics.

Journalist Alissa Walker has been following the preparation in granular, hyper-local detail on her newsletter, Torched (sign up here!). She joins me today to talk LA and its World Cup prep, from its notorious traffic, to wildfires, to secret public bathrooms.

And no shade to the city’s famous palm trees… but Walker explains why, literally, they do not provide shade.

00:00 Introduction to LA's Mega-Event Hosting Era

04:34 World Cup vs. Olympics: Cultural and Logistical Differences

11:08 Transportation and Infrastructure Concerns

14:50 Heat and Environmental Challenges

19:05 Emergency Protocols and Security Issues

30:44 Public Facilities... and Final Thoughts

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